Charlotte Tilbury Bar Of Gold Palette - review

I've never been a huge fan of highlighter, I always felt like it looked glittery and just too much for every day. But when I saw this palette from Charlotte Tilbury, and I saw a lot of pictures and other reviews saying it looked wet on the skin and didn't look unnatural or glittery, I had to get it.

The packaging is beautiful and very sturdy so it'll be good to travel with, plus these highlighters will work as eye shadow as well.

The colors are beautiful and will work for a lot of different skin tones, The darkest shade in the palette is way too dark for me to use as highlight on my cheeks BUT, it makes the most beautiful golden eye shadow!

as you can hopefully see in the above picture the highlight gives a natural glow to the skin, and makes it look so luminous, fresh and dewy. In the picture I'm wearing a bb cream and some bronzer for a natural glowing summer look.

In some light it can look like there is small specks of glitter in the formula, but I find that I'm the only one who notices since I'm studying my face close up.

I use this palette every day and I love it so much! I would recommend it, if your in need of a super lux highlight palette and you want to treat yourself!

~Kira

pigmentation removal and eyelid tightning (no surgery!)

For the longest time I've had this huge patch of pigmentation on my forehead, that's very stubborn, and I have hard time fading with vitamin c, and when I finally get it to fade, it takes just a few days of sunny weather and boom! it's back in full force. I wear SPF 50 every day, and it still comes back. So I did some research and a clinique in my town had this new technology, that uses plasma pen fibroblast to burn the pigmentation away - at least that's how I understood it. I also noticed the place did the same kinda technique on the eyelids to tighten them, and since I have hooded eyes I decided to get that too, and rip a week out of my calendar for healing.WARNING - I will post pictures of the healing process, so if scabs and swelling isn't your thing, don't read any further.

DAY 0: before treatment

here you see my pigmentation on my forehead, and my hooded eyes. my eyelids are uneven and one is more hooded than the other. The pigmentation on my forehead is very dark in real life, and I've been told a few time that I have dirt on my face, even though it's just the darkness of the pigmentation showing.

DAY 1:

this is taken about 15-20 minutes after the treatment, i got home around 10 in the morning, the lady used a plasma pen to make small dots all over my forehead, and a bit bigger dots on my eyelids. I did get numbing cream on, but honestly it still hurt a lot, and since the plasma pen is essentially burning your skin, it does smell horribly, and the smell will stay for the first day, at least it did for both me and my sister who had her eyes done also. At this point my skin felt tight and raw, but there was no swelling.

Just about four hours later I looked like this. My eyelids were so tight i couldn't open them fully, and swelling had started at my lash line, making i even harder to open my eyes. My forehead was still sore but it didn't bother me too much.
They lady at the clinique had given me a cream to put on 3 times a day, and told me to put something cold over the areas for 20 minutes every one and a half hours, to keep the swelling down as much as possible.

7-ish hours later (around 10 at night) and I was looking pretty much like I did before getting the treatment done, the areas were still sore but the swelling went down and the cream (that does contain some color) moisturized my skin pretty well. I went to bed, with my bed tilted as much as possible and extra pillows to have my head up at much as I could.

DAY 2:

And I woke up like this. My whole eye area was very swollen, much worse than my sister, because the swelling from my forehead affected my eye area as well. I tried putting on something cold to get the swelling down, but I stayed like this all day, nothing really helped. The scabs were thicker than the day before, might also be some leftover cream since I was told I can not wash the cream away, so it kinda cakes up a lot. 

DAY 3:

24 hours later the swelling was down a bit, but my under eyes are still very puffy, which is very visible (to me at least) between my eyes, which is almost so swollen that my nose bridge looked flat.
At this point you can tell the scabs are getting even thicker, and they felt more itchy. My eyes started to be very sore in the crease, and it hurt to blink and more my eyes around.

DAY 4:

At this point my forehead felt super itchy and i put on a lot of cream to make the area more moist. However the cream stings the eyes horribly! It doesn't sting right away, but one wrong move and you're crying. This was also the day where my scabs started to crack, and I could tell the peeling was not far away.

Day 5:

The picture was taken right after I got out of bed, and i tried to remove at much as the cream from my eyes as possible. The cream can stay wet on my forehead for hours, but for some reason it dries quickly on my eyes and cakes up, making it hard to fully open my eyes, and it hurt a lot cause the scabs were rubbing on the red sore skin underneath. As I hope you can tell this was the day it all fell off. I had a few bits peel off in the morning and a little during the day. At the end of the day after putting on cream I felt an itch on my forehead and gently glided my finger over my forehead, and pretty much all the scabs fell off.

Day 6:

After a shower I had no scabs left on my forehead, i did help along the scabs on my eyes, cause they were so caked up I couldn't handle it anymore. There's still scabs in my eyelid crease, but now because the cream can touch the skin underneath, it doesn't cake up and it feels more comfortable. My skin is still very red and sore, but I'm now starting the serums the lady at the clinique gave me, plus I'm adding my own cocktail of Rosehip oil, which is good for healing and hydrating the skin, and Matricium, which helps speed up regeneration in the skin - this is not something I was told to do, but the products are good and they've helped me a lot in the past with very good results, so I figured they'd come to the rescue again!

DAY 7:

For the first time in a week i gently washed my forehead to try and get the cream off of it, because the cream was starting to break me out, and because I didn't like the pigment in the cream, which would get all over my clothes and pillow. I also had very stinging eyes, that would hurt a lot, so that's why I chose to use another cream I had at home. This would also make it easier to see if the redness was going down or not.

Day 8:

I don't know if you can tell from the picture or not, but pretty much all my scabs came off after my shower. This was pretty nice for my left eye, which has healed up pretty well, however for my right eye is was very painful, because it was not at all healed.

The skin was red and raw, and it was bleeding a little, and he skin was wet, meaning the scab was not supposed to have come off yet. The reason the scabs came off was because I dabbed them dry after a shower with toilet paper, which the lady from the clinique had instructed me to do.

Day 9:

 My forehead is healing very nicely, and I'm starting to think it's okay to use my normal products on my skin, since my forehead isn't raw anymore. My skin is in serious need of moisture at the moment, and my forehead is especially drinking up all the serum I've been putting on. Plus I'm dealing with some small whiteheads all along my brows from the cream I got from the clinique.
At this point I'm staring to get a good idea of how it'll look when everything is healed up, but I'm honestly a bit worried. I got my eyelids done because they were hooded and uneven, now they aren't that hooded, but still uneven, which I'm still sad about. I hope when my left eye heals (which is the more saggy one) that it'll lift up a bit more and make my eyes look more even.

Day 10:

Still dealing with the breakout from the cream, but I've started to use my own skincare again, and using vitamin c serum to brighten the redness so hopefully it'll heal evenly and not be darker than my normal skin color.
I also wore makeup for the first time after the treatment, and my skin did look a bit dry and felt slightly sensitive when I washed the makeup off, but otherwise it was fine. I don't expect much more to happen to my eyes, so they're still uneven.

Day 11:

No new since yesterday, I think at this point I'll give an update if something happens or if the redness goes down completely, like said before I think my eyes have settled and they won't change.
On a good note I have managed to calm down the breakout - woop!

Day 20:

 So after another week the redness has gone down a lot, and so have my eyes, they are now both hooded and look pretty even. At this point I don't think the treatment on the eyes have helped at all honestly. The skin on both my eyes and forehead is extremely thin, and I have scratched the areas gently and still made it bleed. I hope my skin will go back to normal soon.

If any changes happen I will update this post, but for now I think it's settled like this. I would not recommend the eye treatment, it was painful and expensive and didn't help me or my sister the way we had hoped, and the way it was advertised. The pigmentation on my forehead I'm still unsure about. I feel like it could still fade more, so it's a maybe on the recommendation.

~Kira

Essences - expensive vs. affordable dupes

I tried the 7 skin method almost a year ago and I haven't looked back since. And since my skin likes it so much I've become a bit obsessed with finding the best essence for my skin, at a reasonable price of course. 

Disclaimer:

In this blog I'm using the term "toner" and "essence" a lot. both words to me, mean the same, because both are supposed to be hydrating and balance and plump the skin with moisture. Do not use an acid toner or a toner with alcohol in it for the 7 skin method, it will ruin your skin! -disclaimer over-

My curiosity started with the hyped SKII First Treatment Essence, which from what I know is very loved, but also very expensive. I got a small bottle off of eBay and tried it for a few months. It has a light scent but nothing too noticeable, and it does a good job at hydrating the skin and making it feel soft and smooth, however for the price there are tons of more affordable options on the market, the best one probably being the Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence, which claims to actually have the SKII formula beat and even improved. 

My quest to find better essence led me to YuriPibu Artichoke Power Toner which is a bit thicker in consistency than the SKII and the Missha toners. this toner is great for the 7 skin method and really packs in the moisture without feeling heavy on the skin. Another toner great for this method is the Klairs Subtle Preparation Toner which is very similar to the YuriPibu toner, except that the Klairs toner has a pretty strong scent of, what I'd describe as smelling like the dentist. Its not too bad but I prefer the YuriPibu toner because it has no scent. 

Next my search for the best essence I heard about two essences that were really hyped on youtube and peoples raved about how good they were, so I bought both. First off is the Whamisa Organic Flowers Toner a very well known and loved brand by many who uses korean skincare products. The essence is very thick and super moisturizing, and as the name suggest it is organic. However, the smell of this one is too much for me. Its smells very floral and I can't stand i to b honest. I know a lot of other people really enjoy the smell of this but I just can't deal with it. Which leads me to the HadaLabo Super Hyaluronic Moisturizing Lotion which had a thick texture like the Whamisa toner but no scent! I love this product and the best part is that its super affordable! If you have dry skin I would really recommed trying this out, and as you can see from the picture above, you can get a smaller size to start out with, if you just want to try it out without buying a full bottle first. 

Now last on my essence list for the time being is the Blithe 8 nourishing beans toner which is unlike any other essence on this list. This toner is similar to the YuriPibu in consistency but has small beads of vitamin E suspended in the formula, and when you pat the essence into your skin, the beads will burst. This is probably my favorite toner of them all, however the price is pretty high so I usually use this toner for 2 of the 7 skins I do in the evening. 

My top recommendations are:  

Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence, which you can read a full review on here.

YuriPibu Artichoke Power Toner

HadaLabo Super Hyaluronic Moisturizing Lotion

Blithe 8 nourishing beans

I use those 4 essences or toners every day and mix and match them in the 7 skin method for the best hydration for my skin. I love them all and have repurchased them all. I buy all my korean skincare on eBay and I have never had any problem with the products or the sellers. 

I hope this was helpful!

~Kira

LJH Vita propolis ampoule + cream - Review

Lately my skin has been craving a lot more moisture than usual, so I added in some "honey" products which are moisturizing and not irritating for my acne prone skin.

I've used the ampoule before, where I added one drop to my moisturizer at night, but since my skin still needs more hydration, I now add two drops and it seems to do the trick. The LJH ampoule is very small but the point is, that ampoules are more concentrated than regular serums so just a drop or two will do the same as a maybe 5-6 drops of serum - at least in my experience.
The ampoule hydrates without feeling heavy and it will give a nice glow to the skin!

The cream has a texture like nothing I've ever tried before. It feels light and hydrating on the skin and looks wonderful under makeup! It's smells slightly sweet like honey but it disappears quickly. The texture looks like it would be sticky because of the "strings" that will form between your fingers and face when you're applying it, but it's not sticky at all! It glides on the skin super easily and absorbs quickly, leaving the skin feeling smooth and moisturized.

I absolutely love both products and I have bought backups of both! I have tried other creams for my daytime routine, but it seems like nothing has the LJH cream beat so far. The ampoule is a god send for my skin and it really packs in some major hydrating in a small bottle.
I would highly recommend these two - plus they're pretty affordable too!

I bought mine from roserose shop - they ship internationally!

I hope this was helpful!
~Kira

Klairs Manuka Honey & Choco Body soap - Review

For a long time now I've been struggling with spots on my back. Usually I would wash my back with my face wash and try to keep my hair away from my back as much as possible.
I saw someone on YouTube review this soap, and they said it was really good at keeping your skin on your back clean and spot free, so I ordered it right away.

I've tried it out for about a month and it's a good soap, and it makes the skin feel clean after you use it. It has a nice smell of sweet coco and it lathers up nicely in your hands. It does help with the spots on my back, it's not a miracle but I don't get the big painful spots anymore and the small spot that pops up here and there goes away quicky.

I can't give this soap the full credit for making my back clearer, I do have a routine for keeping my back clean, and it seems to be working really well so far.
I start of with a dry scrub glove (or brush if you can't reach your whole back) and I scrub my whole back. After the scrub I use the Klairs soap and lather it in my hands and rub it all over my back, and rinse under the shower. To end the routine I use the Blithe splash mask on my face and take it down my chest and back as well (read my Blithe review here)

I hope this was helpful!

~Kira

Charlotte Tilbury - Haul and Review

I've had a lot of products from Charlotte Tilbury on my wishlist for a long time, and I finally saved up enough money, and got most of the things on my list.

Wonderglow - is like a golden glow primer, I've tried a little tester before and I really like the effects that it gives. I don't think its the best at keeping the makeup on your face longer than any other primer, but I like that this can double up as a liquid highlighter, and it looks very natural and beautiful on the skin.

Matte Revolution lipstick - I got the shades Bond Girl and Very Victoria, which are both very natural everyday colors. I like the matte formula because it feels more moisturizing than a liquid lipstick but it still gives you that matte lip look, and I love that!

Cheek to chic swish and pop - a two toned blush that looks very natural and blends like a dream! I got the shade First Love which is the lightest shade, and on me, it looks like my natural cheek color, and it makes me look fresh and healthy. All the blushes in her line has some sheen to them, so if you don't like that, the blushes are not for you. 

Beauty Glow Palette - I loved this palette from the second I saw it, and honestly the palette was the reason I did the haul. The eyeshadows are nice everyday shades that can be build up for a nice bronzy smokey eye. The bronzer has a tiny bit of sheen, but I don't mind that because it makes the skin look healthy and natural. The shade of the bronzer is a bit pale and even on my skintone it donesn't show up too much, so if your even medium to dark skintoned this bronzer is way too light.The highlight is a pale yellowy gold and looks very natural, but again it would be too pale for medium to dark skintones. The blushes are beautiful! the swish shade is a gorgeous redish brown color and the pop is a fresh pink color, they work really well together or even separately.  
Everything in this palette has decent pigment and is buildable and blends like a dream! If you have pale skin like me this palette is absolutely stunning!

Powder and Sculpt brush - I really wanted this brush because I thought it would be the perfect size for the palette, and I've seen so many beauty gurus use this brush and everyone seems to love it. I don't! this sheds like crazy! even my cheap elf brushes are softer and don't even shed like this brush does. save your money! this is not worth the money at all, and if I could take it back I would. The only good thing about this brush is the shape, but other brands do similar brushes for a better prize and honestly also better quality.

Beauty Glow palette - bottom to top

eyeshadows 1,2,3, Bronzer, Highlight, blush swish, pop

Lipsticks and blush bottom to top

Very Victoria, Bond Girl, First Love blush swish, pop, together

Here's the look I did with the palette. I used Wonderglow as a base under my foundation. On the eyes I used shade 1 on the inner corner and on the inner part of my lower lash line, shade 2 I used all over the lid, and shade 3 as a soft liner on both top and bottom lash line. 

I used the bronzer to sculpt my cheekbones and hairline and took a bit on my nose to make it look like a natural sunkissed glow. Highlight on the top of my cheekbones and on the top of my nose and upper lip. I used the palette swish color on my cheek to blend highlight and bronzer into a natural looking gradiant on the cheek. and the pop shade on the round apples of my cheeks for a fresh looking complexion. On my lips I used Very Victoria for a "my lips but better" look. 

I love all the makeup from Charlotte Tilbury and everything she does seems to follow a theme of natural and healthy looking beauty which is just what I'm looking for in my makeup products and the looks I do. 

I reach for all these products on a daily basis and they are my favorites in my collection right now. I would highly recommend them, except for the brush, don't waste your time or money on that!

Hope this was helpful!

~Kira

Troiareuke ampoule set - Review + How to use

Troiareuke is Korea's No.1 professional use skincare brand and their products are mostly natural - no paraben and no animal testing. I heard about the brand from a couple of Korean youtuber's and I was excited to try their ampoule set, since it's easy to mix and match for your own needs. 

The ampoules are from what I've seen most commonly used to mix with Troiareuke's skincomplex which is a face mist. Since I'm not a big user of face mists I'm going to tell you all how I use these ampoules.

Green ampoule: Called the "Anti- trouble ampoule" helps skin with troubles and redness. It claims to be a super moisturizer and to have a calming effect on the skin. The main ingredient is Aloe vera fermented extract. 
I use this in my essence every morning and night. I add a drop or two and pat the mix on my skin until it is absorbed. I've used up the whole ampoule at this point, and I like it, but I don't see a huge difference in my skins moisture when I use it. I thought this was going to be my favorite ampoule out of the set, because I need more moisture in my dehydrated skin, but sadly it doesn't make a noticeable difference. 

Yellow ampoule: Called the "Mela C ampoule" claims to be a brightening and whitening solution that will minimize the melano synthesis to reduce the melanin process. Which means it will help reduce the appearance of sunspot and acne scars. The main ingredients are Ellagic acid, Mandarin oil,  pomegranate extract and Green tea catechin extract.
I mix two drops of this in my vitamin c serum in the morning (always finish your routine with SPF!). I've been really liking my vitamin c serum but for me it's hard to tell if the ampoule boosts the effect or not. I still have a lot of the ampoule left and if I see a difference in my sunspots when I run out of this ampoule I would repurchase this again for sure.  

Blue ampoule: Called the "Akne-C ampoule" it claims to cool down the skins temperature while also being anti-inflammatory and an anti-bacterial solution for acne prone skin. The main ingredients are Lavender oil, Green tea catechin extract, Spirullina and Sephora extract. 
I wasn't that excited about this when I ordered it. I liked the spot treatment i was using, and didn't really expect this ampule to do a whole lot. Boy was I wrong! I use this as a spot treatment and dab a bit on any spot or bump I have on my face, and usually by morning it's clearing up or completely gone! This is by far the best spot treatment I've ever used and it is a HG product for sure. 

Red ampoule: Called the "Cell Repair Formula ampoule" and it claims to be a super anti-ageing solution that visibly improve skins elasticity and reduce wrinkles.  The main ingredients are Pycnogenol, Anthocyanin and Pentapeptide. 
I use a drop of this ampoule under each eye every morning and evening before I put on my eye cream. I have noticed a slight improvement in my fine lines and I do believe that continued use of this ampoule with reduce the risk of those fine lines getting more noticeable. I wouldn't use this all over my face, just because I have other anti aging serums in my routine, but since my eye area is a big concern of mine, I would definitely repurchase this again as an anti age eye serum.  

 
Just to clear up any confusion - ampoules are in the same family as essences and serums. An ampoule is a supercharged serum with higher concentrations of active ingredients that you are meant to use as a booster, to mix in with other essences, serums or creams. Ampoules usually come in smaller bottles with a dropper.

In the above picture the products I mixed the ampoules with are: 
 
Green - Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence
Yellow - Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Drop
Blue - Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream (HG combo!)
Red - Clarins Super Restortive Total Eye Concentrate

The reviewed product is a trial set of the four ampoules at 5ml each priced at $68. A full size ampoule is 20ml and costs $60 each. A kit of all four full size ampoules is $240.
 
I bought my set on w2beauty.com

Hope this was helpful! 
~Kira