Beauty Dish: April Favourites

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Erica Wodzak| 4 Comments

5 amazing and affordable beauty products // april favourites

April’s beauty product favourites contain a good mix of items I’ve been using for a while now, and items I’ve recently bought and fallen in love with. Don’t you just get so happy when new items are totally worth the cash expenditure? What’s better is that all of these items are extremely affordable, save for one (kind of), so they’re effective without breaking even the tightest of bank budgets. The following products are a mix of things I’ve purchased in the US, Canada, and Australia, but as far as I know they’re available in all of those countries, or online if you’re in Australia, which is awesome because that means you guys can pick them up without much effort. How much does it suck when you hear of something awesome and it’s not available in your country? I hate that!

Formula 10.0.6 Keep Your Cool Breakout Calming Mask - I’ve mentioned before how much I love face masks, but I really miss the affordability of them since I’ve moved to Oz. There’s rarely a product at the drug store that costs below $10, and masks tend to sit in the $30+ price range. I came across the Formula 10.0.6 Breakout Calming Mask and picked it up along with the 10.0.6 Mud Mask, but the Breakout Calming  Mask has been an absolute standout for me. If you read here at all regularly you’ll know that I struggle with redness and acne scarring/hyperpigmentation, so the ‘soothing’ claims really sucked me in with this one. This mask is more of a leave-on treatment that you allow to soak in for 5 minutes, then wipe off, but when I saw how well it worked to calm my skin, I began using it every night instead of moisturizer, putting it on thicker on my problem areas and letting it soak in before bed. I’ve used this every night for 3 weeks and it makes a world of a difference. I’m never letting this stuff run out without buying more, and I can’t recommend it enough for anybody with any sort of skin inflammation!

E.L.F. Studio Eyebrow Kit - I bought this brow powder/gel duo on a last-minute shopping spree in Washington right before I moved overseas. Elf products are insanely affordable in the US (I think this brow gel was about $3!), and still super reasonable online. Considering I’ve been using this since September and not even come close to hitting the pan, it’s an obvious hit for value-for-money. But aside from that, it blends in perfectly with my dark brows and stays put all day. It doesn’t look fake and drawn on like pencils can, and it’s pigmented enough to look natural while still giving my wacky eyebrows (that I should not have plucked to tiny lines in high school as they’re permanently patchy now!) some definition and more fullness. I love the E.L.F. eyebrow kit, and will definitely be buying more when I go to the US in December.

Tony & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo - I was using Batiste Dry Shampoo for ages (I stocked up and bought three cans in London), because it’s pretty cheap and works really well. I still love it, but what the Tony & Guy Dry Shampoo beats it at is that it doubles as a texturizer if you spray it on the ends of your hair. For someone with fine hair, I like a little bit of grittiness to hold my styles better, or just to give it a bit more of a piece-y look. And in terms of oil-absorption, it does just as good of a job giving your second- (and third… come on you’ve done it too) day hair new life. I’ll still use my Batiste, because I love that they have a dark hair formula, but when I’m wearing my hair down and it seems a bit floppy, I don’t know if the Tony & Guy Dry Shampoo can be beat.

Revlon Photo Ready Concealer - This stuff was sent to me as a Christmas gift from my mum and dad this year, and I when I opened it I thought I’d probably never use it. I have a bunch of high-end concealers that I bought to cover my dark-ish undereye area that I am pretty happy with (Bobbi Brown’s Concealer Kit and Lancome’s Effacernes). I decided to be adventurous one day and bust out the Revlon Photo Ready, and was immediately blown away. This concealer has amazing coverage, and can tackle not only my undereyes with ease, but some of the other angry-looking breakouts I get on the rest of my face. Especially when travelling on the weekends, this stuff is my holy grail, because it’s everything all in one tube, unlike the Bobbi Brown corrector/concealer that I still love, but is multiple products and requires a brush to apply. For the lazy girl that I sometimes am, this concealer is a jack of all trades, so if you can find a close colour match for you I highly recommend it.

Clarisonic Mia Acne Cleansing Brush Head - I know everyone and their mother raves about their Clarisonic Mia, so I won’t do that here (just know that I wholeheartedly agree). But I’d been feeling like it was a little ‘meh’ for my skin lately, and although I’d considered switching brush head types before, I was discouraged by all of the online reviews as well as a Sephora Sales Associate who insisted it would be the worst idea ever to use anything but the sensitive brush head. I’ve already mentioned before that my skin is pretty resilient, so I took the plunge and ordered an acne cleansing brush head from ebay (again, prices in Aus are unbearable), and it was the best thing I could’ve done for my problem skin. The acne brush head is so great at exfoliating without being too harsh, and really lathers up my cleanser to get the most out of each wash. I’m currently using it morning and night and my skin feels unbelievably amazing every time I do. If you’re using a clarisonic and feeling like you’re not getting the results that other people are singing about, try changing the brush head. I’ve also got a deep pore cleansing brush head that I’ll try next, so I’ll keep you posted on that one.

I’m feeling pretty happy with my makeup and skincare routines as of late, because so many of the products I’m using are really doing their job well. I’m not usually one to stick to routines much but how can you jump around when everything just seems to be working for you? If you’ve tried any of the above products and had less than amazing results, please share, because I’d love to know how universal they are or if they’re just suited to my combination/acne-prone skin. And if you’ve got any of your own faves, let me know (even if they’re not available in Australia), because I’m going to be placing an online order soon for a few wish list items. Does anybody have a good recommendation for a eye cream to help with dark undereye circles? I’ve been researching for ages but haven’t settled on any standouts yet!

P.S. I created a Facebook page for cupcakes+coffee breaks! If that’s your preferred method of following, you can check it out and Like me here. If you’ve got a blog, let me know and I can connect with you via FB. Happy Weekend guys :)

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DIY Beauty: Honey, Cinnamon + Nutmeg Face Mask

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Erica Wodzak| 2 Comments

DIY honey, cinnamon + nutmeg face mask for redness and moisture restoration

DIY honey, cinnamon + nutmeg face mask for redness and moisture restoration

A few weeks ago I posted about my favourite DIY lemon + baking soda face mask. I’m still completely obsessed with using lemon juice (I only use it with baking soda about once a week) as a toner, but I found that my skin was feeling kind of dry, which can be expected. So after searching online again for a great moisturizing mask, I came across more rave reviews for Manuka honey. Manuka honey, if you’re not aware, is a special (read: more expensive) type of honey that originates from New Zealand. Apparently it’s even more pricey in the US and Canada, but here in Australia it’s only about ~$7 for a 300ml jar of it, which isn’t too bad if you ask me.

Natural honey, which means you need to check the ingredients and be sure that it’s not chock full of preservatives, has antibacterial and moisturizing properties that are said to be quite beneficial for your skin. Not only that, honey is soothing (I love taking a tablespoon of it when I have a sore throat, it makes me feel sooo much better), and helps to combat redness and scarring in a different way than the lemon juice does — lemon juice is more of a bleach, while honey is more of a healer. So if you decide to forgo the Manuka honey for something more generic, just make sure you’re buying raw honey that’s free of extraneous chemical-y ingredients. Either will work.

You can use the honey on its own, but I like to mix it with cinnamon before applying it to my face. Cinnamon also has antioxidant properties, which again is all hearsay to me (I mean… apparently that’s good for you but what does that mean!?), but I like it for two reasons: it feels really nice and ‘cooling’ when you put it on, and after you’ve let the mask soak in and do its work, the cinnamon acts as a fantastic, gentle exfoliant as you rub it all off. Kind of like the baking soda in the lemon juice mask. You can also add in a bit of nutmeg, which has similar properties, and acts to dry out any breakouts you might have. Awesome.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
  • 1.5-2 tsp honey

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients in a bowl, and mix until combined (it takes a bit of work to get all that cinnamon worked into the honey — use your fingers, nobody’s watching)
  2. Apply to your face and leave it on for 10-30 minutes, or however long you like!

I’ve tried a lot of face masks in my day (they’re my favourite skincare item!), some of them quite expensive, and again I was blown away with how well this one worked, and the noticeable difference it made in my skin, especially those breakouts that tend to bleed and/or scab (apologies, that’s pretty gross). So, if you’re looking for a cheap way to restore moisture to your skin, or to give it a little TLC, look no further than your kitchen pantry. And yes, if you put this on too thick it will drip, but as long as you monitor the potential drippies, you can wipe them off with your finger and… eat it. No seriously, it’s pretty good.

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Beauty 411: March Favourites

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Erica Wodzak| 7 Comments

beauty_makeup_products_favourites

Hi my name is Erica, and I am a makeup and beauty product addict. It’s not that it’s an unhealthy addiction per se, it’s just that… I derive great happiness and pleasure from buying and trying new products. Fine it’s unhealthy.

Back in Canada, living in my bachelor pad, I had oodles of space to store the plethora of beauty products I’d amassed over the years. But moving overseas, I had to leave most of that behind and develop completely new brand loyalties in the items I was purchasing. I still have my favourite items, which I can buy online or have shipped over, but it’s been an experience rebuilding my makeup collection with the products that are available in Australia, and at a price point that I deem reasonable. It’s no secret that one of my guilty pleasures is watching product reviews and monthly favourites on Youtube, so I figured it would be a really fun thing to share my own favourites on the blog. There’s no better way to find out about beauty products that are worth your pennies than from someone just like you (because seriously, do we actually believe Miranda Kerr uses Clear shampoo, or that Ellen uses Covergirl Makeup), so as a budget-conscious cosmetic aficionado myself, I hope to shed some light on some of my recent favourites so that you too can experience all of their goodness! And if you’ve tried them, let me know what you think. I always like to know how my faves compare on different skin tones and hair types!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation– I bought this stuff after hearing one of my favourite youtubers, Tanya Burr, rave about it endlessly in her videos. I was previously using Revlon Colorstay Stay Natural, and it just wasn’t doing it for me. But the Rimmel Wake Me Up goes on so smoothly, really provides good, buildable coverage (good for my acne scarring), and leaves a nice semi-dewy (but not oily) looking finish on my normal-type skin. Also, it smells like citrus, which really does seem to give me a little bit of “MMM!” in the morning. One other thing, this doesn’t rub off when I hug Luke when he gets home in the evenings, which I think is superb. Your face rubbing off on your boyfriend’s shoulder is so not cute.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara – I know tons of people rave about this stuff, and I am no different. I am obsessed with long eyelashes, and although I really want to try the Benefit They’re Real mascara, I can’t bring myself to splurge on it at this point in my financial life. So for now, The Falsies is definitely doing the trick, adding tons of length and great volume to my peepers. I also have Maybelline’s Cat Eyes mascara, which adds length but in a spindly sense… no volume at all. It’s like spider-eyes, kind of weird.. If you’re an Aussie, you can find The Falsies at a comparable price to North America if you buy at Chemist Warehouse, so that’s a huge bonus in my book.

Trilogy Rosehip Oil – This stuff has been an absolute saviour for me and my bad skin as of late. I’ve admitted before that I’m a chronic blemish-picker, which I know is terrible, but I do it anyway. Rosehip oil is an all-natural nourishing treatment that, when applied to any redness or irritation, really helps soothe and heal your skin. When I first started using it, I saw a drastic reduction in the redness in my face, and the inflammation in my acne. I’ve also tried Bio Oil, which broke me out quite badly (that says a lot, as I generally never break out from any facial products), but the trilogy rosehip oil can be used without any worry that it’ll make your skin worse. I use this every night as a moisturizer, and a little goes a long way – I’ve had my bottle for 6 months and it’s still about 40% full.

Moroccanoil Styling Cream– My hair, which is really long and really dense, gets super tangley and super dry at the ends. I’d been searching for ages for something I could put in it to make it more manageable. Moroccanoil is a bit pricey, but it does wonders for my hair. I usually shower at night, brush my hair, and rub this through the ends. I sleep on it, and when I wake up in the morning my hair is nice and soft, and I can just run a straightener through it. If you’re looking for something a bit cheaper, the Macadamia Oil is really good too, but the scent of the Moroccanoil for me just can’t be beat. I am obsessed.

After skyping with one of my best friends from university this weekend, we got on the topic of how overpriced makeup items really are over here in Oz. There are tons of places online that most girls here buy their items from, but my lovely bestie said if I give her a list, she’ll ship me some stuff from the good ol’ USA. So I’m interested to know, what are your favourite products as of late? I’d be keen to give a few new ones a try, and if I can get them shipped cheaper from the US, major bonus. Because like I said, this beauty addict cannot be stopped, not even by the Pacific Ocean.

// Full Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

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