What's in my Avène Bag?

Hey guys!

So I got sent this this adorable parcel a while back from Eau Thermale Avène.

So, What's in the bag?

Below I will mention the products and a short POV:

1) Avène Cleanance Expert

- Helps eliminate mild to moderate blemishes, spots, and blackheads.

- Light emulsion that is quickly absorbed and leaves skin feeling hydrated and mattified

My POV

Quite watery. It blended easily into my skin but left my skin feeling quite damp afterwards. It definitely gave it a natural matte finish.

2) Avène Sunscreen SPF 30

- Suitable for oily, acne-prone skin

- Dry touch

-  Paraben-free

- Photostable

- Water resistant

My POV

Being thicker than the Cleanance Expert, I had to spend a bit more time rubbing this into my skin. Much to my dismay, it ended up like other sunscreens tat I have used in the past; leaving my skin oily and shiny. It did not have a matte finish on my skin. It did however, last longer than most SPFs.

3) Avène TriAcneal Expert

- Targets blemishes and marks

- Moisturiser

My POV

This has a peachy colour and scent. I much like the look of the product! It did not a greasy feeling when massaged onto my face and had a dry touch, with my skin itself not feeling dry. This is a great moisturiser especially if you want to get rid of those old acne scars and dark marks!

4) Micellar Lotion

- Cleanses and removes make-up in just one step

- Skin feels cleansed, soft, comfortable

My POV

It burned my skin, but got the job done. Odorless. Was not very powerful against my makeup.

5) Avène Thermal Spring Water

- Direct connection between spring and production plant

- Sterile packaging

- No expiration date

- For irritated skin

My POV

This was the first time I tried a thermal water spray and it was definitely an amazing experience. Odorless and clear, it reminds of a natural spring bath! Although this has so many different uses, I used it to sooth my eczema on the back of my knee. It worked a miracle and didn't burn at all and soothed my skin. This has got to be my favourite Avène product. 

I'd recommend the Thermal Water, TriAcneal EXPERT and the Cleanance Expert to anyone who is looking for a way to safely get a matte look on their skin, without all the harsh makeup!

A huuuuge thank you to Avène for sending me these amazing goodies!

Find out more about them here:

http://www.eau-thermale-avene.co.za/

Review: SoyLites Ladybird Everyday Moisturising Body Balm

Included with the AMAZING candles the SoyLites team sent me (review here: http://kiarabramdaw.blogspot.co.za/2016/11/soylites-candles-review.html ), I also got sent a SoyLites Ladybird Body Balm!



Find out more about SoyLites here: https://www.soylites.co.za/

This line is inspired by my favourite insect, the ladybird!

Ingredients: 
Pure Soy Wax (vitamin E and lecithin), 
Shea Butter (Non-Certified Organic), 
Castor Oil
Avocado Oil
Virgin Olive Oil with Geranial
Citronella and Lemongrass Essential Oil. (Certified Organic )


This balm can be applied literally anywhere on your body and is infused with Rosehip and Shea Butter.

It has a leafy, nature-like smell. When I applied it to my skin, I found that it was not greasy at all! Although the smell does not agree with me, there is no doubt that I feel closer to to nature when I use it. I recommend this to anyone who is seeking to heal their skin in a natural, pain free way.

Thank you, SoyLites!

Do Fairness Creams Work?

Some Facts About Fairness Creams

I know it’s easy for me to say that “don’t use fairness creams” considering the fact that I am fair for someone of Indian origin but let me tell you the truth behind fairness creams. Our skin color is determined by our race and genetic lineage which in turn decides the amount and structure of melanin (the pigment in the skin which is the reason for our color). According to most dermatologists, achieving fairness up to 20% is possible, but not more than that. The fairness creams block sun rays and prevent secretion of Melanin, which gives the dark colour to the skin. So in effect fairness cream reduce tan, prevent the skin from getting darker by preventing melanin secretion; but fairness creams cannot change a person’s natural skin color. Nothing can change that structure of melanin. It’s the same as if you have curly hair, you cannot use any product to naturally make it straight , you can comb it when its wet but the actual and natural structure of your hair will remain curly, you can even get it chemically treated but the new hair growth will always be curly. A fairness cream does the same , it removes your upper skin layer so that the skin below appears. Fairness creams can contain harmful bleaching agent such as hydroquinone, the percentage of which is between 3- 4%, but most of them do not mention the percentage of the chemicals on the packets which can cause skin allergy, cancer, kidney problem. Hydroquinone is a strong inhibitor of melanin production, meaning that it prevents skin from making the substance responsible for skin color. Hydroquinone does not bleach the skin but lightens it, and can only disrupt the synthesis and production of melanin hyperpigmentation. It has been banned in some countries (e.g. France) because of fears of a cancer risk.

I am not trying to turn you away from the fairness cream you have used for some years now but I just want you to question the products you use. You should think before you apply something on your face because it represents you. Anything that is used by you or comes in contact with you changes and formulates your personality. If you are applying a cream to your face because it boost your confidence it is okay but you should question if you are comfortable in your natural skin color. I am not against some person using anything on their face but the question is of “questioning” the product.

Some Myths About Fairness Creams

• Fairness creams can make you fair: All fairness cream or skin whitening creams are effective only if the pigment is in the epidermis. If the pigment is deeper, the product canot help or make changes. Thus, fairness cream can help remove a tan or discoloration due to some pigment in the top layer of the skin. It cannot make a dark person fair.
• Manufacturers list all their ingredients on the product label: This is not true. Manufacturers are not required by law to mention all the ingredients on the product label.
• Fair skin is better than dark skin: Medically, dark skin is believed to be less vulnerable to skin diseases than light skin. More melanin in dark skins provides protection from the sun and, in turn, disease. Light skin contains less melanin and thus less protection.
• Ayurvedic or herbal fairness creams have no chemicals: This is a myth. Only home remedies for fairness can be free of chemicals. All commercial products have chemical bases that give them the texture and consistency and preservatives that prevent them from going bad.
• Herbal ingredients have no side effects: A person can be allergic to plant based herbal ingredients also. It is advisable that they apply the cream to a small area on their hands before using them.

There are natural variants to make your skin ‘clear.’ I use lemon on my face; that is the only thing I have used for 2 years now to brighten my face. The lemon enhances your skins natural glow. Lemon will not erode the upper layer of the skin but it will lighten the imperfection in your complexion. I am not miss 'twilight vampire', but I like my complexion. Be proud of what you have, any color, any shape, any size… a person is beautiful either way :)

Review: MAC Chestnut Lip Pencil

MAC Chestnut Lip Pencil Review

Claims: A pencil designed for shaping, lining or filling in the lip. Lip Pencils have a smooth, creamy texture that is perfect for lining the lips or filling them in. They are long-lasting and available in a wide selection of colours that each work well with many different lipstick shades.

Chestnut is just a different shade of the same pencil . MAC describes Chestnut as intense brown. It is a dark chocolaty brown with slight burgundy undertones. It is not a shade for everyone. If you like to wear deep dark brown lipsticks, this may be a good shade for you. This could be a nice MLBB shade for those with chocolaty brown complexions. I do find this quite a mature-bold lip color.

The texture is creamy. Staying power on its own is 4 hours. Not moisturizing. Would accentuate the fine lines if worn without a lip balm. It is a sharp-enable pencil and sharpens pretty well with regular cosmetic sharpeners without breaking.

I couldn’t wear it on its own so I tried using it underneath very pale lipsticks colors. It adds color to the pale brown lipsticks and make them more wearable.

But overall I feel, it is a very peculiar shade. Not for everyone.

Why I Don't Use Pore Strips

I was a big fan of the “pore strips” from a lot of brands like Biore, Nivea, Tzone etc. Nivea has pore strips especially designed for the chin and forehead area too. At first, it seemed super exciting as to how this tiny strip would just remove all of my whiteheads and blackheads, but then my skin started to react awfully to these strips. After a long Google search and speaking with a few friends, who suffered the same reactions, I decided I need to inform you ladies about the same.

Usually, every brand recommends that we should use these strips once or twice every week. That being said, another research says we shouldn’t use these strips more than 3-4 times in a month. I followed all the instructions carefully and also took off the strip really carefully after it dried up. After a few months, I started noticing broken capillaries on the corners of my nose and on my chin. This is when I started searching online for remedies and causes. To my surprise, using pore strips can cause broken capillaries.

What are Capillaries?

These are the smallest blood vessels of our body that help in microcirculation of blood.  When these break, they appear as fine red threads of blood under the skin and are quiet visible. Broken capillaries occur when the capillary walls narrow  nd widen too quickly causing the muscles in the walls to tear. This in turn allows the blood to seep out resulting in broken capillaries.

How Can Pore Strips Cause Broken Capillaries?

The answer is simple. When you pull the pore strip off, no matter how slowly and carefully you’re doing it, you manage to damage the first layer of your skin. Your skin is pulled. The skin around your nose, cheekbones and chin is more sensitive than that of your forehead.

Broken Capillaries are permanent.  Luckily for me, there are just 2 tiny ones on my nose and 1 on my chin and aren’t very visible. I haven’t used pore strips ever since my horrible experience. I go for facials instead now; something that I got super broke or lazy to go for earlier.

Moreover, all this pulling and tugging of your skin by the pore strips tends to make your skin wrinkle faster according to a few studies. That’s not a surprise though since damaged skin ages faster than healthy skin.

Also, all those chemicals in the glue that help to get the blackheads out aren’t safe for your skin and I wouldn’t recommend using these strips religiously.

To conclude it all, pore strips definitely help to clear out your blackheads, but do they fight the main cause of the blackheads? No, they don’t. Blackheads usually appear in a few days to a week after using these strips leading you to getting hooked on to these strips and using them way too often. I would suggest sticking to regular facials which are safer for the skin and include proper exfoliation of the skin in your skin care regime.

Hope this review helps you ladies out and please don’t use those strips too often! Be nice to your skin.

Beaucíence Review

Readers

I was privileged enough to get sent a box
of goodies from Beaucíence earlier this week!

Beaucience, is a company that has developed a completely unique botanical skincare range. Their mission is to help you fight the signs of ageing in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
Beaucience products contain Proteasyl, plus a host of other natural plant-based ingredients. Beaucíence does not test on animals.

The first product that I unboxed and was the Beaucíence Cleansing Gel (250ml).

This is a soap-free cleansing gel. With ingredients like witch hazel, aloe vera, peach extract and organic green tea, this balances and cleanses your complexion without stripping your skin of its natural oils. This perfectly pH-balanced cleanser gently washed away existing residue(makeup, post-moisturisers) that were on my skin and left it soft and smelling fresh.

What I love is that they incorporated Witch Hazel into this wash. Witch hazel is a natural astringent that helps to keep your skin clear and also removes excess oil, dirt and make-up from your pores without drying out your skin.

When I used this product it foamed quite well considering that it doesn't contain soap, which is amazing. It did however create a dry, stretched feeling in certain areas of my face (cheekbones, nose area).

Other than that, it left my skin smelling absolutely incredible and when massaged into certain areas, relaxed my skin. I would recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin who needs something gentle and soap-free that will still leave their skin smelling fresh.

Second Product: Beaucíence Day & Night Moisture Cream(50ml)

Although it's main purpose is anti-age care, this cream can be used as a day or night facial cream and it is meant for normal/combination skin.

It contains Organic Marula Oil, Organic Green Tea, as well as a selection of essential oils.

I gently applied the moisturiser to the back of my hand first to get the feel and look of the cream and when confident enough I applied it to my face. Unlike the face cleanser, the cream has a warm, leafy, bitter smell. My skin absorbed it quite fast and felt moisturised, but only for a few hours.

Pausing at this point,  I must appreciate the wonderful eco-packaging that Beaucíence packs it's products in. Not many companies can pull it off.

This product is light and fast absorbing. I just wish that the effects lasted longer!

The final product: Beaucíence Enzymatic Exfoliator

This product is an absolute charm! Out of everything this has got to be my absolute favourite! Not just within the Beaucíence range,  but regarding ALL facial exfoliators and peels. This is the natural way of biological peeling, which removes dead skin cells and clears blocked pores.

Think of a snake shedding it's skin.

The back of the box reads: "Cell renewal is stimulated and a younger brighter soft and radiant skin is revealed. Natural extracts sooth, calm, moisturise and soften the skin. Proteasyl TP and Vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen in the skin."

Before using this I had to make sure that all of my makeup was properly off. This is very important as we want there to be no obstructions that might not let the gel have direct contact with the skin.
I applied a thin layer as said. After the first few minutes my skin began to feel a tingling sensation, which is expected when using these types of exfoliator peels. This sensation was more than enjoyable and not harsh on my skin at all. I left it on for about 15 minutes before removing it.

Upon removing it my skin already had a more radiant and fresh look to it. Dark areas appeared visibly lighter. The chapped effect that was on a few of my pimples was completely gone.

This is definitely a swear-by product!

🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿

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A huge thank you to the Beaucíence team for sending down these amazing products!

For more enquiries about their products check out their website:

www.beaucience.co.za

Beaucíence products are free from chemical contaminants, toxins, artificial colourants, petroleum products and synthetic oils.

Stay tuned for more reviews coming soon!

Face Makeup Guide

The Basics: