July 2015

Morning cleansers play a very important role in my daily skincare routine. Not only do they have to gently cleanse the skin and provide skincare benefits, I also like them to be soothing and uplifting to make me feel better as I am just not a morning person.  This is a review for some of my all time favorite cleansers for morning use, and they are all lotion/cream type as they are gentle enough for all skin types without stripping the moisture off.

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Elemis Rehydrating Rose Petal Cleanser –  I am a big fan of this luxury spa brand, and this is my favorite product from this line (my 5th bottle!). If you love rose scent, you would absolutely fall in love with this cleanser. It smells like the most delicate fresh roses just cut from your garden, and makes you feel so relaxed and pampered when you use this cleanser in the morning. It has a very lightweight milky texture, and feels very gentle on the skin and makes your skin feel silky and supple after use. It is not a heavy duty cleanser (not for removing full makeup), but good enough for taking away the oil and dirt build-up from overnight.

THREE Balancing Cleansing Milk – Another heavenly scented cleanser that I am obsessed with. THREE is a luxury organic Japanese beauty brand, and this cleanser is made with a blend of premium skin nourishing essential oils and purified bamboo and rose flower water. It has a creamy milky texture, does a great cleaning job (can also be used as a makeup remover) that melts away all the dirt and makeup and replenishes the skin’s moisture at the same time. It is gentle but also has some purifying properties that help to balance the oil and moisture of the skin. My skin feels supple and hydrated after use. More information can be found on THREE website.

IPSA Premier Line Cleansing Creamy Paste – I love exploring premium Japanese skincare lines, and this is another luxurious cleanser that I splurged on. It is a lather free cleanser in an interesting creamy paste texture. Though this premier line targets at anti aging and face lifting, I find this cleanser to be very refreshing and hydrating. It feels creamy but light weight on the skin, and it has a slight minty sensation which helps to make me feel uplifted in the morning. It contains enzymes so it helps to dissolve dirt and provides a very mild exfoliation to the skin.

Antipodes Organic Hallelujah Lime & Patchouli Cleanser –  Last but not least, I wanted an affordable and readily available cleanser that is just as good as the expensive ones as mentioned above.  After testing a whole bunch of them, my favorite is the Antipodes. It has this expensive invigorating aromatic scent, and it cleans and cares for the skin at the same time which makes it a great morning cleanser. This product is best to be used within 3-4 months, as with most organic products that have a heavy base of oil, the scent changes slightly over a period of time after it opens. This is normal (just like cooking oil) and is probably a good indication that this product is all natural and contains no preservatives! Currently 40% off in Australia here.

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My other recommendations that are not shown in the picture include the Decleor Aroma Cleanse Essential Cleansing Milk and the Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser. They all work very similar to the other ones – gentle, soothing, and rinse off without residue which is what I look out for in a good cleanser!

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On my nails today is the beautiful Chanel Le Vernis 767 FRAÎCHEUR that is exclusive to Chanel Online. It was released together with the new Chanel Chance Eau Vive Fragrance Collection, and Le Vernis FRAÎCHEUR matches with the Chance Eau FRAÎCHEUR. Chanel always make everything elegant – even for the most tricky colors like green. Remember the mint color that was released years ago and it was sold out literally within a minute world wide, this trending beauty is probably the second best green nail color from Chanel that you can add to your collection.

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FRAÎCHEUR is a neutral green that leans slightly warm (depending on the angle you are looking at). It has micro gold shimmer, and as with most Chanel polish, it applies to a cream glossy finish. The texture is smooth and applies streak free and opaque with 2 coats. It is a fresh and fashion-forward color that will definitely compliment your spring outfit if you are in the northern hemisphere, but as for me this color adds a playful spin to my rather neutral and boring winter outfit!

chanel-le-vernis-fraicheur-767-swatch-review-2Swatch with 2 coats

chanel-le-vernis-fraicheur-767-swatch-review-3chanel-le-vernis-fraicheur-767-swatch-review-4Rings (from left to right): Vita Fede Mini Ring, Vita Fede Titan Ring, Cartier Juste Un Clou Ring (similar here for under $100), Vita Fede Mini V Ring

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There is a buzz going on around the cushion foundation which is another brilliant invention from Korea in the wave of BB and CC creams. I got myself the Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Foundation Compact which has won the best reviews amongst all the other Korean beauty brands, and I am loving this foundation to bits!

To those of you who are not familiar with the brand, Sulwhasoo is a high-end Korean beauty brand that is known for their ultra nourishing Ginseng infused skincare products and they have also released some popular makeup products including this one. It is owned by Amore Pacific which is the biggest beauty company in Korea, and is probably the most well-known and popular high-end Korean brand that is available internationally (you can find them at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus).

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The Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Foundation is housed in a round ivory compact case, with a full size foundation and sponge refills. The case is sturdy and looks quite elegant, and it has two compartments and the sponge is placed on a divider so it’s more hygienic. The foundation has a liquid texture, and is protected under a mesh. For application, you gently tap the sponge on to the mesh to dispense the foundation.  Cushion foundation comes from the concept of applying foundation with a damp sponge, so the texture is more sheer and watery, and it goes on more dewy and natural. If this is your preferred way of application, then cushion foundation is your ideal alternative to a conventional foundation that is more convenient and fun to use.

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The coverage of this foundation is on the low side, as it only helps to blur out the unevenness and the pores, but it does not cover much imperfections or redness. I normally wear a sheer layer of BB cream or tinted primer underneath the cushion foundation for a flawless yet natural looking finish. If you have good skin to begin with then wearing this product alone is suffice for a ‘your-skin-but-better’ finish.  It has a translucent, semi-dewy finish and adds a ‘filter-like’ radiant glow to the skin, and because of its high water content, it makes the complexion appear more hydrated and plumped. Instead of calling this foundation, I would say this is more of a skin perfecter as it further enhances and improves the appearance of the complexion. I have worn this over all sorts of base products including foundation, powder, and also used it for retouching my makeup throughout the day, and it never fails to make my skin appear more refreshed and glowy without caking up. Lasting power is about 6-7 hours on me in an indoor environment, and is SPF50+.

I bought the Sulwhasoo foundation in shade No21 which is quite similar to NC20. I am currently NC15 so this shade is a tad warmer for my complexion, but overall I can still wear this without a noticeable mismatch.

Swatch

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