SKINCARE Favorites 2020 - What to do when our skin is stressed out?

This year had been a heck of a ride - from getting my PayPal hacked to receiving spoof/phishing emails, getting impersonated online, dealing with Instagram/social media scammers and finally an enforcement notice from Adsense! I guess I have seen all kinds of stress that a blogger can imagine! Oh yes and the pandemic we are all living in, is an all encompassing stressor which has exposed how misinformation, fear and panic affects our society and changes consumer behaviour across the globe. Until last year, I was keen on recycling and questioned every bit of plastic or non-paper packaging for my beauty products but this year disposables were on my mind. Using alcohol sanitizers, when I always use non alcoholic ones (yes that is a thing, in case you are wondering :D) and what the heck is the difference between the microorganisms they can kill?! 

In all this uncertainty and anxiety my skin suffered the most. I would workout on most days, go for a run, talk to my friends and family and above all, sanitize everything with wipes and disinfectant sprays often exposing my hands and face to irritants and abrasive chemicals. I also washed myself everyday - because COVID misinformation was/is real! After returning home from groceries, dental appointment, workout routine or even after just a walk around the neighbourhood, I felt the need to shower with an aim for removing any germs that might have been caught in my pores, my hair or anywhere on my body!!! 

My skin suffered this abuse and it did not like it - it reacted! This post is about all the skincare products, I used throughout 2020 and how my skin went through phases of healing, irritation, pores to being poreless and finally at a happy place. 

GUERLAIN Abeille Royale Cleansing Oil Review

Guerlain Abeille Royale Cleansing Oil promises to gently remove makeup, even water proof makeup from face, eyes and lips. I put this oil to the test and get ready to see the results at the end of the post.

I absolutely love the Guerlain Abeille Royale skincare routine (reviewed here) and it begins with cleansing using this oil, followed by the Abeille Royal Lotion Toner, couple drops of the Youth Watery Oil and a pump of the Double R Serum.

More on this in today's blog!

MAC Haul ft. Studio Fix Concealer, Powder Plus Foundation, Eyeshadows, Prep+Prime Fix+ and more

I bought a lot of MAC on Boxing Day and around the holiday time, mainly because of the promotional discounts, free gift wrapping and also because I was intrigued by the newer packaging/the formula and just wanted to give it a go. 

In the past, I haven't been able to create a relationship with MAC products because despite the amazing shade range, I could not find anything that matched my skintone, nor did the formula worked for me. I always felt it accentuated the flaws on my face - like the lines around my eyes or the dryness on my mouth area. I felt that MAC products commanded more steps and more effort from me to make it work. 

Even though, the price point is almost comparable to drugstore products, especially with the 25% discount that I received for Boxing Day, I just never really wanted to buy MAC Cosmetics. Not to mention the awkwardness of the sales associates in my local MAC boutiques. They are always so pushy and judgemental. I will narrate my experiences later in this post. 

Anyways, so these are the products I purchased and so far, liking it. They are the Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC30, the Studio Fix 24Hr Smooth Wear Concealer in NC30 and NW30, Fix+ in three scents, in the holiday packaging and free makeup remover wipes, I received with my online order. Yup, I ordered online, because I did not need any more useless interactions with MAC employees. 

For swatches and detailed pics keep reading. 

L'OCCITANE Peony Collection for Summer 2017 Review

Even though peony season is over in my garden, the delicate peony fragrance in each of these products is a sweet delight that I can enjoy all year round. I am obsessed with my peonies and I never cut them for indoors because I love the show they put on in the garden and it forces me to spend more time outside. When I came across this Peony Collection by L'occitane I was amazed at how much this beautiful flower has to offer. 

This collection focuses on perfecting the skin, making it look more beautiful and well hydrated. Each product is formulated with skin-perfecting peony extract from France's Drôme region, and it works on skin cells along with mineral-based optical correctors, to help immediately and visibly create perfect-looking skin.

I love the Perfecting Mist and the little mask pods which are perfect for travel and those real peony petals infusing the Petal Cleansing Oil - I am blown away!

For more pictures and review, keep reading...

VICHY PURETÉ THERMALE Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover - Review

It feels like ages since I last saw green grass and its so hard to keep waiting for this city to get green. To make myself feel positive, I planted petunias indoors from seeds because I loved how they performed in my yard last summer and hope I can get some results (fingers crossed). I have been highly unsuccessful in growing anything indoors, but the outdoor conditions are so bizarre - its windy, sunny, 11 degrees, snow showers, dry and feels cold enough for a jacket - all at the same time! Its hard for me to survive, let alone tiny baby seeds!
And my skin! Ahh it's freaking out!! I have been so fortunate to be using some of the most wonderful products that I loved this whole month and then the dry weather made my skin so flaky..those products seems to be giving up. Like, I can literally hear my night serum say "WTF! Your skin was great last night..what happened during the day?!" The only area that still hasn't chapped is my lips. Thank goodness for the launch of so many lip oils that makes it a bit more bearable and of course I slather Nivea cream everywhere to protect my skin.
I have also started to enjoy ViPR and Hatha Yoga at my gym and I try to never miss my class, however today I did. I ended up at the park for a brisk walk and of course I had to wear my waterproof eye makeup because it could have snowed rained. I almost always wear my waterproof mascara and eyeliner now because I can remove it in a breeze, thanks to this amazing product from VICHY Canada. I have loved almost every VICHY product and I couldn't wait any longer to share this with you.

WINTER SKINCARE FAVORITES - ft. L'Occitane, Nivea, Origins, Caudalie, Josie Maran and YSL

Its always so hard to pick my favorite skincare products and as you already know, my skin has been ultra sensitive and generally not doing great for quite a long time. However, there are some products that have helped me significantly and deserve to be showcased in a favorites post.
So, today I will share with you, skincare products that are suitable for all skin types and especially for sensitive skin. Writing this post has been difficult because there are no facial oils! I am literally restraining myself because I wanted this to be a guide for anyone who wants to take good care of their skin and would like to include some of these products in their everyday routine without worrying about side effects. I am extremely satisfied with each of these products so without further ado, lets move on to the details.

BEST MAKEUP REMOVER - Bioderma Sensibio H2O, Hydrabio H2O and 3 in 1 Cleansing Milk

Here are my favorite makeup removers and all of them are from Bioderma! I love the Sensibio H2O for everyday use when my makeup is at its minimum. It does a great job at cleansing my face. On lazy days I would just dab some on a cotton ball and wipe my skin before going to bed. It never breaks me out and I really like it.

BIODERMA Sensibio H2O Make-up Removing Wipes & Micelle Solution Review

This is hands down the best make up remover! Seriously. I had stopped believing that any wipe or cleanser could do that, so I incorporated 100% organic coconut oil to my routine, which did the job for me. However, using oil can get messy and I always had to use a facewash to get rid of excess oil before applying my night moisturizer. 

Bioderma Sensibio H2O solved that issue too. It does not require me to wash the face after cleansing. Even though this is not specifically mentioned on the packaging, because double cleansing is great but sometimes I am too lazy to do that ... and Sensibio never disappoints. 

Its soo incredibly gentle - my dry/sensitive skin loves it. Lets find out more..

Sensibio H2O Make-up Removing Wipes & Micelle Solution