Mini Products, Mini Reviews

Shu Uemura Depsea Hydrability Moisturizing Emulsion: this is very milky and almost has a "watery" feeling. Though it wasn't moisturizing enough for my normal-to-dry skin, I can see those with oily skin loving it. 

Shop it here.

Nude ProGenius Treatment Oil: I know many people who use this and I've never heard anything bad about it. This omega-rich oil is extremely soothing on dry skin yet very lightweight. Skin immediately drinks it up and you're left with extremely smooth skin. PS: I also love how it's silicone-free. 

Shop it here.

Ole Henriksen Lemon Strip Flash Peel: this clear gel is potent. I could feel a tingle throughout the ten minutes I left this on. When I rinsed it, my skin was a bit red (normal after peels). It wasn't tender though, and I didn't get any adverse reactions. I would say it's exfoliating enough to only use every two weeks or even once a month. Long-term effects include reduction of lines and pores.

Shop it here.

Darphin Stimulskin Plus Multi-Corrective Divine Cream: I love the texture of this moisturizer. It's thick yet melts like butter, it's very hydrating and I wake up to smoother skin. I also love that it contains peptides. Only down-side: the whipping price point. 

Shop it here.

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask: I keep mine in the fridge for a more cooling effect. This is perfect for skin that has been through a lot - whether you're a model and had a long shoot, you got sunburned, your skin is really sensitive due to cold weather or after a peel.

Shop it here.

Ren Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream: Aimed for people with sensitive skin. It has a semi-thick texture which is great if you have normal to dry skin. It has a slight herbal scent but it doesn't bother me. Just for the record, I have gone through three Evercalm Cleansing Milk bottles in the past. This line is very hydrating, yet gentle.

Shop it here.

Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Cleanser: I'm not a fan of foaming cleansers, but I have finally found one that is not stripping at all - this one! It has a subtle fruity scent and it makes my skin feel so clean but never stripped. If you have dry skin but do not like oil-based cleansers, give this one a shot.

Shop it here.

GlamGlow Thirsty Mud Hydrating Treatment: This is the only GlamGlow mask I'd recommend for people with dry skin. It has an creamy-oily texture that feels a bit cooling. This is something I pop for ten minutes and then wipe with a tissue whenever my skin is feeling drier than usual. It does have a light brown color that "tints" the skin when you have it on but it doesn't leave a residue when you wipe it off.

Shop it here.

Oil-Based Cleansers

It's no secret I'm a fan of oil-based cleansers. I find them soothing, nourishing and more gentle than any other formula. Today I'm breaking down different types of oil-based cleansers: oil, jelly, gel and balm. 

I like these cleansers for different reasons but all of them have many things in common: 

• You begin by massaging them onto your skin and they turn into an oil, and once they come in contact with water, they turn into a milk. 

• They break down makeup and SPF. 

• They are all free of nasty ingredients like mineral oil and silicones. 

• They are great for sensitive eyes and contact-lense users.

They're fabulous "skin" cleansers, which means I not just use them to remove makeup and SPF but also to give myself a soothing, gentle cleanse. 

Tatcha One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil: This cleanser has the thinnest consistency of all but it's actually the most powerful in breaking down makeup. Aside from using this to cleanse my skin, it's my go-to for giving myself facial massages as there is enough slip to it. And a little secret: I use this to clean my gel-liner brushes as it quickly dissolves the product that dries on them. 

Shop it here.

Nude Perfect Cleanse Omega Cleansing Jelly: This cleanser does something no other cleanser has managed to do -- it gives my skin a radiant, healthy glow after I rinse; an effect that makes this cleanser quite addictive. This is a staple when my skin is leaning more towards the dry side as it never makes my face feel stripped but actually nourished and moisturized.The only con is that it doesn't have much slip to it at first, but I can live with that.

Shop it here.

Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser: This cleanser looks like jello but it instantly turns into a slippery, comfortable oil once massaged onto the skin. I love that it contains nourishing and brightening ingredients like rosehip oil and Vitamin C. My skin is a smooth, comfortable and clean after rinsing. 

Shop it here.

Ren No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm: I reviewed this balm early of last year and it's still one of my holy grail cleansers. It has a balmy consistency that easily spreads on the skin and has an evident rose scent. This is my go-to cleanser when my skin is irritated or sore (it can happen from testing out other skincare products). It instantly calms and balances my skin. Unlike all the other cleansers previously mentioned, this one does leave a film behind so I do use a warm cleansing cloth / muslin cloth to remove it. 

Shop it here.

Best of 2013

We are approaching the end of December, so it's time to talk about the products that stood out to me the most throughout 2013 (do not confuse this with all-time favorites). I want you to know that I carefully selected the products because I want you to read and discover the crème de la crème. 

Hope you enjoy. 

pat

My Summer Vacation Ramble

Hi everyone! Welcome back. I haven't been here in forever. This post will summarize my summer vacation, which has been great. I'm currently in Michigan visiting my family. I'll be going back home to Venezuela in a few days. This post is also somewhat a goodbye? I am going to be so busy when I get back, I don't think I'll have much time to blog as I used to before. I will though, continue to read all of your great blogs. Always feel free to leave your links below.

I'll be sharing with you some of my Instagram pictures and write a bit about each of them. You can follow me if you'd like -- due to the fact that it's such a quick way to share info, I'm always posting random beauty things. 

Make Up For Ever shade 99 is a gorgeous apple red. I don't have a shade like this in my collection, which is what originally caught my attention. If you want true color pay-off, I recommend the MUFE eyeshadows. Yes, they are a bit pricier than lets say - your traditional MAC eyeshadow, but the quality is definitely a lot better. 

Another gorgeous eye product to look after is Stila's Cobalt Liquid Eyeliner. Oh-my-God. I saw this on Stila's Instagram and I immediately fell in love. This blue is so gorgeous! And Stila's eyeliners are super easy to apply. It's a felt tip pen, giving you precision and control. Color pay off = incredible. 

Ooooh! And what about my August Favorites? 

Yes, I'm a big Ojon fan, and I'm also a big fan of Desert Essence's Curl Cream which I have raved about numerous times (get gorgeous curls without silicones or nasties!). But I tend to get bored of using the same products all the time and like to switch things up. So I went back to Moroccan Oil products which I used around five years ago. The combination of their oil and Curl Cream smells divine - of course - but also leave my curls bouncy and soft without any crunchiness. It was very, very humid in Detroit a few days ago, and my curls survived. 

The Lorac Pro to Go is a fabulous palette and in my opinion, highly worth it. You get six eyeshadows, two blushes, a bronzer and two small brushes. The quality of the makeup is superb (yet it doesn't surprise me, it's Lorac!) but the brushes are OK. 

The Ojon Rare Blend Tamer is a product that hasn't had a lot of mention. It's available on Ojon's website, not on Sephora (online nor stores) although I got mine at an Origins store. Yep, it seemed weird to me as well! I asked the ladies why they were carrying another brand and they said that Ojon shares their same philosophy. I dunno. Anyway - a must have as well! I always carry it in my purse. It immediately gets rid of any flyaways. I love using this whenever I'm wearing a ponytail or bun. Much better than adding water (to further enhance the annoying little curls) or gel (nobody likes that sticky, wet look). 

Stila's Liquid Lipstick in the shade Beso is another product I've raved about before. Opaque, matte, gorgeous... 

The By Terry Touchee Veloutee concealer won the battle against the Mac Pro Longwear Concealer (I wanted to get a new concealer and was in between those two). I like the coverage and love the fact that it does not crease at all. 

Anastasia Brow Whiz. Yes, she's the queen of eyebrows. 

I'm in love with REN. I really am. That rhymes. It's hard to find nowadays brands that are genuinely clean yet good. REN does it. I learned on this trip that my skin is actually normal. The combination aspect of it has more to due with my skin's response to weather (heat, humidity) and not using the appropriate products. The REN Vita-Mineral Day Cream is lovely. A little goes a long way and it skin drinks it up quickly. (PS: I've been using the REN Frankincense Night Cream [sample] and it is divine! And the Glycolactic Mask is worth the hype.)

Talking about skin - my skin has never looked this good before!

I had a skin consultation with a Sephora beauty advisor who gave me samples of what she tried/recommended. I give credit to Perricone MD Blue Plasma and Ole Henrikesen Truth Serum. I'll actually be getting the full sizes. All I can say is: Wow. Thank you Mr. Perricone and Mr. Henriksen. 

Best part of having better skin? Makeup goes on better, and you use less of it!

My sister-in-law, my sister and I. 

My mom, my sister-in-law, my sister and I

To end things on a sweet note, if you're ever in the US and you're a chocoholic like myself, go to Cold Stone and order the following:

"Chocolate Devotion, but Reese's Butter Cups instead of chocolate chips."

Chocolate ice cream, fudge, brownie and Reese's Butter Cups. You're welcome.

Have a beautiful week everyone! xoxo

How To Get Glowing Skin Without Makeup

I've always been drawn to glowing skin, and I've come across a wide range of products that claim to brighten, but not all have been successful. 

Now that I have found a regimen that works for me, I want to share it with you. These are products I have been using for over four months, so I can say with confidence that they work. I have noticed major improvement in my skin - it is more even, it is smoother and it is brighter. 

If you're interested, keep reading.