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.

Updated Skincare Collection: Tatcha, REN, Caudalie, Skinceuticals, Bioderma, Darphin + more

You know I love skincare and you know I love to share my thoughts with you. My friend Fiorella Basso, a long-time friend and graphic designer teamed up with me again to kindly film me in her space and create this video. I hope you find it informative. 

Facial Hair Waxing: Tips and Tricks

Facial hair. We all have it and most of us don't like to talk about it. Here's another one for you - waxing. 

Waxing your upper lip. 

I am very hairy and my facial hair is literally black (thanks, dad) which makes it more noticeable and need to wax every couple of weeks. I've done it myself for years and I actually have some tips for you as well as product recommendations. 

I wasn't intending on writing this post tonight, however I happened to wax this afternoon, slightly peeled off some extra skin and my thesis defense is in less than forty-eight hours. Accidents happen, ladies and gentlemen but I have it all under control. 

If you do wax facial hair yourself or have ever thought about doing it, keep on reading. 

My REN Collection

My love for REN began a couple years ago when Hannah Georgina mentioned how good the REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm was. Since I feel she and I share similar tastes in skincare, I gave the cleansing balm a go. It was my first time using a cleansing balm and I was pleasantly surprised and how gentle yet effective it was. We are in 2014 and I've ready repurchased it as I have found nothing more soothing and relaxing to use at night.  

Here's a bold statement: if I could pick one skincare line to use for the rest of my life, it'd be REN. If you would like to know more about the products I've used, keep on reading.

October Favorites

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

Current Night Time Skin Routine

Hi dolls! Today's post will be an updated version of my night-time skin routine. I'm constantly testing and rotating products, but these are the ones I've been using for the last three months and I've been loving them. Enjoy!

Video: Night Time Regimen

Hi everyone!

So this was supposed to be a "short" video on how I remove my makeup at night. This is proof I am not a YouTube person but I do these things for you. I still need to learn some editing skill to shorten parts of my video. I already learned how to crop the beginning and end, but I have no idea how to trim parts in between. And I don't have a Mac computer :) Just in case.

Anyway! Here is the video. I remove my makeup with the Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water, then I show you how I clean my face using the REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm, and how I moisturize at night. 

I hope you like it!

REN No.1 Purity Cleaning Balm Review

Hi everyone!

Those who follow me on Blogger or Instagram are familiar with the fact that I love the REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm. For those who are new readers, it is a cleansing balm that I got little over a month ago. Despite the fact I loved it the first time I tried it, and it even made it to my January Favorites, I wanted to test it out for a little while and give you a real, in depth opinion about it. So consider this an update, and I will write another one in a couple of months to tell you how my skin has reacted to it long-term. 

What is it?

A rose-infused rich balm for all skin types that turns into an oil once massaged to a skin, then a milk once you add water. 

You get a massive amount of 150ml that comes in a big plastic jar. As I mentioned earlier, I have been using this for a little over a month - daily - and I still have lots left. 

What is the texture like?

It feels like a balm but it easily transforms into an oil. 

It's good to know that...

- It has NO: petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colors or silicones. 

- It's based off almond oil which is very good for your skin. 

- Other skin-friendly ingredients include: roman chamomile, rose oil, shea butter, castor oil, grapefruit oil, lemon oil, tangerine oil, lime oil, sunflower oil, tangerine oil and vitamin E. 

- It includes a muslin cloth meaning that you get to cleanse and gently exfoliate the skin using just this product. 

- This product has not broken me out. 

- This product dissolves make-up.

- Even though REN states this even dissolves water-proof eye-makeup, I wouldn't let this get into my eyes because it does sting. 

- All the natural essential oils will condition your eyebrows and eyelashes.

How do you use it?

Apply an almond-size to your fingertips and gently massage it to your skin for one or two minutes. 

The consistency will turn oily once you massage it. 

Once you're done massaging, add some warm water to emulsify into a rich milk. Thin grab the muslin cloth the product comes with and run warm water over it.

Use the dampened cloth to remove the product off your skin. 

Who would love this?

- Those who love rose scents.

- Those who have the patience to cleanse their face for a minute or two.

- Those who want to try natural products. 

- Those who love oils. 

Why is it a favorite?

I have combination skin, but dry areas on the skin means that they are dehydrated, and after using tons of acne-prone-skin cleansers for years, I knew that its harsh ingredients were stripping away my skin's natural oils, thus, my skin was becoming thirsty. 

I decided to step away from heavily-fragranced cleansers or cleansers that were full of very harsh ingredients and I wanted to try out more natural products. Cleansing the skin is an extremely important step in achieving a healthy-looking complexion. If I could give you all one of my top beauty secrets, it would be: never go to bed without washing your face and removing all traces of makeup. 

I don't use this product to remove eye-makeup. I'd rather use by Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water just because it's the only product I find removes my eye-makeup without irritating my sensitive eyes. So, I first remove my eye-makeup with the Bioderma Sensibio, and then I cleanse my skin with the REN Cleansing Balm.

I love this product so much because it has made a significant difference to my skin texture and appearance. Immediately after cleansing my skin, it feels plump and smooth, not tight. My skin glows because it's been gently cleansed and nourished. 

Some long-term changes I have noticed are: less breakouts and more even-looking and softer skin. Your skin should look radiant without makeup. This product gives you that. 

And remember: adding additional oils to your skin isn't bad. If you choose the right ones, they can balance out the skin. So don't be scared if you have combination to oily skin!

I use the REN Cleansing Balm once a day (at night). 

Official Website

http://www.renskincare.com/

Thank you so much for taking the time to read, as always. I'm off to bed after finishing watching the Grammy's. Have a lovely night, and have a lovely morning to those who are reading from the other side of the world. x

January Favorites

Hi everyone! I'm a little late on my January Favorites. But here I go! These were the products I reached out the most/I was most impressed with this month. Let's begin!

1. L'oreal Translucent Powder with Vitamin C: An excellent drugstore powder. It's very finely milled and I have been really impressed at how good it is at controlling oil. I tap this on my T-zone and I am shine free for more than six hours! It also makes my skin look healthy.

2. REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm: a lovely rose-scented balm infused with natural oils. It is a dream to work with if you are patient enough to massage your face for a few minutes. I don't want to write so much about it because I will review it soon. 

3. Diorskin Nude Tan Healthy Glow Enhancing Powder: I have the shade 002 Sunlight. It's a soft, sheer bronzer that is so easy to use, you will never look like you've overdone it. A combination of peach and warm tones instantly make me look healthy and awake. I like to use my Make Up For Ever Kabuki Brush to apply it - going stronger on my cheekbones and lighter on the rest of my face. 

4. Kerastase Elixir Ultime: It smells divine, leaves my hair soft and manageable and it is very versatile. You can use it as a pre-shampoo treatment, a leave-in treatment (which is the way I use it), a pre-blowout treatment or a post-blow out treatment to add shine and tame frizz. It can be applied on dry or wet hair. 

5. Vichy Aqualia Thermal Eye-Roll On: Tightening, cooling, moisturizing, firming, de-puffing, amazing. I'm on my second tube and I know I will be repurchasing it. I use it every single day when I wake up and before I apply make-up. 

6. Illamasqua Cream Blush: I have the shade Brazen. It is a bright red that looks scary on the pan, but it looks extremely natural on the cheeks. It reminds me of how my skin looks after being out in the snow for a long time. Tip: Be extremely light-handed with Illamasqua's cream blushes because they are EXTREMELY pigmented. 

7. Mac Studio Finish Concealer: I have the shade NC 30. I am very glad I got this. I was really hesitant and dubious about buying this because there were mixed reviews about it when using it on the under-eye area. Some people said it was horribly cakey, while others loved it. I love it. I really do. I think a little goes a long way, the coverage is pretty good, I love the fact that it's water resistant and that it has SPF. I find the texture really light. It does not feel heavy nor cakey. 

8. Mac Pro Sculpting Cream: I have the shade Richly Honed. I love, love, love this for contouring. It's a cream-to-powder formula, giving me the cheekbones I've always wanted to have. I love to apply this using my Real Techniques Contour Brush.

8. La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat: A mattifying moisturizer with a gel-like consistency. It hydrates and tightens the skin. People with combination to oily skin will love this. I do not recommend this to people with normal to dry skin. It does an excellent job at keeping the skin shine-free, and with prolonged use, it reduces the size of pores and decreases sebum production. Yes and yes. It does both. I'm on my second tube. PS: It makes an excellent primer. 

9. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder: I have the shade Dark Brown. I never really paid attention to my brows til last year. I thought they were too dark and thick as they were. Usually I would see that those who used brow products were women with very thin and light brows, but after using this powder, I learned that groomed eyebrows look best. Anastasia offers two shades - the dark shade is meant to cover any spots that need filling, while the lightest shade is meant to be applied all over the brow. Even though this is a powder formula, the color does not fade at all. 

10. Yves Rocher Aqua Tonic Masque: A yummy-scented moisturizing mask that works in just three minutes. Inexpensive, effective and plumping. 

11. The Body Shop Neroi Jasmin Body Lotion: Probably one of my favorite scents ever. You have to smell this. It is divine. Seriously. Go to a store and just smell it. You'll thank me later. PS: It's light but moisturizing enough, and the smell lingers. 

What were your January Favorites? 

Which products do you strongly recommend?

REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm

Hello everybody!

I want to share with you my excitement of trying out a new product. I heard about it on YouTube the first time, and then started reading about it and really wanted to try it out.

It is the REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm. If you're interested in learning about this product, continue reading!