WEEK IN REVIEW // 3

A week of even crazier weather, sickness and sleepiness, a little indulgence, and a bit of good ol' exercise.

Pattison's Patisserie - My first creme brûlée. Ever. And it was delicious. To escape from the storm outside, Dad and I made a quick detour into Pattison's Patisserie, where we enjoyed a few treats. It took all of my weak self-control to not walk out with boxes of macarons. Maybe next time...

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 - This temperamental weather is wreaking havoc on my sensitive skin, so I grabbed this with the hope that it would be able to soothe and hydrate stubborn rashes and dry patches. Within the first couple of days I saw great results; the rashes and dry patches were subdued within a few hours of application, but now I'm not so sure, as the rashes are just as bad as they were before...

Maybelline Baby Lips Anti-Oxidant Berry - Now that my favourite Natio lip balm is nearly finished, I've switched back to this cult fave, though I'm not sure it still makes the cut. Though they're both very similar, I think I still prefer the limited edition Maybelline Baby Lips in Protecting Berry.

Wheat heat pack - This has been my bff this past week, to calm stomach aches and muscle soreness.

Kathmandu Exercise Mat - I've taken to stretching the day after ballet/exercise, which I'd previously not been doing (whoops), and have definitely seen the benefits. While I'd previously written it off as too time consuming, or had just plain forgotten - despite walking around with aching limbs - I think I'll be feeling a whole lot less sore if I manage to keep it up.

ECCO Touch Bow ballet flats - Super comfy, and in a no-nonsense style. A bit of an impulsive purchase, to replace my Seed ballet flats which are currently dying. (I blame it on the spontaneous 5km trek. And my brother, whose brilliant idea it was. Don't do it in a pair of flats - you've been warned!)

What was the highlight of your week? (:

AUTUMN WANTS //

As Summer becomes Autumn I've got my eye on leather accessories in 'cosy' tones, beauty products to combat parched, dull skin, and little luxuries that will end up being Winter warmers, bringing cheer when the weather is dreary.

   
Clockwise from top left:
Citizen Eco-Drive watch
Wittner Helsinki brogues in Black
LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Brown Pot Rouge in Raspberry
Glasshouse Triple Scented Candle in Fudge Brownie (Peter Alexander Limited Edition)

T2 Creme Brûlée tea

Fossil Sydney Satchel in Cranberry
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard
Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina perfume

(Images from Google).

'SATURDAY' SMOOTHIE // (AKA BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE)

Yup, using up bananas again - and this time making a quick smoothie inspired by the one my dad makes for us on Saturday mornings. It's definitely a more exciting alternative to muesli, cereal or toast. I must admit that my version is somewhat lacking, compared to the real deal...

Ingredients:
2 medium sized bananas, peeled and sliced
1.5 cups rice milk (or any other kind of milk)
A handful to half a cup of almonds
A drizzle of honey (optional)
A teaspoon of vanilla essence (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)

Throw it all into a blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Add more milk to thin, if necessary. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

WEEK IN REVIEW // 2

A week of temperamental weather, long shifts at work, more Disney soundtracks, and a fun weekend project (stay tuned!).

REVIEW // CULT BEAUTY PRODUCT - ELIZABETH ARDEN EIGHT HOUR CREAM

I picked this up from Priceline, along with a few other items, during their Boxing Day (Day-After-Boxing-Day?) sale which featured a 40% off promotion on skincare and sun-care, spurred on by my own curiosity, and the encouragements of beauty bloggers such as Lisa Eldridge. I was quite excited to try it as I'd heard so much about it - so much so that I didn't really bother to research or Google reviews on it. Is it really worth the hype, though? That remains to be seen...

Product claims, according to website: "The skincare classic that soothes, restores, calms and helps relieve chapped, cracked, dry skin. Soothes roughness, redness and minor skin irritations."

My first trial of this product was a spur-of-the-moment decision, with exhaustion to blame, one late January night when I was too tired to care what I slapped on before heading to bed. So I quickly grabbed this as it was laying around - for some unknown reason confusing it with Clarins' Beauty Flash Balm in my fatigued mind - and hastily squeezed a dollop into the palm of my hand. My first impressions of the product were the scent - an oddly medicinal kind of smell - and the consistency - like that of an ointment. I would describe it as more of an ointment than a cream, as it is rather emollient and heavy, rather than of a 'creamy' consistency. Despite my initial hesitation, I slathered it on anyway - and instantly regretted it. It was so thick and heavy that my immediate reaction was to get it off, so I actually grabbed a tissue and tried to remove it, unsuccessfully. There was something about the almost-'stickiness' of the product that made it uncomfortable to wear. It was certainly not the light moisturiser I'd been accustomed to using in the Summer (Neways' Firm Up, in case you're wondering). I had decided to shelve it for the cooler months, or perhaps a plane trip, if it indeed came up in the near future.

On a whim, I was inspired to give it another chance last night, upon noticing that my skin was drier than normal - though, with the weather being like it has been as of late, it's really no wonder. Anyhow, I squirted a blob onto my palm again, caught a whiff of it, and was instantly reminded of my first lacklustre experience with this famous apricot-tinted 'cream'. Yes, it is very heavy and spreads with some difficulty, requiring a good deal of massaging in before it starts to feel like it's no longer sitting on top of the skin. It's also quite long-lasting, as I discovered that first time...

When I woke up this morning the scent had disappeared (no doubt transferred to my pillow), and I noticed that my skin overall was smoother and more hydrated, though the dry patches from the night before had stuck around, although diminished in size. After washing my face and moisturising with Neways Barrier Cream, however, I found my face to be feeling much better - smooth and moisturised, minus the greasy, sticky sensation. As a side note, it also worked as a hydrating lip treatment, though it didn't taste overly pleasant.

I can also vouch for its prowess as both an eyebrow tamer and highlighter, though I wouldn't say that those accreditations are sufficient to consider it a cult product. I will be taking a trip overseas in a month's time, so perhaps it may have another chance to prove its worth, though presently I'm not entirely convinced. I concede that the hype surrounding this product may have lead to unrealistic expectations on my part - or I could be using it entirely wrong. That said, its lip balm little sister is one that I'm thoroughly impressed with and have absolutely no qualms about.

Have you tried Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream? Love it, or loathe it?

LAZY LUNCH FOR LAZY DAYS //

Lately I've been loving simple snacks that are satisfying, without requiring significant preparation or cooking time. This burger/toast/roll has been on high rotation these past few days, especially as the cooler weather has me hankering for a heartier meal. (Sandwiches just don't cut it). I usually don't like ham or cold meats, but it's actually quite nice when panfried. It tastes just like a Bacon & Egg McMuffin, with the added bonus of nutritional value :P

I've tried this combination with different types of bread and my favourite would have to be Helga's wholemeal, though the 'filling' makes practically anything taste good! It only takes about 5 minutes. Max.

Ingredients used:
1 egg
1 slice of ham
1 slice of cheese
1 bread roll/slice of bread
Pepper to season

I heated the bread roll in the mini oven, fried an egg, seasoned it with pepper, heated the ham on the still-hot pan, melted the cheese and shoved it all into the bread roll. And then proceeded to devour it in a most unladylike manner. I wanted to add some tomato or lettuce as well, but we didn't have any. This would also make a lovely lunch paired with a garden salad and fruit smoothie. Maybe next time (tomorrow)...

A FABULOUS FIND // REVIEW: LA ROCHE-POSAY BB CREAM

I came across this little gem while strolling past my mother's dresser. A little sample of La Roche-Posay's Uvidea XL Melt-In BB Cream, perched beside a little sample of their Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Sunscreen. Curiosity swiftly got the better of me - naturally, I had to try them out.

La Roche-Posay Melt-In BB Cream in 02 Natural/Medium

Before (wearing a thin layer of Neways Barrier Cream) and after (with La Roche-Posay BB Cream)

I used my fingers to apply this over clean, moisturised skin. Shade-wise, I found this to be just a tad light - it would probably be perfect for me in Spring, before I get more tanned.  However, I really appreciated that this BB cream has yellow undertones, which made it a better match for my skin (around NC25-NC30, for reference), unlike some other BB creams that I've tried in the past (Garnier, anyone?). It comes in two shades, 01 Light and 02 Medium (the shade I'm using is equivalent to Medium). You can check out swatches of both shades by Yishan of Beauty Swatch here.

According to La Roche-Posay's website, product claims for this BB cream are as follows: "unifies complexion by covering blemishes, fine lines, brown spots and hydrates skin. Helps prevent pigmentation and ageing induced by UV. Moisture replenishing. For sensitive skin. Melts into the natural skin tone for unified complexion and healthy-looking skin." 

What first struck me was it's comparatively thick consistency. I haven't used a "proper" BB cream before, so while it was not unexpected, I found it markedly different from Mecca Cosmetica's In a Good Light and Garnier's BB Cream for Sensitive Skin, which are both thinner in texture.
I would say that it has medium to full coverage - enough to cover redness and imperfections, and even out skin tone, without looking mask-like. It also has an illuminating and brightening effect, though it may not be so obvious in the photo. I found it to have a semi-matte finish once 'set', with a slight sheen, though not quite as dewy as MAC's Face and Body, for instance. Be warned that it also sets relatively quickly, so work fast!

In terms of lasting power, I found that once it 'set', it was difficult to move. For the most part this wore comfortably on my sensitive skin, though I found that my air-conditioned work environment was to blame for exacerbating dry patches. I also liked that it had SPF 50+ and a non-greasy feel. It's moisturising enough for those with dry skin, but its semi-matte finish makes it suitable for oilier-skinned gals, too.
*No concealer was used, to see how well it covered blemishes and lasted throughout the day.

8 hours later...

And this is how it looked after work, eight hours later - I must admit that I'm impressed!

According to the website, the BB cream can be purchased from Priceline and Terry White Chemists, though it was not in stock at my local Priceline (apparently because it was only a newly released product). Looks like I'll have to get myself to a Terry White Chemist, pronto!

I thought I'd also do a quick mention of the Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Sunscreen. My mum raved about it, praising its light feel and skin-perfecting qualities ("It's comfortable, light, and looks very natural..."), but I, on the other hand, found it to be quite thick and heavy in comparison to the watery consistency of Nivea's Light Feel Daily Face Veil SPF 30, which I've been using lately. I found that the Anthelios XL SPF 50+ left a white cast on my face, which I wasn't overly thrilled with.

Have you come across these products whilst browsing your local Priceline or Terry White?
What were your first impressions?