Battle of the Lip Balms: Malin+Goetz vs. Kiehl's

Hello fellow interweb friends!

As you all may already know, I am quite the lip product freak, especially when it comes to lip balm. If you don't remember, you can check out my previous posts about what I keep in my bag and you will understand the plethora of lip products that I carry around on a daily basis. Anyways, I thought I'd share with you something new that I've tried recently and that is the Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm in Vanilla and the Malin & Goetz Mojito Lip Balm. Both of these have the same consistency and texture, same kind of packaging, and are priced around the same range, making them very comparable, in my opinion. 

The Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm is usually around $9 and the Malin & Goetz one is around $12. They are definitely along the more luxurious of the lip balms since they are over $4, but their results are definitely worth the price tag. Between two though, I do think the formulation and consistency of the Malin & Goetz one is better. Both have that oil, jelly consistency, but the Malin & Goetz one definitely feels a lot smoother and less oily on the lips. When I apply the Kiehl's one, I feel like I have oil dripping from my lips, and that is definitely not cute and does not feel fun either. The only bad thing is that the Malin & Goetz one is not as available as the Kiehl's lip balm, but that's only because Malin & Goetz is mainly east coast based. It is definitely worth ordering online if you really want to try it. 

Now you're probably wondering why you should even spend more than $4 on a lip balm. Trust me, the same question's been through my head and my answer was, I don't feel like I constantly have to reapply! Even though it is more expensive, these lip balms do last longer. Sometimes, with the cheaper lip balms, I notice that it constantly makes me feel like I need to reapply because of that drying feeling it gives once it settles. These ones, yes they are double or even triple the price, but I don't feel like I'm wasting product whenever I put some on my lips!

I was lucky enough to get the Malin & Goetz one free in my Ipsy bag last month, but I am definitely open to ordering another tube for future use once I do run out. 

Until next time,

Uyen

DIY: Stimulate Your Skin and Senses

Hello fellow interweb friends!

If you remember, about a month, maybe a little less, I shared with you the uses of toners on your face. Well, now, I thought I'd share with you how to make your own toner/facial spray so you can save money as well as use less chemicals on your face!

So, what I did to make my own tea tree oil with rosewater toner spray is I took 10 cap-full to a third of the oil and half of the rosewater bottle. In other words, one bottle or rosewater will give you two bottles of the DIY toner spray. I only used 10 caps of the oil because I didn't want the tea tree oil to be too concentrated, which can cause my skin to dry out. Also, if I really wanted to concentrate the oil onto my skin, I would just use a cotton swab to dab some of the oil directly onto areas on my face that I think needs extra oil attention. 

What are the benefits of tea tree oil you may ask? 

1. it kills bacteria (i.e. helps fight acne)

2. help get rid of dead skin cells 

3. an anti-fungal to help treat eczema, infections, etc.

4. treating dandruff

What are the benefits of rosewater?

1. hydrate skin without leaving it oily

2. high in vitamins A, B3, C, D, E, which can help improve overall skin health

3. resolve skin inflammation and irritation 

4. maintain skin's natural pH to help treat eczema

Now that you know some of the benefits of tea tree oil and rosewater, imagine the synergetic effects that can happen when you combine the two together? For me, I've seen an improvement in my skin and I've been using it for about a month now. I spray it in the morning, after I shower, or just anytime I feel like I want a little spritz to wake my senses as well as my skin up. That's another benefit of this little concoction. Both of these ingredients are great for aromatherapy as well, so when you want to calm your nerves or invigorate your senses, just a few sprays will make you feel like you just walked out of the spa and ready to take on the day!

Until next time,

Uyen

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: Ridiculously Magical

Hello fellow interweb friends!

It has definitely been a long time since I've posted something for you guys and I apologize! I feel like from now until December, I won't be able to post as much as I used to just because of my school scheduling and workload and what not. In other words, I won't be able to post as much of the fun and random stuff, but I will for sure pop in every once in a while to share something cool with you guys!

Lately, ever since I started school, I have been super stressed out to the max and it definitely showed up on my skin because I started breaking out like nobody's business! Literally, I think my skin went on a purge and zits were just popping up all over the place. Anyways, so to deal with that, I washed my face and exfoliated more than I usually did just to get all the dirty and dead stuff out of my skin. However, the one major thing that I've changed is I sprayed my face with Caudalie's Beauty Elixir as a toner afterwards everyday for the past two weeks and definitely saw an improvement in my skin. 

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycerin, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Rosemary leaf Oil, Potassium Alum, Bitter Orange Flower Water, Orange Flower Oil, Peppermint Oil, Commiphora Myrrha Extract, Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract, Balm Mint Leaf Oil, Grape Fruit Extract, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonen, Linalool

So why use a toner? And why this one?

Well, first off, I'd like to emphasize the importance of using a toner after we wash our face. Toner is important to neutralize your skin's pH and bring it back to equilibrium after we wash our face, which means we've demolished the top layer of our skin, especially when we exfoliate. When we wash our face, we clean the upper most layer. The point of using a toner after is to bring the cleansing components deeper into our skin. And if you're like me and you also use a moisturizer after, toners actually act as a helping agent to bring the moisturizer deep into your skin. Just imagine, when you put on lotions or hand creams, after you wash it, the moisture goes away, but if you were to put a toner on it first, the moisture will remain even after washing it. 

Now, why this specific one? Well, the main reason why I am ridiculously in love with this is because of the smell! Yes, I know that doesn't sound super professional, but for some reason, this little thing smells like the spa and just totally relaxes me on top of its skin-healing ingredients. As you can see on the ingredients list I posted under the picture, this elixir is really just made up of a lot of natural oils, from fruits to plants. Now, glycerine is one of the main ingredients and its purpose is to bring moisture into the skin. As for the rose oils, that helps clarify the pores. The mint oils are used as an aromatherapy ingredient to help calm your senses as well as your skin. When sprayed on, you feel a cooling feeling and a tingly sensation on your skin. I am totally in love with the feeling and scent that the elixir gives off. I can honestly say that my skin condition and acne scarring has improved within the past two weeks that I've started to use the elixir religiously again. 

I really think this can be used for all skin tones, minus the sensitive one because of all the natural ingredients. I'm not saying you cannot experience the magical effects of it, but maybe you can try using it every once in a while. It won't do much harm to your skin since the ingredients are all natural oils that our skin can adapt to. 

So pretty much, I've been spoiling my skin and my senses with this. It is a perfect spray to use before bed to calm yourself as well as treat your skin. The elixir comes in 2 sizes, the small travel sized one goes for $18 and the large one goes for $49. I've been using the travel sized one just because that's the one that I've had since I went to Vietnam, so obviously it lasts you for quite some time. I will definitely be purchasing the large one soon because I think skin care is a long-term investment and it's always better to have long-lasting healthy skin since I'm super lazy when it comes to make-up.

What kinds of toners do you use? And what are your thoughts on tea tree oil and rose water because that's the next thing that I'll be posting about soon!

Until next time,

Uyen

Are You Caught Up?!?!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

If you haven't noticed, I do also have YouTube videos where I kind of do a bunch of random things and say awkward phrases to show you my life and share with you what I do in terms of beauty and just everyday life stuff. Here are a few videos that I've posted recently that I may not have done a blog post for, so enjoy!

Princess Tag Video

Daytime Skin Routine

Please like and subscribe if you like my videos! I will post about one video per week and maybe even start vlogging again, but then I'm mainly at school or work, so nothing too interesting is happening in my life right now. If there are certain videos/topics/stuff that you'd like to see, please leave comments and suggestions both on here and my channel!

Until next time,

Uyen

What I Do With My Face!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

As many of you know, I love being able to roam about with no make up as much as possible. However, in order to not scare people off with my bare face, I have to make sure I take good care of it, so I don't look freakishly scary. To do that, I do this thing called washing my face and thought I might share the products that I use with you guys!

Now, this is mainly for the day time, but the routine doesn't really change for the night time, minus the fact that I might have a few candles burning and I'll be washing my face in the shower. What are some of your secrets to keeping nice skin? And what products do you suggest?!? 

Until next time,

Uyen

Airplane Faux-Facial

Hello fellow interweb friends!

As you all may know or have already experience, being on a plane can really irritate your skin. On top of that, being on a plane is not the most comfortable thing, so I thought maybe I'd share with you a little bit of what I do when I'm on the plane!

Based on my previous posts, you already know that I went to Vietnam. The flight there, with layover and all,was about 18-20 hours long, depending on whether or not there are delays. To keep my skin from being dried out and my body from feeling groddy, I brought along some essentials, here's a look into it, so hope you guys enjoy!

Before I do anything to my skin, I have to make sure it is clean first, so I use Simple's facial wipes. The Simple wipes are very easy on the skin, not too much perfume or anything that other wipes have, so I love it. Then, to combat my irritation of dried out skin and lips, my go-to product is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir and my Origins GinZing moisturizer. Even though my skin is naturally oily skin, it still becomes very dried out on the plane, so first, I'd spray my face with the elixir and then apply a little bit of the moisturizer. The elixir gives off a spa-like aroma and the citrusy feel of the moisturizer just makes you feel super relaxed! The Caudalie Beauty Elixir smell may take a little while to adapt to, but once you're used to it, you'll fall in love! 

Once I've sprayed the elixir and put some moisturizer on my skin, I smacked on my Dior's Creme de Rose lip balm since my lips are easily dried up. As you all know, I love my Creme de Rose and it smells amazing, so I glooped on a whole bunch and just leave it there as I watch movies or listen to music during the ever so long flight.

Besides the things to keep my face from feeling icky, I also make sure I have some Tylenol with me. I have a lot of issues...my back and brain give me the most problem, so I always need some kind of pain killer. Tylenol is just my preferred medicine just because it's what I had at home, but you can pretty much use anything that you want. It's always nice to carry a little bit of it around with you to make sure you have some medicine when you need it. 

That's my little tips and tricks for plane rides,if you have any other ones, please do share!

Until next time,

Uyen

Living Up to the Hype!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

If you are like me and watch beauty YouTube videos almost religiously, you may have heard of the Michael Todd True Organics skincare line. So here's the dealio, I decided to give in to the hype and ordered a trial set. When I ordered it, I used Glamlifeguru's (Tati) discount code link and got 20% off all purchases for an entire year, so I pretty much got a really good deal on my set of skincare products. At first, when I checked out the website, there are so many packages that target different skin types/problems, so I wasn't sure what to get, but I thought about it, If I just keep my face clean, then I can also deal with my acne problem, so I decided on purchasing the set targeting normal/combination skin, since that's my skin type. The set included a facial cleanser/toner, an exfoliating/hydrating scrub, a pumpkin mask, eye cream, and an antioxidant serum. This set usually goes for about $151, which is quite a lot of money, but it is currently discounted to only $75, and since I had an extra 20% off from the discount code link, I jumped on the deal right away! On top of skin care package, I also ordered the Eye-o-Sonic, which is a neato little tool to apply the eye cream to make sure it soaks deeply into your skin to get the full effect. 

Anyways, I've been using this set for a little over two weeks now and YES, I definitely see an improvement in my skin tone, coloration, and texture! My skin feels so flippen smooth and and I even notice, this on top of my Origins Charcoal Mask, my black heads are getting lighter! The best thing is the serum does not make my skin oily whatsoever because oily skin is what tends to break me out. As for the pumpkin mask, all I have to say is WOW! It smells delicious, feels great, and your face will definitely appreciate it after a few uses. As for the scrub, that thing smells like tropical heaven and it exfoliates without making you feel like you're scraping all the skin off of your face. Pretty much, it is gentle but gets the job done as if it's any other scrub!

If you are feeling splurgy or see your skin as an investment, I'd say get this set or which ever one is more targeted towards your skin. You don't have to get a full sized set like me because there are also smaller sizes too, but for the price, this package is perfect! The best thing is, when you receive your order, you also get small samples of other products to use for one time. Even though it's only one time, it's still nice being able to try out different products before buying it. I think this line of skin care is pretty fail-proof since it is mainly organic ingredients, plants and fruits and vegetables, so it already is naturally giving your skin good nutrients, so there's really no harm in trying!

Until next time,

With love,

Uyen

Summer Gems!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

Summer is already here, which also means, tis the season to get sunburns! And well, frankly, no one likes to get a sunburn, so I've got this little gem to share with you!

Of course, these are sunscreen, but the main thing I want to point out to you is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Creme with SPF 50! Now, usually, Elizabeth Arden products are super expensive, and frankly, I don't think I'd purchase that little yellow twist up thing for like $30 something, but I didn't, so that's why I find it to be such a gem! I actually got that tube at TJ Maxx for only $8! They also had the original Eight Hour Creme, but I don't know why I didn't buy it then because now that I want to get it, it is no where to be found! So I love this Eight Hour Creme twisty-tubey thing because it is not greasy or oily and, well it has SPF 50, so that's like ultra sun protection right there for eight hours! The smell is a little herbally, but hey, smells better than any other face sunscreen I've used!

Now, even though I say that the Elizabeth Arden suncreen isn't oily, I still like to go over my face with the Bare Minerals' powder sunscreen in SPF 30. I have the medium toned tube and all I have to say is I feel extra safe having both sunscreens one just because I am constantly out in the sun a lot and since I don't wear much make-up, I want to use as much protection as I can to keep my skin from getting damaged and discolored!

So ya, if you live by a TJ Maxx, take a little trip and see what delightful bargaining gems you can find to add into your beauty care collection!

That's all for now,

Until next time,

With love,

Uyen

Skin Care Necessities

Hello fellow interweb friends!

So being a girl, I have a whole lot of skin issues and body image problems, which is never fun, but thank goodness, there are products out there that an help/improve my problems and issues! First is my face! My main problem is the black heads on my face. I have quite a bit of black heads, which automatically darkens my face and make it look not as bright as it is. My black heads mainly gather around my nose and chin. Those areas not only darken, but it leaves some kind of a shadow on my face, making other areas look darker than what it actually is. I started using Origins "Clear Improvement" charcoal mask. I usually put this on 2-3 times a week, depending how much make-up I wear during the week. The more I wear, the more I'll use the mask just because it does a very good job unclogging my pores and clearing up my skin. 

Usually, after I use this, I will use Origins' "GinZing" moisturizer as well.The GinZing moisturizer has all natural ingredients, just like all other Origins products. The one thing I really appreciate about this one is it does not leave my skin feeling oily or heavy at all! To me, it's like I slathered loads of water on it. My face feels nice and fresh when I put it on after the mask, and when I wake up in the morning, my face just feels nice and smooth! So right now, I'm only using a mini sample pot just because I wasn't sure if my skin will react well to the moisturizer, but now that I know my skin loves it, I will be going back soon to get a full sized one. And of course, who can forget about the lips, definitely not me! So after I put on my moisturizer, I also put a bit of my Dior "Creme De Rose" on and leave it over night. This lip balm, though expensive, really does the job! It leaves my lips feeling soft an smooth all day long! I usually only need to put it on once a day and my lips already feel amazing, so imagine the wonderful results after masking it all night?!?!

Another one of Origins' mask that I thoroughly enjoy is the "Drink Up Intensive Mask." This one, in spring and summer, I will only use once a week just to replenish the moisture in my skin since I am out in the sun a lot and probably use a lot of make up. If you read my previous post, you know I have a bit of oily skin, but still, there are dry spots and after I use a lot of make up during the week, I definitely feel my skin getting a little weird. This mask is perfect to use once a week just to get the nutrients and natural oils back in my skin to replenish it. I use it once a week because I have oilier skin, but for those who have drier skin, I would suggest doing it twice a week. You definitely feel a difference when you wake up in the morning, especially since this is a leave-on mask and you can just wipe it off in the morning when you get ready. Once again, I'm using a small sample pot to try it out on my skin, but I am for sure getting this in a full sized one to use at home but also a travel sized one for when I go to Vietnam. I definitely do not enjoy the gross, dried-out feeling of my skin when I'm sitting on the plane for 18 hours straight, so this shall keep my skin feeling nice and smooth and moist!

So besides bad facial skin, I also have bad body skin! Even though I've never had kids or gain major amounts of weight, I deal with stretch mark problems. It is definitely not the most pleasant problem to deal with, especially since I'm barely 20 something with no kids and all the girls my age are looking nice and smooth in their two-pieced bathing suits! I've learned to embrace my stretch-marks, or my "life-stripes" as I'd like to call them, making it sound ferocious like tiger stripes. Still, I want to minimize the stripes appearance, so I use Palmer's "Tummy Butter" and then also later on lotion specialized for stretch marks. I usually put these one everyday after I shower, but before doing so, I make sure I exfoliate my tummy area well so that all the moisture and cocoa/shea butter and vitamin E can soak in to give me the best results possible! These products aren't like MIRACLE WORKERS, so I'm not expecting all my stripes to go away, but I definitely see improvements. All I can ask for is to lighten my stripes, so I don't feel like a complete fatty next to all these smoothed-skin-skinny girls in the summer! Since I know my body and my issues, you will rarely catch me in a two-pieced bathing suit because of this, but I still enjoy one-piecers that have a little cut-out and what not, so I am definitely appreciating these Palmer products that are making my skin look a little better in my bathing suits!

So of course, it is important to keep your body completely moisturized, so I never miss a day of lotioning my skin after I shower! And hand creme and foot creme are a must too just because no one wants flaky/cracked/dried out hands and feet, especially during the summer time when we're all out and about in our sandals and flip flops!

That's pretty much how I deal with my body issues, still working on the mental issues, but hey, a girl can only do so much at a time right?!?! If you guys have any other suggestions for stretch marks or my "life-stripes" please do share!

Until next time,

With love,

Uyen

Things I Cannot Live Without

Hello fellow interweb friends!

So I thought I'd start a thread about different things that I completely love and can pretty much not live without! This is going to be a wide range of things that I've been introduced to and fell in love with and I think it is only best to share things I love! It can be from random apps, school supplies, beauty products, skin care shizz nizz, etc. 

For my first "Things I Cannot Live Without", I would like to share to you guys this magical bottle of lotion that I purchased from Bath and Body Works that I pretty much use everyday. As you can  see, it is the Sensual Amber scent from their Signature Collection. I decided to take a picture of this bottle of lotion in this very sad and empty condition just to show you guys how much I really use it and how horribly in love with it that I have to tip it over to fully use up every little once that is in this bottle (sadly, I realized I can't literally use every drop or else I would). 

The scent, to me, is super therapeutic. It is definitely a very feminine yet kind of musky smell. It is not super strong or florally even though there's a small hint of flower in it. I can't describe it very well, so I thought I'd just look up Bath and Body Works' description of their product! 

Based on the scent descriptions from Bath and Body, Sensual Amber is a mix of: vanilla, creamy sandalwood, patchouli, a little bit musky. Mixed in with all the spice-like aromas, there's a hint of: white roses, orange flower, lotus, iris, bergamot, wild berries, and succulent plum.

Since I am using it as a lotion, I thought I'd also talk about some of the ingredients that is in it. So the main purpose of lotions is to keep our skin moisturize, which this lotion does very well, same goes for the majority of the Bath and Body Works products. The main ingredients in this, like all other lotions, are: shea butter, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. Here are the functions/uses of these ingredients:

1. Shea butter: helps restore skin elasticity, reduce scarring, helps eliminate dry spots, relieves symptoms for rosacia, eczema, and psoriasis.
2. Jojoba oil: prevents clogging in hair follicles, helps with acne, psoriasis, sunburn, and chapped skin.
3. Vitamin E: treat scars, acne, and wrinkles by speeding up cell regeneration, retain natural skin moisture, freshens up dry skin to make your skin look less dull and discolored.

Hopefully, you guys will give this scent a try! It is wonderful after a nice bath, maybe even before bed since the earthy-spicey scents are usually very therapeutic and warm, perfect sensations to have as you dry to fall asleep. Not only that, the smell is so amazing that it will make all your clothes smell wonderful as well as your bed sheets!

Until next time,

With love, 

Uyen