Pretty Pink Packaging from Neutrogena, and Boscia

On Wednesdays we wear pink, so here I am in my favourite pink sweater with some pink products I’ve got around.

The Neutrogena Skin Balancing Milky Cleanser is my new favourite – I don’t know why I put it away, because this cleansing milk has a light watery texture, and actually feels very refreshing on my skin. I’ve been using it at night as my second cleanse, and in the morning too. It’s super light and has polyhydroxy acid in it to help with congested skin (blackheads, breakouts and such) but I find that it helps with skin texture too and makes my skin look a little smoother. It’s not a foaming cleanser, so I find that it doesn’t dry out my skin. Really, this cleanser would be suitable for most skin types, but not sensitive. If you’re prone to redness, then you want to stay away from this type of acid on your skin. Stick to something more gentle.

I couldn’t help but notice that the Boscia Chia Seed Moisture Cream is in a container the same shade of pink. This is a super lightweight moisturizer that will likely suit most skin types but not dry. It looks thick and rich in the tub, but it’s absolutely not greasy and actually sets as more of a satin finish. This would likely make a great moisturizer for someone who doesn’t have skin that needs a lot of help.

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Trinny London Mascara and Brow Gel Review

My new favourite mascara is from @trinnylondon. It’s a brown brow gel on one side and a black mascara on the other. I love that I can build volume with the mascara but it’s smudge-proof. Now that I’ve gotten the hang of using it, I’d say it’s my new favourite mascara. #trinny #trinnylondon #mascara #makeupreel #smudgeproof #mascarareview

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New Skincare from Neutrogena

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Neutrogena is upping its game, following other brands by putting their active ingredients AND the percentage on their packaging. I know experts always say that “regular people” don’t need to worry about the ingredients and should just look for results, but when there’s so much to choose from how are consumers supposed to decide what to get. Personally, I’ve always liked more information. , and I like the labelling on these.

I also like the lux packaging. The Glycolic Acid Overnight Peel is in a heavy glass bottle that rivals anything you’d see at Sephora. The Stubborn Texture Liquid Exfoliating Treatment (in the red labelled bottle) has a nozzle applicator, just like other brands, and I know that the off-label use is that people have been using them on their scalp and under their armpits. There are also acne patches, and I’ll vouch for the fact that they really are invisible from arm’s length and they actually work. I’ve used each of the acid liquids a couple of times and the final textures are better than others I’ve tried. They go on smooth and don’t leave your skin sticky or tacky. As always, use sunscreen during the day because acids can make your skin more sensitive to light. Thoughts?

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Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan Review

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Plaid shirt, bare feet, the chill outside. Take out the biggest pot you have because it’s time to make a batch of pasta sauce. May as well wear Ambre Sultan because it’s got that dry oregano note and a warmth that feels comforting not suffocating. That dryness lasts the entire wear of the fragrance, with the patchouli, vanilla almost woodsy. Calm and collected, you’re making the sauce you’ve made a million times before. It’s a good day.

Have a look at the video review where I talk about Ambre Sultan, but also mention some of my favourite amber perfumes.

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Les Abstraits Belle Ame Unboxing

Unboxing Belle Âme from Toronto perfume brand Les Abstraits. My favourite perfume from the three that launched. Love this luxe packaging and I had to really savor the moment and not rush it. I really love this perfume and it’s my favourite of the 3 that have been released. It’s a cozy dry cocoa, iris perfume that’s comforting and easy to wear.

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Youtube: Perfume Samples I Finished in March

https://youtu.be/o1iiZw9UpQQ

Perfumes mentioned:

Dior Bois D’Argent

Olfactive Studio Chypre Shot

Serge Lutens Arabie

Guerlain Oud Nude

Cherigan The Purple Bar

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Most worn: Glossier You, Zoologist Camel, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower

Most worn: Glossier You, Zoologist Camel, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, a chaotic mix if there ever was one but it represents what my perfume collection is.

Glossier You is a compliment-getter every time. It’s a clean musk but with warm ambrette that really gets better and better as you wear it. Sillage is good and lasting power is amazing. Has Glossier You reached its peak now that it’s a Sephora and everyone can get their hands on it? I probably won’t get another bottle once this one is done.

Zoologist Camel is a warm date-forward perfume, with rose and a touch of oud. It’s got a vegan animalic note too. I love the heaviness of this bottle and how lux the cap looks. Lutens Arabie is my other date perfume and it’s on my wishlist because I adore the smokiness of it. I wish that Zoologist had put the perfumer’s name on the bottle like Frederic Malle does. Each Zoologist perfume is done by a different perfumer, so why not?

Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle, maybe the perfume that’s most “me”, make of that what you will.

Tell me what you wore the most.

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Bottega Veneta EDP Perfume Review

Realizing the profound loneliness of being an adult. You’re in it for you and nobody but you, and Bottega Veneta edp is all that in a bottle.

Maybe because I was having a day, I did the odd thing of spraying this at work instead of at home, and everyone who stepped inside the door paused thoughtfully at the threshold.

I was told that I smelled like the natural remnants of a perfume.

That this was probably how my house smelled.

Was I wearing something French today?

This is the only perfume that makes sense, because I’m still leaving into the Iris, and leather, and this is a powdery suede. There’s some Violet too, but without being candy-like. Maybe I wore this because I was feeling like a melted lipstick and I needed to smell like it. I wore my favourite perfume that day, and saw people, and found joy in that.

Bottega Veneta is adjacent to Guerlain’s Bois d’Armenie but without as much benzoin and vanilla making it less sweet. It’s also missing the smokiness so it’s not an incense scent as much as an Iris leather. It’s a closer dupe of Armani Privé’s Cuir Amethyste which is also by Michel Almairac, but of course Bottega Veneta is a fraction of the price and none of the awards.

Michel Almairac has a line called Parle Moi de Parfum, and there’s an orris perfume in there that I wouldn’t mind trying, and I need to see if I’ve come across samples from the brand. Apparently, he figured out a new way to create this lovely sueded leather accord, and it’s a secret and he won’t tell.

Tell me your favourite powdery perfume.

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Empties: Trinny London Skincare, Alterna Scalp Serum, Prescription Retinoid, Maybelline Foundation

Full size only.

Empties that is.

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And that’s just the kind of week it’s been.

I ran out of my prescription retinol and I’ve had it for over a year so that’s how long it lasts even when you use it regularly. I’d say it’s worth it. This is a micro-encapsulated Tretinoin which means that it gets released on your skin in a slower dose rather than a lot hitting it all at once. It’s better if you’re trying to avoid irritation but it’s still very very strong and even after a year of it, my skin can’t tolerate it nightly.

I use a more gentle retinol too, and just finished the Trinny London Overnight Sensation. This is a retinal so it’s a little stronger than other options but still not as strong as prescription.

I also finished my favourite Maybelline foundation, and this is discontinued. I’ll say that drugstore foundation colours have come a long way and it’s nice that I can find a warm golden colour for my skin pretty easily. I’m switching to Fenty for now, but I do have this in a darker colour which is what I use in the summer.

Alterna Scalp serum! I actually used this. I just massage it into my scalp once a day and it didn’t make my hair greasy either. I think the applicators made it super easy to apply and so I reached for it more than the Ordinary one, but I will go back to using The Ordinary one now.

Lastly, the Neem and Tulsi face wash is from the Indian store and the Body Oil is from Chermere Beauty and imported from Trinidad and Tobago. I mixed it with coffee grounds and scrubbed my skin with it weekly and I think you should too.

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Pat McGrath Superstar Mascara Review

Pat McGrath Superstar mascara. I can’t believe I’ve never heard anyone talk about this one before. It’s so volumizing and gave me serious lashes but without smudging all over the place. The real ones will remember me having tried the FetishEyes mascara that came out a few years ago and that one is super smudgy. As you can see, I’m into luxury mascaras right now. I just love the amount of pigment they have and there seems to be more in the tube. A drugstore mascara is great and of course, you can replace it every month but the performance on this one is amazing.

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