If I told you that I've always been a beauty addict, I'd be lying. I've been wearing foundation since my teens but I've only had a complete make-up/beauty routine for a few years. You see, I have big eyes and full lips so I spent my teens and early twenties believing that if I wore make-up on my eyes and lips I'd look like a clown. Then the digital era arrived with its blogs and YouTube tutorials and I started learning things. After some trial and error I found out what the colors that best compliment my features are and what my skin tells me it needs. Since I'm no beauty expert I can't tell you what you should use. Nonetheless, I'm going to review the products that work for me and that I've been using for years. Hopefully, this will be useful for you in case you are thinking of purchasing any of them. First of all I should tell you that my skin is combination: slightly oily forehead and nose and the rest is more on the dry side. Because of that, my make-up lasts all day. I may have to retouch the oily parts at the end of the day but that's it.
Even Better
These products are designed to reduce skin imperfections: acne scars, sun spots, wrinkles, etc. I've been using the serum for 7 years. After the first couple of months the sun spots that I had on my nose had vanished. The rest of skin issues won't magically disappear but there's an improvement. The skin peels off but no irritation occurs. After I apply the serum I wait one minute and then I apply the moisturizer. Its effect is not as strong as the serum's but they are perfect partners in crime.Then comes the concealer. There's an Even Better concealer which is really creamy, I loved the texture. Unfortunately, they discontinued my shade so I'm still on the hunt for the best concealer. Finally, I apply the Even Better foundation.
The Foundations
Superbalanced Makeup. This foundation provides moderate coverage. It's your best choice if you already have beautiful skin. Even Better. It provides moderate to full coverage and helps with those imperfections. SPF 15 also helps protect against future darkening. Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer. If your aim is flawless skin this is your make-up. The mixture of concealer and foundation provides full coverage and is like a second skin. It looks natural and stays all day.
Make-up removers
I always start with Take the Day-off make-up remover for lids, lashes and lips. I think it's essential if you want to remove your eye make-up properly. It doesn't irritate your eyes. Then I use the Rinse-off Foaming Cleanser on the rest of my face. To remove any remaining dirt I use the exfoliating scrub. After rinsing it leaves a fresh minty feeling on your face. It feels so good! I use it only once a week. Clinique also has a 7 day scrub that is milder and can be used every day.
3-Step
The 3-step routine by Clinique is a classic. I use the 3 products every morning and the first two every night.
3-Step
The 3-step routine by Clinique is a classic. I use the 3 products every morning and the first two every night.
Step 1: Cleanse
I wash my face with the facial soap twice a day. It cleans gently and rinses easily. It helps remove the stress of pollution.
Step 2: Exfoliate
To gently exfoliate twice a day I use Clarifying Lotion 2. It sweeps away remaining dirt.
Step 3: Moisturize
Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ combines all-day hydration with skin-strengthening ingredients.
Lips and Eyes
I've tried many lipsticks by Clinique but my favorite is Butter Shine Lipstick, it's creamy and shiny but not sticky. The shade on the photo is pink-a-boo but I also love raspberry rush which is more fuchsia. Long Last Glosswear looks beautiful, you need to apply very little and lasts even after having a meal. The problem is that it's sticky and on windy days your hair sticks to it which is quite annoying. The best alternative for that is the Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss. Chubby Sticks come in beautiful shades but I find they are not as moisturizing as the previous ones. They are also matte. When I use them I need to reapply often. If you like to define your lips, the Quickliner is a great option. It can also be used as a base to put the lipstick on top.
As for the eyes my favorite eyeliner is Cream Shaper (shade: egyptian). I like it so much that I refuse to try anything else. This shade is a blackened green with gold pearl. On my lashes I apply two coats of High Impact mascara. There's a primer for lids that prevents them from getting oily and should be applied under your eye shadow. Unfortunately, it makes my eyes dry so I had to stop using it. At night I use a lash serum by Dior. I already did a review of this product which you can read here.
Crème Soyeuse de La Mer
This is the newest addition to my routine. I had been wanting to try it for years since I've always read positive reviews about it. However, the price has put me off for a long time. Last February my boyfriend went on a ski trip to Andorra and I asked him to get it for me since it's way cheaper there because Andorra is a tax haven. There are many things I like about this cream. First, the package. It comes in a protective box and has a little spatula to apply it. The jar is made of ceramic instead of plastic. I think it's meant to keep the cream cool since the jar always feels quite cold. Second, the texture. It feels soft and leaves the skin looking dewy. Since I always wear make-up, I don't want to mix it with other products, so I prefer to use it just once a day and not put anything on top of it. So I use it as a night cream. Is it a miracle cream? I don't know yet. When I finish the jar I'll decide if it's worth buying it again.
Eau Thermale La Roche-Posay
It is a natural anti-oxidant that soothes sensible skin. You have to spray it on you face. It leaves your skin soft and radiant.
What are your favorite beauty products? Have you tried any of these? Let me know on the comments.
Cristina xo
