New Favourite: Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

I’d heard so much praise about Lush’s Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, and was desperate to acquire a box of my own. I went to their Norwegian online store (click here for the international site), but decided I wasn’t quite desperate enough to pay 99,- NOK in shipping for such a little thing. Fortunately darling Cindy lives in Oslo, and sent me a box a few weeks ago.

First of all: I have very dry hands. Dishwashing without gloves is impossible, and after a full day of doing laundry my hands feel like sand paper. I’ve always envied girls with pretty hands, and especially the ones with perfect cuticles (Laquerized is my ultimate cuticle role model).

– Warning! Starved cuticles below! —

In case you didn’t know, the cuticles are the transition from the nail to the skin of the fingers. As you can see, mine are rather dry and flaky – this is how they always look when I come out of the shower. Regular hand lotion simply doesn’t cut it, but the Lemony Flutter is fantastic!

This is after a very thin layer (the butter is rather sticky, and I had things to do), so the effect isn’t insanely impressive, but you can still see some major improvement. Normally I’ll put on a larger amount of the stuff before I go to bed, and I wake up to the happiest fingertips I’ve ever had.

As for the butter itself, it looks like this. *points to picture above* You can see I have only used product from the lid, not the actual box yet, as you need just a tiny bit on each finger. The smell is a bit strong, like lemon mixed with some sort of cleaning product. I think it’s perfectly tolerable, one of my friends joyfully shouted “IT SMELLS LIKE CANDY!” when I opened the lid, and some people simply cannot stand it. It’s still the best goo I’ve ever put on my cuticles, and they’re looking better each day.

Have any of you tried this stuff? Opinions?

Make an Effort

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

Click image for source

Knowledge is a funny thing. Everybody seems to understand that you have to learn things like math or fixing a car or playing an instrument, but it’s a different matter when it comes to knowledge about beauty or fashion. I often get comments like how do you manage to walk in those heels? or I wish I was as good with nail polish as you are. People make it sound like I simply know these things by intuition, but that’s not the case. As a teenager I spent a whole lot of time reading fashion magazines and playing around with hair and makeup. I wasn’t very good back then, but I wouldn’t now have known how to walk in high heels unless I’d insisted on stumbling around in them when I was sixteen.

A few times people’s comments make me slightly irritated. No, it’s not luck or good genes or magic, it’s simply hard work that made me good at this! But mostly I just feel sad for those out there walking around thinking they have no hope at all at mastering these things. You do, you do! And here’s how:

1. Research and practice. If you want to learn how to make your nails look prettier, go to YouTube and search for “manicure”, “nail care” or “nail art”. Watch at least fifteen videos – most of them are only a few minutes long. Make a mental note (or, even better, an actual note) of all the clever things they teach you. Then practice. Do the same thing over and over again, remembering your notes. If you have a friend/acquaintance with beautiful nails, ask her about it! I guarantee she’ll be flattered – as long as you actually pay attention to her answer and…

2. Accept that it will take time. In the beginning, as you are learning something, you’ll make mistakes and have to correct them, and progress will be slow (remember learning to write? Yeah, it took a while, didn’t it?). But as you get better everything will speed up, and soon you’ll be able to curl your hair or apply lipstick in a flash. Still, pampering does require a little time no matter what – hoping that you can just touch a curling iron to your hair and have gorgeous waves in one minute is simply unrealistic. The thing is, it’s perfectly all right to spend time on how you look. It doesn’t make you vain or stupid or annoyingly girly, it just means that you’ve decided to make an effort to improve your appearance.

Applies lipstick and turns toward camera.

“And there’s nothing wrong with that!“

Big, sparkly smile, a toss of the hair and… end scene.

Brush Guilt

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

Today I received a new facial cleanser/makeup remover in the mail, and thought “ah, how lovely it’ll be to have a clean face again!” Then I looked at my makeup brushes and felt a twinge of guilt. I haven’t washed them since… well, it’s been too long. And I do depend on them, especially after I started using all that mineral makeup from Tikei. But before I start about brush hygiene, let’s get you properly introduced, eh?

1. This tiny little darling is for liquid eyeliner – she always does a five times better job than those applicators you get included in the liner. I don’t know what the brand is, as I bought her from an adorable old lady in a charming little perfumery.

2. Eyebrow/lash brush from a brush set by ecotools (as are all my other brushes with wooden handles). Not used very often, either, but excellent to have if I get a bad case of bushy eyebrows or lumpy lashes.

3. Baby Kabuki brush by Tikei. I use it for my mineral foundation, and it’s so soft and does the job rather quickly, considering its size.

4. Ultimate Powder brush. Excellent for Tikei’s Finishing Veil in Glow, which gives a fantastic glow without looking sparkly or shimmery.

5. Blusher brush. I use it for bronzer, too.

6. and 7. Ultimate Concealer brushes. I have one for the yellow concealer (for under-eye circles) and one for the green (for red areas or impurities), as I don’t think it’s a good idea to use the same brush for both purposes.

8. Eyeshadow brush, I use this one for dark shadows as it’s got dark bristles (it just makes it easier to remember).

9. Eyeshadow brush for light colours.

10. Slanted eyeliner brush. This is the brush I depend upon the most, as I use it both to fill in my brows and to apply dark brown eyeshadow along my upper lash line.

There! Not a huge collection, but I don’t really use a lot of different makeup, so I don’t need anything else. What I do need, though, is to take better care of the ones I’ve got, especially when it comes to cleaning them. Today I watched a video on the subject on YouTube, and I really like how she mixes dishwashing soap (it’s anti-bacterial) with olive oil (to re-hydrate the brushes). I’ll leave you guys with the video, and then I’m going to clean my own brushes. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to do the same?

Beauty Routine

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

How much time do you spend on your looks during a week? And of what does your regular pampering routine consist? Here is mine, just in case you, too, find these things fascinating.

Every day: Evening primrose oil. Brushing teeth & flossing, morning and evening. Deodorant and perfume (Chanel no5). Hand lotion, lip balm. Usually some kind of hair product. If it’s a makeup day: concealer & foundation (from Tikei), blush (BeneTint), dark brown shadow to fill out my brows, mascara, and either some dark brown, smudged eye makeup or a strong lip. Makeup remover in the evening.

Shower routine: shampoo (twice) and conditioner. Fixing legs and such furry places. Exfoliate face, scrub feet. Washing body. Afterwards: moisturizer on face and neck, body lotion (normally just on legs and arms, I’m lazy). Deodorant, perfume, some kind of hair product.

A few times a week: protein or moisturizing hair treatment. Manicure. Moisturizing face mask. Plucking eyebrows.

I could improve in these areas: pericures! Moisturizing face daily (with SPF). Take better care of cuticles. Eye cream (with SPF). Heat protection in hair before styling. Experimenting more with hair & makeup.

What does your routine look like?

And don’t forget my GIVEAWAY, darlings!

Clarins Age-Control Hand Lotion

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

One of the things I bought at the airport before leaving Oslo, was Clarins Age-Control Hand Lotion. I’m always on the lookout for a good hand cream as my hands get terribly dry in the winter (which means practically 3/4 of the year up here in Tromsø). A-Derma’s one is the best one I’ve found so far, but I wanted one with SPF now that the sun’s finally starting to show. Plus, I seem to be in one of my I’m-not-taking-proper-care-of-my-skin-and-will-end-up-damaged-and-wrinkled-in-two-years-time-moods, so SPF seemed like a must. I ended up with this one because the one from L’Occitane made my hands downright slippery (and it didn’t even contain SPF), and the one from Ole Henriksen (with SPF 15) was rather expensive.

Clarins’ version cost me about 150,- NOK at the airport – you can get it from Feelunique HERE for about 170,- (with free shipping, of course). What I think about it?

+ contains SPF 15

+ affordable

+ smells good, rather like a suntan lotion or some sort of pleasant-smelling soap

+ does not leave a sticky film on my hands (which always drives me crazy), and is absorbed very quickly

- not moisturizing enough for my thirsty hands and cuticles

Verdict: a good hand lotion for daily use, as it protects from the sun and doesn’t feel sticky. I would use something else for nights, though, if your hands are very dry. Still glad I bought it!

Tikei’s Magical Mineral Makeup

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

All images originally from tikei.se

You know how every now and then seemingly everyone on the web is taking about a specific item? Mineral makeup from Tikei seemed to be the thing a while ago – but I was sceptical, as always. Most of the time things seem to get hyped out of proportions, and the item in question might not be good at all. This is why it’s nice to know that some bloggers’ opinions (mine included) cannot be bought, and their opinion can thus be trusted to be their own.

My history with Tikei started by me entering their website, TIKEI.SE. Although I was sceptical, I didn’t want to miss out on anything good just out of principle, and I have to admit I was more favourably inclined just by looking at the website – oh, come on, we all love a nice, structured layout, right? The Strawberrynet-people could learn a thing or two, I’m just sayin’.

Anyway. I ordered some samples from Tikei because they were very affordable (10,- SEK per sample), and just to go a little crazy I got the big test kit, which contains 20 samples and a baby kabuki brush (or an eyeshadow brush, but I chose the kabuki). To settle the matter of my skin tone once and for all, I ordered foundation samples from every different category:

I’ve always found foundation to be tricky. Probably because I cannot bear foundation that’s clearly in the wrong shade, but also because if feels so… unhealthy, you know? Like my skin cannot breathe. But I digress. I bought samples of the two palest versions of all their foundations, just to see which one would suit me best. I haven’t gotten around to trying them yet, nor have I tested the eyeshadows that much (I hardly wear eyeshadow, to tell the truth). What I have tried, are the concealers and the finishing veil (in the glow-version). And they are perfection.

The yellow concealer

Apply with brush or fingers underneath eye to cover up dark circles – just remember to brush a little foundation or top, or it will look yellow. With foundation, though, it looks perfect, just like the colour of my own skin. I didn’t have time to apply this one today, and every time I looked in a mirror I felt like a corpse. It works way better than those liquid, skin-coloured pens, as the yellow neutralizes the blue circles instead of just trying to hide them. Basic colour science, people, and we like science.

The green concealer

Also applied with either brush or finger, and also needs a little foundation to look natural. Can be used on blemishes (I absolutely refuse to use the word z*t), of course, or on other red areas you’d prefer to be skin coloured. Just like the yellow version, this concealer’s magic is based on science: green neutralizes red. I also like that it doesn’t contain any bad ingredients at all, because really, who wants to put liquid goo on skin that’s already in a bad state. I certainly don’t.

Finishing Veil Glow

This one has slightly revolutionized my opinion on makeup, simply because I’ve always shunned products with the words “shimmer”, “sparkle” or “glow” in them. All right, eyeshadows are the exception (the eyes can handle some sparkle), but I really don’t want my face glittering like a disco ball. But this veil (ah, just the word, veil, so mysterious!) is wonderful. I lightly brushed a little bit on my cheekbones, and suddenly I was, well, glowing. Not sparkling, glittering, shimmering or shining, but glowing. It looked just as good from across the room as it did five centimeters away from the mirror. And I’m picky – any glittery stuff and I’m out. But no, just a healthy glow.

In conclusion: Tikei is the best mineral makeup brand I’ve ever tried. Firstly because it doesn’t contain any bad ingredients. What you put on your skin is important, people, so don’t let just anything cover your face every day (and remember, not everything that has “minerals” in the name is pure mineral makeup). Second, the colour selection is excellent, just have a look at those eyeshadows. It’s also very reasonable prized and the finished result is flawless. Literally.

♮Give it a go – Tikei definitely has my stamp of approval♮

Filed under: Beauty, Fabulous Links, Makeup, Shopping, Skincare

Lifesavers for Busy Girls

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

These two products have saved me plenty of times the past week or so – I’ve been unusually busy and both pampering and blogging (sorry, darlings!) have had to wait. But when I could find a minute or so to spare, these two babies did a wonderful job.

♮Decléor Hydra Floral moisturizing mask does exactly that: moisturize. I wouldn’t call my skin dry, but this year’s harsh weather has got to it and given me some dry patches. My skin also feels tight after I’ve taken a shower, which is when I usually grab this yellow little tube. You can, of course, use it as a mask, and apply a rather thick layer of this and leave it on for 5-10 minutes. This is no good if you’re in a hurry, though, which is why I like that it can be used as a rather thick moisturizer, too. I apply a smaller amount (just enough so there won’t be a layer of it on my skin) to my entire face, and then apply makeup. If I have any dry patches, I put on a thicker layer just there, and let the mask do its thing while I fix my hair and get dressed, then swipe it off before applying makeup.

♮Seba A.S.A.P. Nail Polish Activator is a strange sort of oil that you drip on your freshly painted nails to make the polish dry faster (I got mine at Neglemakeriet, but it seems they don’t have it any more). First of all, I have to tell you that I do think there are better products out there that does the same job – although this one definitely makes several layers of polish dry in about five minutes, it does seem to make them slightly less shiny. Still, it’s a real lifesaver if you were silly enough to think you had enough time to paint your nails and then realize you have to be out the door in twenty minutes. Drip it on, wait five minutes and you’re good to go. I didn’t even know a product like this existed until about half a year ago, and I’d really like to find an excellent kind. “Everybody” seems to love Seche Vite, so I’m thinking about trying that one next, but the one I’ve got still does the trick in a pinch.

I do hope you’ll forgive me for being slightly absent lately? It seems things are slowing down a bit now, which means more time for blogging again – huzzah!

Things

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

From the paper for the No Siesta, Fiesta!-festival. Translation of the circled part: The costumes of a samba parade are especially important, naturally. This year they’ve had help to dress the participants of the parade. – We’ve been fortunate enough to have Maria Hansen Troøyen (me!) to help us with this. She’s very good with clothes and fashion, and has an eye for the original, so I think this will be really good, says L-Jay.

I ♥ Evening Primrose Oil

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

I first read about evening primrose oil (or “nattlysolje”) in this Norwegian blog, and I have to confess it sounded a bit like a hype. The oil from some flower was not only supposed to make my skin much more beautiful and blemish-free, but also ease symptoms of PMS such as mood swings and all that stuff (you know what I mean, girls)? I was sceptical.

Then, around Christmas, I was really fed up with my skin suddenly acting all crazy due to a change in birth control method, and I decided to give evening primrose oil a shot. I bought the box in the picture at a health care shop (“Life”) for 199,- NOK, and started taking two capsules a day. The weeks went by and I couldn’t see any change, and I started getting a bit fed up with the whole thing.

Around the second week of February I got a really bad cold and couldn’t bear to swallow those capsules, so I stopped taking them for a while. The day after I stopped taking them my skin suddenly started looking a whole lot better. It was definitely more matte, and the impurities seemed smaller and less aggressive than usual. Weird. “Perhaps it’s because I stopped taking the capsules,” I thought, although this made no sense either – evening primrose oil couldn’t possibly make my skin worse, because there’s nothing in them that can clog pores.

I decided to try an experiment and stopped taking the capsules for about a week. My skin stayed nice for a day or two, then got worse again. I gave it a week, then started taking the capsules again, two every morning. At first I didn’t notice any difference, but after almost a week my skin suddenly cleaned up again and looked a whole lot better. Sounds a little too easy, I know, but it’s true.

I’ve now been taking two capsules of evening primrose oil every day since the end of December, with the exception of one week in February, and I’m telling you, these things are magical – for me, at least. It took a long time for them to work, but my skin is so much better now it was definitely worth the wait. And not only that, but the usual two-days-of-inexplainable-sadness-and-hating-the-world-in-general-and-my-life-in-particular I always get before that week seem to have gone away.

I’m not going to write a whole lot about what evening primrose oil is, what it is used for, possible side effects and such things – you can learn about that by clicking here. I just wanted to let you know that it’s worked brilliantly for me, and it might be worth a shot. Just remember that it might take a month or two before you notice any results, so be patient.

Do you have any experiences with evening primrose oil? Do share in the comments’ section, I’m sure other readers would appreciate it!

H&M LANSERER ORGANISK HUDPLEIE

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: hotblogger • Comments: Comments Off

Hennes & Mauritz lanserer sin aller første hudpleiekolleksjon, med sertifiserte organiske ingredienser. Kolleksjonen byr på essensielle hverdagsprodukter, som showergel, bodyscrub, bodylotion, håndkrem og leppebalm.

Produktene er tilgjengelig i to ulike duftkombinasjoner; bringebær og melon, eller lavendel og mint. Fresht og spennende! Du får selvsagt også kjøpt fargerike makeup- og toalettmapper.

Ingrediensene i produktene er alle naturlige og organiske, godkjent av Ecocert. Ecocert er det første og mest brukte internasjonale institutt for sertifisering av økologiske produkter.

“Det føltes som et naturlig steg, siden vi har jobbet med organisk bomull i våre kleskolleksjoner i noen sesonger. Det er også sterk etterspørsel etter organiske produkter fra dagens kunder. Jeg håper de blir like opprømte over produktene som jeg er”, har Ann-Sofie Johansson, designsjef for H&M, uttalt i en pressemelding.

Kolleksjonen er tilgjengelig i H&M-butikker verden over fra og med mars.

The Presents

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

Posted in Beauty, fashion, Lists, Look what I've got..., Makeup, My Life, Skincare

Airam’s Top 10 Beauty Products

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

 

A little while ago Tara from Nothing Elegant wrote a list of “the ten beauty products I can always count on“. As I am a rather picky girl when it comes to beauty products, I always like to read about beauty recommendations from bloggers I like and trust. With this in mind I’ve created my own list, all thoroughly tested and being found worthy by yours truly.

1. Redken Extreme CAT protein treatment. I’ve read that there are basically two kinds of hair treatments: one that feeds your hair proteins and one that moisturize it. The first ones make your hair stronger, but also more coarse, while the second ones provide that silky feel. As my hair is rather fine and smooth already, this treatment makes it stronger and more voluminous, keeping it from hanging limp around my face like Professor Snape’s hair.

2. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. I started using Dermalogica’s products a while back (read about it here and here), and this is the product I am most in love with. Whereas other exfoliators have felt rough against my skin, this one just feels like magic, making my skin insanely smooth but not feeling like I’ve scrubbed off my cheeks.

3. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstruction. This would be one of those moisturizing hair treatments, which I usually put in right after using the one from Redken. Shiny, silky hair in a bottle? Definitely!

4. Rosebud’s Minted Rose Lip Balm. Did you know I never, ever use lip gloss? This is because I simply cannot bear the feeling of a sticky layer on my lips, it just freaks me out. This is the only lip balm I use, as the mint gives my lips a tingling sensation, preventing it from feeling like a suffocating layer of goo (I’m weird, I know, but I can’t help it!).

5. Fiskar’s nail scissors. Perhaps a weird thing to put on a list like this, but it’s the only pair of scissors I’ve found that don’t simply bend my nails when I cut them. And yes, I do cut my nails with scissors instead of filing them down. What can I say, I am a rebel in the fashion world.

6. Biotherm’s hypo-allergenic Deo Pure. Because it doesn’t smell like plastic, or flowers, or wannabe-fresh-something, but it still works as it should.

7. Gillette Venus Breeze razor blades. Ever since these became available, I’ve stopped buying shaving foam for my legs. Boring tasks such as shaving legs should take a minimum of time, and with these blades I can get the job done in a few minutes.

8. Maybelline’s Moisture Extreme lipstick. I have to admit, this is the only product on my list that probably isn’t insanely great as it tends to make my lips a little dry. But the colour (I use Passion Red, nr. 49) is a fantastic, sharp red, and I like the shiny red casing. This one always saves the day when I cannot bother to put on proper makeup, but feel like this if I don’t do something.

9. Shockwaves Ultra Stong Power Gel. If I can only bring one hair product when travelling, this is always the one. Both my flatmate (with short, spiky hair) and I use this, as it is a master in creating that very messy bedhead. Add a pea-sized amount to your palm, rub hands together, flip hair and squeeze in the product. Then, use a dry hair towel and rub it against your head in circular motions. Pay particular attention to the crown and the back of your head, as these are the areas that need the most volume. Remove towel (don’t panic!), and squeeze in a second portion of the gel. This one is a lifesaver on bad hair days, I tell you!

10. Chanel no5. Because it makes me feel feminine, sexy and lovely, and I like having something in common with Marilyn Monroe.

♥

What are your favourite products, darlings? Oh, and if anyone knows of a great hand cream that doesn’t feel sticky, a wonderful mascara (but not the volumizing kind, as my contacts don’t like them) or the perfect dark lip colour, I would be most obliged!

Posted in Beauty, Hair, Lists, Makeup, Polyvore, Skincare

Dermalogica Update

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

Just thought I’d fill you in on how my Dermalogica experience is progressing, as I have no good photos to show you from my first two days here in Oslo (oh, yes, I am in Oslo now, by the way). I have been using the products every single morning and evening for ten days now… except for yesterday, when I prioritized things such as sleep, Boyfriend and a Tori Amos show. The results are not that easy to see yet, but I can definitely feel it. My skin is so soft I can hardly stop touching my cheeks – which isn’t very clever, as they say you should touch your face as little as possible to keep it clean and healthy.

Visually, it’s a little harder to tell how the products are working for me. My skin definitely looks more healthy, and it’s not as shiny as it would sometimes get before. I’ve been having small breakouts more often than usual, though, but it’s hard to tell whether that’s coming from finally using good products (as the skin gets rid of all the excess sebum), from me changing to a different kind of birth control, or from something as obvious as getting very little sleep and eating lots of junk food lately.

I thought it might be useful to tell you a little of my experiences with each of the products, as there are some I like better than others. I am insanely happy with the Daily Microfoliant, which is my prime suspect for the sudden softness of my skin. It’s easy to use, too: simply wet your hands, pour a tiny amount of the Microfoliant powder into your hands, and rub together. This creates some sort of foaming wetness, which you apply to your face and rub around a bit. Rinse off with water, and you’re done. It is so gentle it can be used every day, and I like that it doesn’t feel rough on my skin at all.

It is recommended to use some sort of cleanser before the Microfoliant, such as my Ultracalming Cleanser. This is a white lotion of sorts, which you apply with your fingers all over your face, and then rinse off using either a dry cotton bud or plain old water. I usually prefer products that don’t have to be rinsed off using water, because the whole washing-it-off-process usually splashes water all over my bathroom, and I like having the option to cleanse my skin in bed if I’m really lazy one day. I do think it feels better if I bother to do it with water, though, as I’m slightly obsessive with products being left on my skin if they’re not really supposed to. Oh, and if anyone of you guys use contacts, I suggest getting something different for eye makeup removal. This one removes both eyeshadow, liner and mascara well enough, but it stings a little if it gets into my contacts, and leaves some sort of film on them which takes a bit blinking to get rid of. For all of you, though, I suggest applying a tiny bit of the product on a cotton bud for removing eye makeup, as this makes it a lot easier than if you’re using your fingers.

After I’ve cleansed and used the Microfoliant (in the mornings), which takes about two to three minutes, it’s time for the Soothing Protection Spray. I close my eyes and mouth and spray twice over my face, once over the top half and once over the bottom. I like the idea of applying something moisturizing before sealing it in with the Barrier Repair, but the smell does take some getting used to. It still reminds me a bit of mosquito spray, though it’s not very uncomfortable. The spray also creates rather large drops of product on the skin, which isn’t a problem if you’re applying the Barrier Repair afterwards, but which makes it troublesome if you want to spray it over makeup during the day.

The Barrier Repair is the most questionable product for me so far. I’m not sure I like that it’s more like a silicone gel than a traditional moisturizer, as it doesn’t contain any water at all (mysterious, I know!). The consistency is rather like some sort of lubricant – pardon my association, but it was the most describing one I could come up with! – and I think I might prefer the feel of a nice, creamy moisturizing cream. It does help make my skin smooth and soft, though, and it doesn’t look shiny, as one might imagine it would. You only have to use a tiny amount of the product, which might sound good for girls with tight economics, but as the tube is much smaller than the other bottles, I still think I’d have to buy this one more often than the other products.

To sum it up: I am certain I like the brand Dermalogica very much (and no, I am not paid for saying this, nor do I get anything for free – the Dermalogica people probably don’t even know I exist). The packing is nice and can handle lots of travelling and being thrown around. Everything smells slightly like an apothecary (the store, not the person), but this simply reassures me that there’s no perfume in them that I can react to. Apart from the Protection Spray, nothing there smells bad at all, simply unusual. I like knowing that all Dermalogica products have safe, good ingredients. Yes, they are rather expensive, but most of them will probably last me a long time, and I have come to the point where I am willing to pay more than I used to, in exchange for good products.

My skin hasn’t been itchy or red or felt tight at all, so I’ll definitely continue using the products until I run out. I might decide to try some different Dermalogica products then, simply to see if I find something that works even better, but I am never going back to cheap H&M products again. I’ll write a new post in a couple of weeks or so, just to let you know how it goes. Oh, and double brownie points if you bothered to read all this – it’s my hope that at least some of you will find my ramblings useful.

Posted in Skincare, Test

Dermalogica, Darling

Category: Utvalgte moteblogger • Author: Airam • Comments: Comments Off

Ever since I started using makeup on a regular basis, I’ve been rather good at removing it at the end of the day. I’ve also had my round of experimenting with masks from H&M (usually while watching something very girly during a girls’ night in), and I’m fortunate enough to have a fairly well-behaved skin without having to work for it that much. But ever since I started reading this blog (it’s in Norwegian, but translates rather well to English with Google Translate), I’ve given much more thoughts to beauty in general, and skin care in particular.

Even though I’ve never had very problematic skin, it’s still looked kind of dull for a few years now, and even though impurities aren’t affecting my entire life, they tend to pop up at the most annoying of times. My habits with moisturizer have been pretty much non-existent for a couple of years now, except for a bit of aloe vera during summer. My skin care products have usually been impulsively bought at H&M or the local drugstore, without a second thought to the actual ingredients or the effects these might have on my skin. But Hilde Christina’s blog has made me realize that skin care is rather like food – if the ingredients aren’t good, the result won’t be.

You see, products bought at H&M or the likes usually contain lousy ingredients, that often dry out your skin (usually in anti-acne products) or contain stupid things that clog your pores (a very useful list of bad ingredients can be found here). None of these are good in any way, and won’t give you your best skin possible – which is what we all want, right?

After having been ashamed of my lack of proper skin care regimen for a long time, I decided to go all the way and do things properly. I’ve looked at Dermalogica products a fair few times at Strawberrynet, but always discarded them as they are quite expensive and it’s much more fun to buy a lipstick (or something else that will give you results/a tiny makeover the moment you receive it). But no more! I first visited a skin care salon to get some samples of Dermalogica products (I chose Dermalogica because it was approved by Hilde Christina, and because a friend of mine with the most amazing skin uses it – yes, I am easily influenced!), and a couple of weeks ago I ordered a full Dermalogica regimen. I used LookFantastic, but I suggest you choose Strawberrynet if you wish to order expensive things, as they refund any expenses you get because of custom duties. My products ended up costing 50% more because of customs, and I also had to wait for a long time while they were being processed.

I am now the proud owner of the Ultracalming Cleanser, the Daily Microfoliant, a Soothing Protection Spray and Barrier Repair. I chose products for sensitive skin, as one of the reasons for my skin care epiphany was that my then current cleanser (Pureté Thermale from Vichy)  suddenly made my skin feel itchy and red. I’ve been using the products for almost a week, and as of now my skin definitely feels softer, and it also looks less shiny. I’ve been getting some impurities lately, but they’re not as aggressive as they used to be. According to Hilde Christina this will usually happen when switching to a good skin care regimen, because the skin suddenly realizes it doesn’t need to produce extra sebum (to compensate for the damage done by bad products), so the skin will simply rid itself of the excess. I’ll definitely keep you posted – if you guys can bear more text-heavy posts, that is… Brownie-points to whoever stuck with me to the end ★ And I’d love to hear about your skin care experiences!

Posted in Look what I've got..., Skincare