So as the title says, money doesn't guarantee happiness, or great hair, or good skin. You don't always get what you pay for.
Coming up this weekend is my friend's party, at which will be a lot of people from school I haven't seen in a year or two, so of course I wanted to look my best. I thought I'd get my hair done, invest in some new skincare, and turn up with a great 'do and glowing skin.
This is where I always go wrong - I haven never been able to get my head around 'if it's not broken don't fix it'. My dark-blonde hair was fine, albeit boring, and my skin, usually VERY troublesome and acne-prone, was the best it had been in a long time. But in my usually overly-ambitious manner I decided I wanted things even better and spent $120 on a supposedly 'high tech' moisturizer and $200 on what I thought would be simple highlights/ombre hair.
3 days later I had almost black hair with (no exaggeration) white stripes, and skin that had gone mental and broken out something awful. I booked in another hair appointment to fix the Cruella DeVille hair and it is now socially acceptable, but definitely not what I wanted and not something I look in the mirror and smile about. I'm planning to go back a third time this weekend, because all I want is to be able to look in the mirror and be happy with my appearance, but I've spent so much and I'm further from that than ever. And splashing all this cash within a few days may give you the impression I have a hefty bank account, but that is not true at all. I'm a student who works part-time, so all of this has left me broke.
Girl problems :(
Who else has had a beauty meltdown? I know it's not just me! This week has been like an aesthetic horror movie!
Monday 23 July 2012
Monday 9 July 2012
Review: Bioderma Sensibio H20 Cleansing Water
Okay, this product definitely has a cult following. It's recommended by celeb makeup artist Lisa Eldridge, and I get the impression from reading (obsessively, I might add) intothegloss.com that every model and generally beautiful person out there uses this, including Leigh Lezark, Jessica Stam and Caroline Trentini. And now I can add my name to that list!
It's not cheap at $40 for a bottle, but not overly expensive either. I certainly have splashed more cash on much less useful products. Bioderma's website describes it as a micelle solution (cleansing water) for sensitive, normal to dry skins that gently cleanses face and eyes and removes water-resistant make-up. "The
micelles contained in its formula effectively micro-emulsify impurities
while maintaining the skin’s balance (soap-free, physiological pH)".
Since it is designed for sensitive skin it has little to no fragrance and literally does have the consistency of water - no oily residue (it does leave a slight film on your face unless you double cleanse as I do, but this is necessary for very sensitive skins who don't want stripped-clean skin after cleansing). However, the selling point, and what makes it so great, is that it really is super-effective at removing makeup. Mascara that usually barely budges, even with water-proof product removers and scrubbing? Gone with a few swipes. Layer of mineral foundation eradicated. Eyeliner almost entirely removed. And my skin, which often turns quite red after thoroughly removing my makeup, feels soothed, not scrubbed!
I think I should mention that I have used Avene's very similar cleansing water in the past and, honestly, think it is equally as good; but I will certainly use this product up and most likely repurchase. Avene is a better option for some as it is a bit cheaper though, around the $25 mark, and much easier to find in stores.
Since it is designed for sensitive skin it has little to no fragrance and literally does have the consistency of water - no oily residue (it does leave a slight film on your face unless you double cleanse as I do, but this is necessary for very sensitive skins who don't want stripped-clean skin after cleansing). However, the selling point, and what makes it so great, is that it really is super-effective at removing makeup. Mascara that usually barely budges, even with water-proof product removers and scrubbing? Gone with a few swipes. Layer of mineral foundation eradicated. Eyeliner almost entirely removed. And my skin, which often turns quite red after thoroughly removing my makeup, feels soothed, not scrubbed!
I think I should mention that I have used Avene's very similar cleansing water in the past and, honestly, think it is equally as good; but I will certainly use this product up and most likely repurchase. Avene is a better option for some as it is a bit cheaper though, around the $25 mark, and much easier to find in stores.
Mini beauty haul! Bioderma, Avene, Loving Tan, Ren, Ardell, Uriage
I had a birthday trip to Melbourne on the weekend and did some serious beauty hauling. Before I'd even left Adelaide I made a list of the Bioderma stockists in the city, and I then pounded the pavement to get my hands on some of their cult-status Sensibio H20 cleansing water. The first stockist was completely sold out, but the second had a whole display of French skincare at the front of the store! I bought a bottle of the cleansing water, and the wonderful sale assistant gave me a stack of samples, including a mini sample bottle of the cleansing water (not pictured), tubes of their Sebium Al and Sebium AKN, as well as a sample packet of a Uriage eye cream. I also bought an Ardell brow grooming kit, Loving Tan medium tanning mousse (which I had never heard of before but bought because of the packaging! Check out the adorable website too: http://www.lovingtan.com/ ) samples of Avene Extremely Gentle cleanser and Skin Recovery cream. From Mecca Maxima I bought a Ren sensitive skin care trial kit. On an irrelevant note, I thought Mecca Maxima was a bit disappointing, mostly because I had in my beauty-obsessed mind imagined a Mecca store the size of a supermarket. A girl can dream! The beauty department of David Jones and Myers in Melbourne were amazeballs though, definitely puts Adelaide to shame!
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| The Haul |
Reviews of all products to come!!!
Sunday 1 July 2012
Cruelty-free Picks!
My resolution lately has been to attempt to switch all of my beauty products to cruelty-free versions. But I must admit, it is more difficult than it sounds, and it takes a lot of willpower. Cruelty-free products are often organic, eco-friendly, etc and for this reason also a lot more expensive. Also, they generally don't give the instant results of normal salon/supermarket beauty products - and okay, this is probably a good thing as it's usually all those chemicals and silicones that give the WOW! factor results and aren't good for your hair in the long run, but it's hard to give that up for something that doesn't have such immediate and noticeable results! Organic products often are very heavy and leave your hair lank, or just not feeling clean, and leave your skin a little greasy. So, to make it easier for you to change to cruelty-free (and for me to remember which products were worthwhile) here are my cruelty-free picks that are worth the switch!
1. Giovanni Smooth as Silk Extreme Protein Hair Infusion (approx. $17.95)
This is a moisturizing protein mask with 'shea butter, soy protein and macadamia nut oil' that you leave in for 5-10 minutes depending how damaged your hair is. It does have some form of silicone, but because of this it immediately leaves your hair with a great silky slip and genuinely does smooth and moisturize (although didn't leave my damaged hair quite as silky as I'd like). I bought this mostly because it had great reviews on Makeup Alley.
For the record, I bought this from shopnaturally.com.au as there were no stockists near me.
2. De Lorenzo Moisture Balance Intense Conditioner (approx $27.95)
This is bloody fantastic for dry, damaged, course hair. It saved my hair after going from blonde, to brown, to blonde again in the course of 4 weeks (yeah, I torture my hair). Again I'm pretty sure this has a form of silicone in it adding the immediate slip and smoothness, but wow did it transform my hair - after using this (I left it in for a lot longer than the recommended time, about 30 minutes) I could get a comb through my hair again without it snapping off! Definitely one of my top picks, I've repurchased twice. I buy it from Price Attack or Hairhouse Warehouse.
3. Aveda Dry Remedy moisturizing shampoo and conditioner (approx. $45 each)
These are incredibly expensive, but for thick, dry hair they are a godsend. The shampoo is very heavy and creamy so it's almost like washing your hair with a mask, and feels really luxurious. The conditioner is also very thick and creamy; both are sunflower yellow and have a fresh, herb-y scent. I have also tried the mask from this range but find the conditioner actually gives better results! These also have a silicone derivative but sometimes for really thick, coarse hair you need that to achieve smoother hair. I bought this from a salon near me, but you can get these from Aveda stores or online as well.
4. Prive reparative shampoo and conditioner (around $30 each)
I bought the trial sizes of these and love them - these are better for fine hair that's dry and/or frizzy. They smell fresh and herb-y as well and are a light green colour. I bought these from David Jones and although I'd seen them on the shelves before I'd never bought them as the packaging always reminded me of the free products you get from hotels (hard to explain; the packaging still doesn't appeal to me) but I bought them after reading a review on a blog I love, Katie's Beauty Blog (mesluxes.blogspot.com.au). These don't have an immediate smoothing effect and the conditioner doesn't need to be left on for ages to work - which is great if you don't have a lot of time or hate sitting around freezing to death with goop in your hair.
5. Living Nature Purifying Cleanser and Hydrating Toning Gel (around $30 each)
These have a really fresh herb-y scent as well, and are for oily/combination skin. The cleanser isn't overly drying, and leaves your skin feeling really clean and smooth. The hydrating toning gel is really amazing - it leaves your face feeling so smooth and silky and hydrated. The scent won't appeal to everyone, but natural products are often like that. I generally prefer 'cosmeceutical' type skincare as I need products that will really tame and control my acne-prone sensitive skin, but these are nice if you don't have any skin issues.
6. Dermalogica precleanse, Ultracalming cleanser, toner, serum concentrate and barrier repair (very expensive!!!)
While I think Dermalogica is a little overpriced for the ingredients, and the products a bit hit-and-miss despite their cult status, these are tried and tested by myself and I really recommend them. The pre-cleanse smells lovey and citrusy and really removes every trace of makeup and sunscreen (follow with a foaming cleanser to remove residue). I would avoid this if you are really acne-prone though, I only use it when I wear heavy makeup for special occasions, as it can leave a slight residue even after a double cleanse. This is actually good for dry skin types as it adds extra hydration but can break out rebellious skin. The Ultracalming range is for sensitized skin and is really soothing (I use this when my skin is sensitized by harsh acne treatments). It's good for all skin types, even oily skin, as none of the products are greasy or overly-hydrating, just calming. The barrier repair is silicone-based as it forms a 'shield' to protect your skin from 'external aggressors', so I don't use this on a regular basis as silicone products can clog pores and cause congestion, but when your skin is really hot, blotchy and sensitive it's amazing, and actually makes a really good primer for makeup. The toner can be a little annoying though, as it tends to come out in heavy spritzes, not a nice mist. I bought the Ultracalming trial pack.
Cruelty-free brand I'd like to try: DermaQuest. This is the kind of cosmeceutical skincare range I prefer, that can give real results and uses ingredients proven to improve troublesome skin like mine. I haven't tried them yet as it's difficult to find a stockist. Their eyelash conditioner is meant to be pretty good.
1. Giovanni Smooth as Silk Extreme Protein Hair Infusion (approx. $17.95)
This is a moisturizing protein mask with 'shea butter, soy protein and macadamia nut oil' that you leave in for 5-10 minutes depending how damaged your hair is. It does have some form of silicone, but because of this it immediately leaves your hair with a great silky slip and genuinely does smooth and moisturize (although didn't leave my damaged hair quite as silky as I'd like). I bought this mostly because it had great reviews on Makeup Alley.
For the record, I bought this from shopnaturally.com.au as there were no stockists near me.
2. De Lorenzo Moisture Balance Intense Conditioner (approx $27.95)
This is bloody fantastic for dry, damaged, course hair. It saved my hair after going from blonde, to brown, to blonde again in the course of 4 weeks (yeah, I torture my hair). Again I'm pretty sure this has a form of silicone in it adding the immediate slip and smoothness, but wow did it transform my hair - after using this (I left it in for a lot longer than the recommended time, about 30 minutes) I could get a comb through my hair again without it snapping off! Definitely one of my top picks, I've repurchased twice. I buy it from Price Attack or Hairhouse Warehouse.
3. Aveda Dry Remedy moisturizing shampoo and conditioner (approx. $45 each)
These are incredibly expensive, but for thick, dry hair they are a godsend. The shampoo is very heavy and creamy so it's almost like washing your hair with a mask, and feels really luxurious. The conditioner is also very thick and creamy; both are sunflower yellow and have a fresh, herb-y scent. I have also tried the mask from this range but find the conditioner actually gives better results! These also have a silicone derivative but sometimes for really thick, coarse hair you need that to achieve smoother hair. I bought this from a salon near me, but you can get these from Aveda stores or online as well.
4. Prive reparative shampoo and conditioner (around $30 each)
I bought the trial sizes of these and love them - these are better for fine hair that's dry and/or frizzy. They smell fresh and herb-y as well and are a light green colour. I bought these from David Jones and although I'd seen them on the shelves before I'd never bought them as the packaging always reminded me of the free products you get from hotels (hard to explain; the packaging still doesn't appeal to me) but I bought them after reading a review on a blog I love, Katie's Beauty Blog (mesluxes.blogspot.com.au). These don't have an immediate smoothing effect and the conditioner doesn't need to be left on for ages to work - which is great if you don't have a lot of time or hate sitting around freezing to death with goop in your hair.
5. Living Nature Purifying Cleanser and Hydrating Toning Gel (around $30 each)
These have a really fresh herb-y scent as well, and are for oily/combination skin. The cleanser isn't overly drying, and leaves your skin feeling really clean and smooth. The hydrating toning gel is really amazing - it leaves your face feeling so smooth and silky and hydrated. The scent won't appeal to everyone, but natural products are often like that. I generally prefer 'cosmeceutical' type skincare as I need products that will really tame and control my acne-prone sensitive skin, but these are nice if you don't have any skin issues.
6. Dermalogica precleanse, Ultracalming cleanser, toner, serum concentrate and barrier repair (very expensive!!!)
While I think Dermalogica is a little overpriced for the ingredients, and the products a bit hit-and-miss despite their cult status, these are tried and tested by myself and I really recommend them. The pre-cleanse smells lovey and citrusy and really removes every trace of makeup and sunscreen (follow with a foaming cleanser to remove residue). I would avoid this if you are really acne-prone though, I only use it when I wear heavy makeup for special occasions, as it can leave a slight residue even after a double cleanse. This is actually good for dry skin types as it adds extra hydration but can break out rebellious skin. The Ultracalming range is for sensitized skin and is really soothing (I use this when my skin is sensitized by harsh acne treatments). It's good for all skin types, even oily skin, as none of the products are greasy or overly-hydrating, just calming. The barrier repair is silicone-based as it forms a 'shield' to protect your skin from 'external aggressors', so I don't use this on a regular basis as silicone products can clog pores and cause congestion, but when your skin is really hot, blotchy and sensitive it's amazing, and actually makes a really good primer for makeup. The toner can be a little annoying though, as it tends to come out in heavy spritzes, not a nice mist. I bought the Ultracalming trial pack.
Cruelty-free brand I'd like to try: DermaQuest. This is the kind of cosmeceutical skincare range I prefer, that can give real results and uses ingredients proven to improve troublesome skin like mine. I haven't tried them yet as it's difficult to find a stockist. Their eyelash conditioner is meant to be pretty good.
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