Set in Stones

Essie Luxe effects in "Set In Stones".

So gorgeous ! It looks nice with any lighting !

Purchased mine at London Drugs for $9.99

It's a bit cheaper else where but I couldn't find it in stock ! :(

Tip: use a base colour so your natural nail colour doesn't peak through. To get a more opaque look like in my pictures use 3 coats.

Instagram photo

ESSENTIAL: ST. IVES APRICOT SCRUB

Some background knowledge about my skin:

I have extremely oily & acne prone skin and I've always been insecure with how my skin looks. I had a lot of acne problems throughout high school that made me really ashamed of showing any parts of my skin. I had acne on my face, chest as well as on my back! I think this is mostly because back in high school I wasn't very aware of how to take care of my skin or was educated about my own skin type. I didn't have severe acne on my face. I would have 4-5 pimples at a time usually when mother nature calls or when I'm stressed out. My chest had minor break outs usually consisting of 2-3 active pimples. But it was the worst on my back... It was the painful, active breakouts on my back that were so embarrassing! They were always giant, red and they always had so much puss. If I leaned against a chair or was laying down and I was wearing a white shirt, my pimples would pop and stain my shirt red. This not only would ruin the shirt but they would hurt so much! It was upsetting cause I hardly ever got to wear white tops, beaters, halter tops or tank tops. And being a girl, I'd like to have my options opened. 

Later on I've learnt that having oily skin with acne you HAVE TO exfoliate! Exfoliating helps remove the dead skin cells in conjunction with softening your skin, brightening your complexion and reducing your breakout activity. It also controls your oil production. 

I've found the perfect product for my face & body thats super inexpensive and is very accessible to everyone! Its the St. Ives "Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub". 

My back up of St Ives Apricot Scrub - $3.89-$6.00 CAD

This has been my HOLY GRAIL for the past 3 years. For my face I use it every other day, once a day(usually at night). I have used it everyday as a cleanser/exfoliator for my face but I just found that over time my skin had adapted to producing less oils therefore I didn't need to exfoliate everyday. I use it in conjunction with my Clarisonic. I found this worked a lot better for my face making sure that every bit of dirt/make-up is removed. & With the Clarisonic it makes the scrub work about 60% better. But for those lazy days, I just skip the Clarisonic and use my hands. But I do use this scrub every day when I shower, scrubbing my whole body in it as a body cleanser/exfoliator. I love the smell of this product, it smells nice and fruity! It has a thick consistency which I find is great because if you were to lather your back in a very liquid-y product you would most likely miss and have all the product on the bottom of your bathtub. (big fail!) The scrubbing exfoliants in this scrub are awesome! It leaves your skin feeling so smooth and bright afterwards. Some exfoliators are too harsh on the skin and leave that "squeaky clean" feeling (which is SO BAD FOR YOUR SKIN! it strips all the natural oils out!)or they leave your skin feeling so dry and brittle afterwards. With this scrub I find it leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean to the point where you can feel that your skin is clean stripping off the dead skin cells and yucky oils & replacing all that with the apricot oil which leaves your skin hydrated and nourished.

What It Looks Like Inside

There are 3 key ingredients in this scrub which are; (from stives.com)

"1) APRICOTS; known to contain one of the highest levels of carotenoids (think vitamin A) and super-effective antioxidants. All of this natural power might seem. well. too powerful, but they are actually quite gentle and nourishing and they help make fresher, more nourished skin beautifully possible.

2) CORN KERNEL MEAL: is actually flour ground from dried corn. Its a soft, but gently powerful all-natural exfoliant that promotes skin cell turnover and regeneration. Cornmeal makes softer-feeling, fresher skin possible.

3) WALNUT: is known for its hard shell, but when its ground it becomes an amazingly effective, all-natural exfoliant ingredient in our scrubs. Not only are walnuts plentiful on the planet, they also allow newer, healthier skin come to the surface."

I constantly find myself repurchasing this scrub over and over again. I've tried other scrubs out there but nothing is as good as this. It's completely removed all the acne on my face & body. It also has removed the majority of the acne scarring that I had on my back and chest. This product has literally changed my life. I can now wear whatever tops that I choose to without ever being ashamed of showing my back and chest. And to mention that you get 300ml for around $3.89- $6.00 CAD (depending where you purchase it) which is a STEAL! I purchase mine mainly from The Real Canadian Superstore for around $3.89 when they're on sale and I usually stock up (as you can see from the 1st picture. I have 4 back-ups there, 1 in the shower and one by my sink). You can find the St.Ives Apricot Scrub at your local drugstore/supermarket.


TIP: When purchasing it make sure that no ones touched it! It doesn't come with a product seal.



<3 LOVE THIS PRODUCT 9/10 <3

WHAT CHA UP TO CINDY?

This is going to be a quick entry on just letting you guys know what I've been planning to do with my blog! I'm going to try to blog once a day everyday and I'm going to try to stick to a schedule where I plan a certain day of the week where I specifically talk about something different. For example; Monday could be a makeup product review, Tuesday could be a beauty tool review/ rant, Wednesday - Weeping Wednesday? (products that suck)... etc. you guys get the jist! I'm still brainstorming ideas so things could change. Doing this might be more interesting rather than you guys seeing 10 back-to-back makeup reviews followed by 5 hauls! 

Today I went shopping and made some pretty big purchases. I won't say what though. (unless you've seen my twitter) and I also purchased quite a bit of things online recently and I'm just waiting for them to come in the mail. I'll feature all my purchases in 1 large collective haul in the near future. 

I'm super excited about everything thats happening this year. 2012 has been awesome to me so far & I'm happy to share it with you guys through my blog! This blog has so much potential and I just can't wait to see what it'll be like 6 months down the road. I hope you guys enjoy! 

&& thats it for today! have a great day & enjoy the sunshine Vancouver! (not...) 

Holy Grail Skin Product!

I love discovering new products that are super under rated and are AMAZING! A couple of months ago there was the Sephora V.I.B sale for 40% off. I was waiting in line to pay and I was standing by the make-up counter that was in the store. There was a bunch of sample packs of Ole Henriksen "Truth Serum." I picked up 5 sample packages. I used them consecutively for 5 nights.  I have super oily skin that is very acne prone! I had a lot of acne scarring on the sides of my cheeks as well as my chin. On the 2nd or 3rd day I noticed that most of the acne scarring disappeared completely! My skin was left with this smooth radiating glow. I was so amazed by the Ole Henriksen "Truth Serum" that I immediately went out the next day to purchase it. When I was at Sephora, they had a limited edition holiday set that was out called the Ole Henriksen "Truth Revealed" that was $140.00 value but I purchased it for $99.00 CAD. In this set you get 0.5oz of the "Total Truth Eye Creme" SPF15 (value of $45.00CAD), 1oz of the "Truth Serum" (value of $48.00CAD) as well as 1oz of the "Truth Revealed Super Creme" with SPF15. This set is amazing because they're not all samples as you would assume it would be! 2/3 products are FULL SIZE! Amazing? I think so! The serum as well as the eye cream are both in full sizes. The super creme that comes in the set is 1.0oz but the full size is actually only 1.7oz and retails for $65.00CAD. So its still an amazing deal! I purchased the whole set for $99.00CAD but on the Sephora website its going for  $75.00CAD. I'm assuming that the prices dropped - another plus! 

Ole Henriksen Truth Revealed Set. Limited Edition. - $75.00CAD

My thoughts on the products individually:

*Ole Henriksen "Truth Serum"; This serum is absolutely amazing! I saw results in 2-3 days and have been obsessed with it. I apply 1 pump of the serum after cleansing my face and before moisturizer at night and I only use it once a day, at night for best results. On the Ole Henriksen site they said its mainly used for all skin types and for anti-aging but that doesn't mean it'll limit the possibilities of what this product could do! 
Some main ingredients and the benefits; 
"Grapefruit and orange extract Purifying, astringent, brightening
Green tea extract Protects against damage with antioxidants
Licorice extract Evens out skin tone
Rosehips extract Repairs and strengthens with concentrated vitamin C
Sodium hyaluronate Binds moisture to the skin
Vitamin C Calms, heals and strengthens collagen
Vitamin E Heals, restores and nourishes"
I rate this product a 10/10!

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum - $48.00 CAD

*Ole Henriksen "Total Truth Eye Creme"; This eye creme is super thick and creamy. I like it but I don't love it... I prefer other eye creams over this one. I apply it under my eyes with my ring finger as the last step in my skin care regimen. I found that some times when I'm not careful when dabbing on the product underneath my eyes & go too close to my water line the cream really stings! It's quite irritating.
Some ingredients & its benefits (from the Ole Henriksen website);
"Omega 3 happiness concentrate Improves microcirculation to treat dark circles and promotes happy eyes.
Tripeptide-5 Stimulates collagen synthesis to help eliminate fine lines and wrinkles
Micro Algae Firms skin and boosts collagen production" 
I rate this product a 6/10. 

Ole Henriksen Total Truth Eye Creme - $45.00CAD

*Ole Henriksen "Truth Revealed Super Creme"; This cream is super hydrating and when used with the "Truth Serum" they both can do wonders. I apply the super cream after the serum and before the eye cream. A little goes a long way! I use about a nickel size ball and its enough for my whole face! Another pro of this cream is that it absorbs quickly into your skin and doesn't leave that gross sticky feeling on your face. On the Ole Henriksen site they state that this cream has 3 main ingredients & its benefits;
 "Micro Algae Firms skin and boosts collagen production
Tripeptide-5 Stimulates collagen synthesis to eliminate fine lines and wrinkles
Omega 3 Happiness Concentrate Improves microcirculation for a radiant complexion and promotes happiness." 
& its also recommended from the Skin Cancer Foundation for Daily recommended usage! 
I rate this product a 9/10. 

I found that all the products had a overwhelming citrus smell (mostly because they're enhanced with potent vitamin C) that lingered around for a couple of hours. I didn't mind the smell but some of you might. Just putting that out there. 

I definitely recommend this if you have skin thats similar to mine or if you have stubborn acne scars that you just can't get rid of! This will do the trick! and I promise you that you'll see the difference in the 1st week of using it. Yes, Its that amazing. My niece, and everyone else thats heard me boast about this skin set is very doubtful and believes that I'm just making myself believe that it works cause I just don't want another skin care set thats failed on me. BUT, I've recommended this skin care set to my boss (he's a MALE) and he gave it a shot. He has normal - combination skin that is SUPER acne prone. He also has severe acne scarring from when he was a teen. (in his late 20's now) and he could not be more impressed with these products! He saw results in 2 days. So its not just me being cray cray! It actually works! 

I've used about 80% of the serum as well as the super creme and I've used about 30% of the eye cream. I'm definitely going back to repurchase the serum as well as the cream. I think I'll pass on the eye cream just cause I think theres better eye creams out there that suit my needs better than this one. 

Give it a try and post comments below letting me know how it went for you guys! 

Quick Shopping Haul !

I quickly stopped by metrotown at metropolis today for some quick shopping! I had 6 M.A.C empty containers so I brought them back to MAC so I could get a free lipstick/lipgloss in exchange! It took me a while to decide what shade I wanted, & it was frustrating because all the shades that I picked up and liked were the ones I already had! Surprisingly I don't own a matte lipstick so I decided to go for "Please Me". it's a nice mauvy- pinky colour and it suits my skintone very well! It's a "my lip colour but better" kind of lipstick.

MAC matte lipstick in "Please Me" 

I then stopped by Sephora because I had recieved an e-mail last night that was exclusive to V.I.B members. The promotion is if you spend $35.00 you recieve a exclusive NARS mini set of the Liquid Illuminator in "Orgasm", Bronzing powder in "Laguna" and a Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base! It came in the most adorable little drawstring bag! I was surprised when I saw the "Laguna" bronzer because it was packaged so nicely! It's equivalent to the size of the single NARS eyeshadows. But there's actually 0.3 more grams of product in the mini "Laguna" bronzer! Score ! 

In order to receive the NARS mini set, I had to spend $35.00, I walked out spending roughly $55.00. Whys this always happen to me? Oh well... Anywho. I purchased the Tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour blush in "Exposed." This blush has much hype in the beauty community and I thought I'd give it a shot! I usually don't tend to pick out colours like this, "Exposed" is a very brown and a somewhat shimmery blush. It looks like more of a bronzer than a blush but from what I've heard its very versatile and could be used for both purposes. I do have to say that I most definitely don't justify the price. This blush costed me $33.00 CAD before tax! That's just absurd! Well see in time if it is worth it.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in "Exposed" - $33.00 + tax

I was $2.00 short and I was looking around for anything else that I might have "needed." Then I spotted the cutest Hello Kitty Pencil/Make-up bag! It was a definite must have since I'm just a crazy Hello Kitty freak! The pencil case was $15.00 CAD. & worth every penny! I remembered that I paid around $25.00-30.00 for my other Hello Kitty pencil case that is similar in shape and much uglier...  

Hello Kitty Pencil Case from Sephora - $15.00 + tax

Old Hello Kitty Pencil Case - ~$25-30 

I then stopped by Michael Kors. I've been wanting a rose-gold watch for quite some time now. (when I say quite some time = ~1 year...) so I finally decided to pick one up! I've been debating on which watch I wanted more. I had my eye on the "Baguette-Bezel Rose Gold" watch but I seeing it in person, the face was overwhelmed with rose-gold! So I went with the Michael Kors Glitz Chronograph in the Regular size. (It comes in a smaller face.) I love it so much! Its my new baby! It costed me $300.00 CAD + tax. 

Michael Kors Baguette- Bezel Rose Gold

Michael Kors Glitz Chronograph  - $300.00 + tax
photo looks like its gold but its actually rose-gold!

After a wonderful day shopping, I was ready to head back to my car and go home. Then I remembered that I had a coupon for Bath & Body Works. $10.00 off my next $30.00 purchase. I went in and got 2 new candles to add to my candle collection. They had a promo going on; 2 three wicked candles for $30.00. I got one from their signature collection called "Sea Island Cotton" and as you can tell from the name. It's smells exactly what it says it smells like. COTTON! I'm into more warmer scents like vanilla & coconut but I wanted my room to smell like fresh laundry for a change. I also picked up "Passion Flower" from their Spring Collection. It smells like "Sweet Pea" but a tad bit more concentrated. On the site they explain the scent of "Passion Flower" as; "Juicy passion fruit, watery pear and casaba melon combine perfectly with Tahitian vanilla." yum.... I've burnt both since I've gotten them today and they smell very true to when they're not burnt. (does that make sense?)

Sea Island Cotton - $10.00 with coupon

Passion Flower - $10.00 With coupon 

This was my first blog entry ever, sorry for all the rambling! The pictures were all taken with my iPhone4.
 Happy Valentines Day<3 Thanks for visiting!