The Dream Base

Finding a foundation to your taste is no easy task; tons of them are available on the market, and it's no wonder if most of us get a bit confused when looking out for a new base, when you have so many form, texture, finish and shade to chose from. I'm a believer that you should feel free to wear whatever appeals to you, and that applies to make-up too; I hole-heartedly encourage you to step out of your comfort zone once in a while - go ahead, try to pick a berry lipstick instead of a peachy-nude, try out a metallic grey eyeshadow instead of a taupe one - you go girl ! Unfortunately, when it comes to foundation - from my experience - there's only a couple of products that will be suitable to your own particular complexion. Finding the correct shade can be a bit daunting at first, I'll give that to you, but to me the hardest part is about finding a texture that suits your skin type. People with dry skin will most likely use a totally different foundation from people with combination-oily skin, which sounds obvious. I personally have a combination skin type, with its drier/normal and oilier phases. For those with a dry skin, the real goal stands in finding a texture that won't dry out your skin or emphasize dry patches and stay dewy looking; for those with a complexion similar to mine, the problem stands more in finding a foundation that lasts and that is as low-maintenance as possible - 'cause it ain't no fun to blot in between every single classes, is it? Then of course, we all have different tastes; some can't stand the feeling of a heavy base on their skin (but then, who can?) and will prefer a lighter and often sheerer kind of base. Other won't pass the door without their full-coverage foundation on. Many, however, like to play with both - and let's admit it, if some luckier peeps' have more good days that bad ones, we all get breakouts at some point or another, and that's when a fuller-coverage will make anyone more confident, at least on special occasions. Although my skin is anything but perfect - especially now that I'm dealing with acne *horror* - I tend to go for a light base on a day-to-day basis, mostly because that's what looks best on day light. I've never had a lot of issues with heavier foundation, as those tend to be designed for people with acne and acne-scars - and therefore, often oilier skin types; they're made to last. Add a primer and powder if you feel like you need to, and you're good to go. However, it's a whole other story when it comes to tinted moisturizers. I find that no matter what, they tend to melt off my face before lunch time, attractive ha? That's the reason I've remained so faithful to my beloved Jouer Matte Moisture tint which, if you have oily skin, is a must. It's matte but definitely not flat-looking, looks gorgeous on the skin. It won't last all day, but you'll get there with a couple of touch-ups. As I was in London this summer, I happened to swatch the Bourgeois CC cream in Boots - boy, was I glad. What stroke me at first, was the coverage - I had to look twice at it and check the packaging, convinced it couldn't be a "CC cream" (aka tinted moisturizer-like type of product). The color looked pale enough and because it's drugstore, was a bargain - no need to say it came home with me. I tried it the next morning, run around London all-day-long - does the feeling of the boiling-hot-and-crowned tube of 8 a.m sounds familiar to you ? Yeah ? That's when it should have melted of my face, but didn't. And so started our love affair, still going strong.

Like I said, I was pretty impressed with it's staying power and coverage - keep in mind it is a CC cream, don't expect a full coverage. You can, however, definitely build it up to a medium one if you want to. What I like to do the most in general, is to apply a light-ish base all over my face to even out my skin tone and conceal as much redness/spots/scars as possible, and then go in with a heavy-duty concealer if I need to. Now, lately I've been rocking a dewier base and the best product I've find so far to give you that extra 'something 'something without making you look like a disco ball is the Laura Mercier Radiance primer (Dior's Glow Maximizer and Charlotte Tilbury's Wonderglow are very similar). I absolutely adore this product and find it so handy and multipurpose; you could use it as a primer, to give yourself that glowing-from-within look, or as a highlighter by applying it on top of your foundation on the highest points of your face, like you would use any other highlighter - or, like I prefer to do it, you can also mix it with your base. I think this technique gives you such a beautiful overall glow, making your skin look super fresh and healthy. It can also sheer out a foundation if, say, you want to use a proper foundation but don't want to go for too much of a full-coverage. I'd recommend this combination to anyone really, whether you have a dry to normal skin type or more of a combination to oily skin like myself, just make sure to set it with a powder in case of the latter. 

All I do is squeeze out the tiniest amount of the Laura Mercier primer and then add a bit of CC cream, mix it up on my hand, apply it on my face - with a brush or fingers - and voila ! With the colder months coming our way, a little help in the glow department is always very welcomed and that little 'gem might just become your best asset. Beware though, once you've tried the thing, you won't ever want to put it down. You've been warned.

xxx

M'

To Nude or not to Nude

Nude. It's no secret that I love my bold lipsticks; make it red, purple or black (sort of?) I don't care. Yes, it is because I love a strong, well-defined, statement lip, but also - let's just admit it once and for all - because it's all that suits me. I struggled to find a suitable nude shade for the longest time, tried everything from peachy to pinky and even brown-y nudes,  none seemed to suit me. That's probably where the real issue lies; it doesn't have to suit me and my taste, but my complexion.  As I said, I've been wearing bold lipsticks for as long as I can remember, so it's no surprise that the transition isn't that easy. However, nude lipsticks are and should be a staple in every woman's makeup bag, whether you can't be bothered to touch up your lips all day long or you went for a heavier eye look, nude lips are the way to go to maintain the balance. Here's what I've learned throughout the years and many, many attempts to make peace with the nude trend.

Make it grey, rather than black or white

You don't have to go from MAC Ruby Woo to Myth, you should rather try something in between first, something less daunting and work from there. What you could also do is take one of your usual brighter shade (ain't gonna work with Ruby woo) and tone it down - apply it with a light hand and blot it with your finger or a brush, so it looks more like a stain. It's all about baby steps.

Find the one that works for you

There're different nude shades as there're different foundation shades,depending on your skin tone and undertones. Don't beat yourself up if everything you try doesn't look right, it could be that you picked the wrong shade or more often that you just aren't used to it. Try to go to Sephora, Selfridges, SpaceNK, MAC or whatever you fancy and ask for a professional advice - no one's gonna eat you and a neutral opinion can never hurt.

Think juicy and sexy

Not dead and washed-out - because that's what it is all about isn't it? The number one problem of a nude lip-look, if done wrong, is that you'll look like a ghost - not so Victoria Secret-esque is it? No worries, I've got you covered for this one; once you found your shade, there are a number of tricks you can use to give you an extra bit of confidence in your nude-to-be journey: line your lips, so they look well-defined, highlight your cupid's bow to make them look fuller and finally, add some gloss right at the center of your lips for a very natural-ish yet sexy and plumy effect.

As you can see, I'm still miles away from MAC Myth, but hey, I'm too pale for that one anyway right ? I do gravitate around darker pinks rather than "proper" nudes, but that's just what works for me, and as far as I'm concerned, it's nude enough.


xxx

M'

Love at first sight

Let me introduce you to my very new and most definitely favorite lover, the Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes mascara. Now, before I even get into it, let me be clear about one thing; I've had a love/hate (mostly hate really) relationship with any sort of high-end mascaras for as long as I can remember. I've tried Helena Rubinstein, YSL, Chanel, you name it - and I ended up regretting the splurge pretty much every time, so much that when I discovered the wonderful, wonderful world of the Covergirl Lash blast and the Maybelline the Falsies, I swore I wouldn't ever dare to cross the drugstore line again. Or so I thought

What happened then ? I went into Selfridges - and if you've ever been there, you know it ain't no good. I was in the mood to try out some Charlotte Tilbury products, I had my eyes on her palettes for the longest time so when one of their lovely make-up artist offered me a make-over, I was more than happy to jump on the chair. The whole make-up look was lovely - truth is, she made a good job at making me buy too many things - but what shocked me was the mascara's results. Oh.My.God. My lashes never ever looked so good. Longer, infinitely thicker, they took the whole look to another level, so much that I broke my vow and bought it.

I can honestly say it is the best mascara I've tried so far. It looked good in Selfridges, in the hands of an expert, sure, but it worked its magic again back home. And again the next day. And again. No matter how much you work it in your lashes' roots, it never gets crunchy, the lashes remain nice and flexible and that's a big deal for me. The brush isn't too big or too small, very fluffy and easy to use, just how I like 'em. You can get it at Selfridges for 22£, which isn't cheap, but totally worth it in my opinion. I don't use the term holy grail very often, be sure of that, but this baby has definitely become one.

xxx

M'

The blush you need

I failed. For the past few months, I've bravely stayed away from Hourglass' new hit product, literally ignoring it; you've heard about it, you've seen it,  chances are you probably already own it, their Ambient lighting blush. Truth is, I don't even know what put me off for so long. The general ridiculous (but fair) excitement and the growing hype must have been the ones protecting my bank balance for so long. Well, they failed. Out of frustration (yes, I know) for not getting my desperate hands on the Kevyn Aucoin sculpting powder in SpaceNK ('still grieving), I found myself wandering around that nasty, nasty shop when I finally laid my eyes on this beauty for the first time. Oh-my. Frustrated or not, I just couldn't help it, I had to take it home.

Ambient lighting blush in Mood exposure 28£

I already was a massive fan of the Ambient lighting Powders and was expecting this blush to have the same seamless, silk-like consistency - and I wasn't disappointed, their definitely relatives. What took me by surprise is the color and pigmentation. I went for Mood exposure and when you look at it, it looks like a dusty-pink with a hint of plum-y tones in it, more on the cool side that is, but once you put it on, it's actually pretty warm-toned and comes out as a nice peachy-pink-ish color - as you can see on the brush. Furthermore, I thought it would be quite a subtle product, in the same lines as the powders, but oh boy, it's pigmented. 

So if you don't buy it for it's packaging - 'cause let's admit it, this blush looks like a gem', buy it because I can't describe it in any other way than as a well-thought, all-round amazing product - hence it's persistent place on 'ma face since I first tried it.

xxx

M'

A way to embrace your inner bronzed Goddess

It's now official, summer is on its way which means that it's time for a glamorous tan and a golden glow again, fake or not. You know me, I don't like rules and I think you should wear whatever you fancy without caring of the trends or seasons, but here's a fact; nothing is prettier than gold on a tan. Now, I'm no Jlo, if I do get a golden glow on my body easily, my face will always remain porcelain pale. So what ? Gold is like black; it suits everyone. I have brown eyes and I tend to often go for warm eyeshadows, as I think it's pretty flattering on a day-to-day basis, and although I definitely have my stack of golden dust, it's bronze that seems to have won over everyone's heart this season, and for a good reason; it's a stunner. Like gold, it warms up any complexion, bringing the best of any iris. Brunettes wear it like Goddess 'cause after all, it's in our genes but don't get confused, the Palm of the Bronze wear goes to blue eyes 'gal. Red coppery tones paired with cool eyes ? That's a winner every time. Lucky them. In the end, I think that anyone should have a bronze shadow, even though we often trade it for gold, our mistake.

Here's what I have to offer you today, if you haven't found your bronzy holy grail yet (well, even if you have); ever heard of MAC Tan pigment ? If not, let me introduce you. Tan, like suggested by it's name is a red-tone gold, also called bronze. Saying it's beautiful is understated, and trust me, I'm not that easily impressed. I am particularly fond of MAC pigments anyway, I think they always come up with such unique shades ! They're a bit pricey but will genuinely last you forever. Bronze is a common metallic shade and making it special ain't easy.

                              On the eyes: MAC paint pot in Constructivist as a base, followed by Urban 

                                      Decay Buck in the crease - Tan Pigment on top, MAC Soft and Gentle highlighter

                                      in the inner corners, Maybelline the Falsies mascara

Pigments are very versatile and take your eye-look to the next level effortlessly. They can be a bit scary at first, but don't be depressed if things get messy, there's nothing a touch of concealer can't fix. However, for safety measures, I'd recommend doing your eye make-up first, and then to move on to your face. You could also use a tissue and place it under your eye to prevent fall-outs. The cleverest thing to do is to wet your brush somehow, before picking your pigment up; I use MAC Fix +, but you could totally use eye drops or some plain water. This way, you'll have a much, much more pigmented, bold and metallic result and you're less likely to end up with glitter all over your face. 'Makes it all easier doesn't it?

It's time for all of us to let our inner bronzed Goddess out, to enjoy plenty of hot summer nights - and to glow, from the inside out.

xxx

M'

New York, New York

So, two months ago I had the privilege to turn 20 in the most exciting city of the world.

I'm sure you already know all about New York, either because you went yourself or because you're a fellow "Sex and the City" and "Gossip Girl" fan like myself *don't judge me, classics are classics *. I've never met someone who went home disappointed, and I was no exception. This city is totally overwhelming with its never-ending buildings, its thousands of yellow cabs, and its variety of sights...oh and its food. Do I even need to talk about New yorker shops ? Think of Oxford Street as a city and so much cheaper - God, my heart was so broken when coming back home to European shops. No need to say that damages were done...sorry not sorry.

The U.S, aka drugstore heaven (alright, Sephora heaven, too)

'Gotta love burgers eh? Last bite of heaven in Newark Airport

A good friend of mine (thanks, Athena!) recommended me the Tao and oh Lord, this one goes right up on the top of the list ! Best Asian restaurant ever - take me back?

Also, I went a bit crazy on Instagram (Vicky9469)

The highlight of our trip ? We got to see my well-missed cousin Marc, who's been a New yorker for quite some time now, hence the lack of opportunities to hang out. He met us for lunch on my birthday (I was a "IHop" virgin, let me tell you that one was unforgettable - American honey mustard, I love you dearly). He also invited us to an event, a Tango class in a cosy bar - we don't get to see that in Europe, do we ? I was amazed, the atmosphere, the people and damn, the Tango moves - very "Shall we dance". I was so proud of my cousin, as I didn't really get the chance to grow up with him, it's a totally different person I met in that IHop restaurant in Union Square, a grown-up handsome man who has some serious talents that I'd never had suspected!

The bar is called "Milonga Loca" if you're interested, I highly recommend it, their burgers and cocktails are to die for - and if you fancy a unique Tango experience, don't miss their Thursday lesson!

Thank you, New York - you were magical. I hope we'll meet again someday.


xxx

M'

How two : A brow routine that takes seconds

You know the drill, nowadays thing consists of bold defined eyebrows. The wilder the better. * yeah, Cara Delevigne, I'm looking at you*  If it isn't everyone's cup of tea, we should all at least admit that brows deserve some attention and no, a rough stroke of too soft and (often) too dark or too orange pencil/powder/liner DOESN'T do the job. Oh, and over-plucking isn't an option anymore. Please. 

Now, I agree not all of us can/want to spend hours on our make-up in the morning, nor lose some precious time with our beloved bed. You can skip foundation if you feel like it. Eyeliner isn't necessary on a day to day basis. Oh and lipstick is an option really. Skip it all if you wish, but don't neglect your brows (or your concealer, but you know your limits right?). Would you go out without your underwear ? (I know, I know, some of us would, do, whatever). My point is, not only are your brow right in the middle of your face, but they define your whole look. Try to do a bold smokey eye without adding mascara. Not so fancy ha? Dull, undefined eyebrows washes you out. The danger is that roughly made "bad" eyebrows are no better than no eyebrows at all, that's why you should be careful and chose your allies -aka your pen, pencil, powder, whatever is your thing, wisely. I'm not here to dictate you the ten miraculous steps to perfect brows (what are they anyway?) - nah, I'm here to save you time right ? That's when this baby come in handy; he's called Gimme Brow and is another genius product from Benefit. I'd almost say it's life-changing. Almost. 

We aren't all blessed with naturally full brows, and mastering the perfect shape is a matter of years, I'll give you that. But to me, this product should please pretty much anyone. The concept is brilliant, it's one of those tinted brow gel that defines your brow if you're too lazy to use anything else, or at least fix them so they don't go 'cray 'cray during the day. The plus of this one ? It has fibers in it. Yeah, fibers, like in those magical mascaras that fool people into thinking you're wearing falsies. False brow it is then ? Yes, but in a good way. It looks pretty natural, adds just the right amount of color, hold them in place pretty well and make them look so much fuller than they actually are. Two different shades are available, I use the light one even though I'm almost a brunette and find it to be the perfect shade, cool toned, dark enough but not too bold. The best part is that it takes no more than 10 seconds to do both of your brows and you really can't go wrong with it, I promise. Good brows in a bottle, I'm telling you.

No more excuses ya'll, get those bad boys on ! 

xxx

M'

Review - L'Oréal True Match foundation

Aloha ! Long time no see ! The past few weeks have been hectic quite literally; a new exam session is dangerously approaching and I've been to New-York for my birthday. Yep, you read well. NEW YORK. N-E-W Y-O-R-K. Oh dear. Let me tell you, my credit card will remember that one. New York has always been a big dream of mine, but I was pretty excited about going to the U.S in general as the last time I went I was a ten year old kid. Damn long time ago. Ever since I started following beauty Vloggers on Youtube I've been fascinated with Americans and their oh-so-enviable CVS/Walgreens/Ulta hauls. Actually, I was so excited about american drugstores that Walgreens was our first stop and my birthday-mood not helping, I did one of my biggest haul ever...

Enough rambling, you've probably guessed by the title that this post is all about the over hyped True Match foundation. Again, I'm very late on this one, but I have my reasons (kinda?). First of all, if you're a Swiss fellow like myself, you'll know that we only have a few shades available around here - and by "a few shades" I mean the lightest one is three to four shades too dark for me... Second of all, the prices here are ridiculous in comparison to American prices; 20 something swiss francs (= more or less 22$) for a drugstore foundation that might break me out...yeah, let's address that issue; I'm a total foundation snob as some will say. Not that I love spending way to much money on those fancy high-end glasses bottles, but I've always had the (wrong?) idea that drugstores products are more likely to break you out (which isn't entirely wrong really, but hey, let's play fair). That's when I spotted the True Match, in no less that around 6 shades in THREE different tones (warm, neutral and cool). I've never come across anything like this before, it was quite overwhelming. Of course, I went for the lightest shade, in the warm category - the so called W1. Let me tell you it is a true match.

I've once heard someone say it was a pretty good dupe for Giorgio Armani Luminous silk foundation and that's exactly what it is; a buildable medium to full coverage, a glowy satin-y finish not too shiny but not flat either and well, take it from an oily gal', it doesn't move. I barely had to set it and as I didn't want to ruin the finish I simply added the tiniest amount of Hourglass Ambient lighting powder  on top and that was it. I'd say it's one of those foundations that get better and better throughout the day - always glowy, never greasy. Plus, as it says on the bottle, it is super blendable so you can totally wear it during the day or build it up for a flawless night-time look. That babe just does it all.

I haven't anything bad to say about it really, except that I wish they were all sold with the pump (have I miss something here ? Are you supposed to buy it separately or something?) and that I could find my shade in Switzerland but hey, that'd be too easy 'ha? I'd say if you manage to find the right shade for you (which shouldn't be too much of a problem if you're from the UK or US) go and get it. Yeah, you'll thank me later.

xxx

M'

Review - NARS velvet matte lip pencil

Hello again world ! What's my excuse this time ? I know, I've been terrible at blogging during the past few months but I swear it wasn't my fault this time; long story shorted my computer 'kinda passed away - or at least my data did. All of it. Big, big drama. On top of that, no photoshop for a couple of weeks; and well, what am I without it ? Anyway, I'm here now, hopefully for a bit longer this time...

I'm fairly late with this one, everyone raved about those lip crayons thingy throughout the whole autumn-winter season but you may or may not know that Nars is VERY difficult to get a hand on in Switzerland, to say the least- it's almost mission impossible (no online shop that I know of ship Nars to Switzerland, why so cruel?). On my last trip to London in February I had to pick up one - well, actually two - of them. This is where I introduce you to Damned, the most perfect dark berry-red vampy color ever. I know that spring is just around the corner and that you must be sick of me raving about dark autumnal shades, but I promise, I'll make this one the last (of the season).

If vampy colors are a bit daunting for you, give this one a whirl; it has more red that purple in it, which makes it less of a "in your face" scary color. As for the formula, I was expecting it to have a satin to matte finish - velvety - as its names suggests, and to be very long-lasting as many have claimed it to be. If I am being completely honest, it isn't as long-wearing as I'd want it to be, not as the Hourglass Opaque rouge for instance - but its lasting power remains pretty good, and its finish is definitely between satin and matte, looks wonderful on, no complain about that.

All in all, I think this is a very nice product and what I love the most about it except for the color is its form; pencil are the easiest, quickest, most full-proof to apply, hands down. Can't beat that ! I'd say it's a good shopping-afternoon or couple-drinks kind of product, not so much appropriate for going out for dinner or clubbing all night, unless you're willing to have a hand-mirror ready for regular check-ups and touch-ups which I, as the lazy 'gal I am, am not so much.

xxx

M'

Nails talk

I used to hate Sundays. Not so long ago, Sundays meant nothing to do (no damn shop is open on a Sunday in Switzerland), the end of the week-end and well...the after-party not-so-glamourous state (hangover anyone?). For various reasons, I'm not going out as much as I used to - Am I getting old already ? I therefore wake up earlier and try to enjoy this off-duty time, and now Sundays mostly mean pamper time ! Today I went for a manicure and I thought I would share the products I've used with you.

RITUAL MIRACLE SCRUB: It's one of those products that I absolutely couldn't live without. It completely got me the first time I've tried it in store, and the love grew bigger and bigger after a few uses. It is a brilliant scrub that get ride of any dead-cells on your hands and cuticles, while moisturising them - I'm not even kidding, no hand cream is needed after using this! I recommended it to pretty much every female fellow of mine and everyone loves it, even my Mum is addicted to it. It's name says it all really.

RITUAL GINKGO'S SECRET HAND BALM: Like I said, you don't really need anything else after going through the heavenly scrub experience, but if you're a skincare junkie like myself and want to give some extra love to your precious hands, then this is the way. I bought it because it obviously has the exact same smell as the scrub and I love it that much (so relaxing!). Plus if it was as good as the scrub, I had to give it a go. You may know now that I have a very sensitive skin and that any too intense fragrance or ingredient can break me out - well, my hands are no exception. I usually stay away from fragranced hand cream because they literally burn my skin. Not this one. I don't have anything bad to say about it, except that as for any Ritual product, it's hard to get your hands on it if you live in Switzerland. If not, do your hands a favor and go for it.

ESSIE NAIL POLISH IN SHEARLING DARLING: How cute is this little pack ? I grabbed it in Boots and it's from the Winter collection, not sure whether it is still available, but you probably can get your hands on the nail polishes individually. Shearling Darling is one of those dark burgundy, not completely black, not really red either. I'm obsessed with vampy lips and the same goes for vampy nails; I find it quite chic, less harsh than black, definitely easier to wear.

L'OREAL FAST DRY TOP COAT: My favorite top coat, hands down. It does what it says on the packaging and does help your manicure to dry faster - God knows that there's NOTHING more annoying than waiting for your nails to dry after painting them. It also adds and incredible shiny, almost gel-y finish that looks very professional. I used to be the Queen of the failed manicure, but this baby changed it all.

What do you like to do on (rainy) Sundays ? 

Lots of love,

M'

2013 Favourites

One thing that I love about Januaries is that most beauty gurus of youtube post their favourites of the year. I find it very interesting to have a review of the entire year and compare what was my own favourites in comparison to theirs. Now, I don't have a youtube channel (you've been spared, trust me) but I thought I still could give you a sneaky peek of my favourites of the last year, the blogging way. 

I've chosen skincare because that's mostly where a (drastic) change happened to be quite honest. I've obviously discovered tons of new make-up as well, but that's what a beauty blogger/addict/obsessed does right ? Plus, I find skincare products particularly clever to share; who knows, if those products worked for me, maybe they could work for you, too.

Fair enough, let's move to the heart of the subject; my skin saviours. Bare in mind that my skin type is between combination and oily, more on the oily side and pretty damn sensitive. I have a blemish/imperfection prone skin, that thanks God become more and more manageable with time (and efforts). In other words, I'm normal, fortunate enough not to suffer from severe acne, but never spared by that oh-so-wonderful time of the month. Aren't we lucky to be women?

1. CLEANSERS

To do things in order, let's begin with cleansers. Like most of the products that I'm going to share with you here, those are no strangers - most have been featured in many blog posts, youtube videos and for a reason; they do work. So don't expect any life-changing surprise if you're already a subscriber of youtube's beauty community, but it never hurts to have another opinion.

1. BIODERMA MICELLAIRE WATER : Do I even need to talk about it ? It has been everyone's "micellarious" holy-grail for years now, so I'll make it short; it is a very clever product that is brilliant at removing eye make-up (if not waterproof) and at pre-cleansing. YES I said pre-cleansing, if you still use it as a one-step-cleaning, then stop reading, and go back here.

2. LIZ EARLE CLEANSE & POLISH : That's a winner, year after year, no matter what skin type you are, it works for everyone. Haven't seen any bad reviews on this baby so far, so the love needs to be shared: if you have a dry or normal-ish skin, you'll love it's creamy consistency, very nourishing, not ripping at all. If you have a skin type more similar to mine, you'll love it too, as it is particularly gentle on the skin. It's meant to be applied on dry skin, and removes any trace of make-up (I still like to use a separate eye make-up remover though).Whenever my skin freaks out, I go back to this as I know it will calm everything down and get it back on the right track.

3. REN CLEARCALM CLARIFYING CLAY CLEANSER : The entire line is a miracle for blemish-prone skin; like Liz Earle's this one is very gentle on the skin and like it's name says, calming. While healing the current breakouts, it prevents others from pointing their nasty nose. You can't go wrong with this one really.

4. CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF CLEANSING BALM : In winter, balms are a definite must have, especially if you have dry skin; if you haven't tried it yet, go for it, but be prepared to fall in love. As for oily skins, please get over that myth that you should stay away from oily products; it is true that oil-free moisturisers are more appropriate, mostly to provide a matte finish, more adequate as a make-up base as well as to keep those pores unclogged. But most of oily skins are as dehydrated as any other could be and treating your skin with good oils can really, really help. To sum it up, this balm is amazing at taking all of your make-up off (makes wonders with mascara !) in the smoothest way possible.

2. TONER

MICHAEL TODD BLUE GREEN ALGAE TONER : This is an easy one, Michael Todd's toner is the only one that made it through the year really. I've tried several, such as Liz Earle's, but this one is by far my favourite. It works pretty well at maintaining a clear, imperfection-free skin as it is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory toner. 'Loving the smell, the effect and the price. A definite keeper.

3. SERUMS/TREATMENTS

1. HEALGEL : I've talk about this product before and not much needs to be said really, it is impressively effective at reducing stubborn scars and healing the new ones. AND it doesn't clog pores, like so many rich treatments do.

2. ESTEE LAUDER ADVANCED NIGHT REPAIR : Again, you've read about this little one before; one of the most loved serum ever. It is great at, like its name says, repairing any kind of damages. I find it especially brilliant at fading breakouts and scars as well as helping dull complexions (hello hangover saviour) You can bet that this one is going to be featured in many favourites posts to come, if not all of them.

3. ROSEHIP OIL : Rosehip oil is known for helping to tone the complexion in general, reducing redness, restoring a balance and sometimes even to fade scars. I love to use it at night as a moisturiser whenever my skin is in trouble, to weak up with a healthier-looking skin.

4. MOISTURISERS

1. REN CLEARCALM REPLENISHING GEL CREAM : Like I said, I'm the biggest fan of the entire Clearcalm line. It is brilliant at both clearing and calming your skin. This moisturising gel has been a total skin-saviour during the past few weeks, especially during my exams - 'cause there's no better occasion for breakouts than stressful periods, 'ya all know how it works. It definitely helped calming down angry blemishes while preventing new ones from appearing. I'm pretty sure it helped with the scaring process too, as I have a damn sensitive/thin skin and spots usually left their mark on my skin for aaagees. Well, not anymore my friends, the war against breakouts has started. Ren has your back.

2. KORRES WILD ROSE BRIGHTENING MOISTURISER: This baby hasn't been in my collection for that long, but I thought I'd mention it anyway, because it is amazing. I have the combination/oily formula, and it's perfect as a day cream, even though you could totally wear it day'n night. I'm in LOVE with its rosy scent and its texture,it gets on smoothly and gets absorbed by the skin in no time, leaving a shine-free, smoother, brighter skin. Nothing bad to say about really, even its price is seductive (you can find it here).

3. ORIGINS GINZING ENERGY-BOOSTING MOISTURISER: 'Gonna sound a bit shallow and obsessed with scents here, but this moisturiser smells just as heavenly as the previous one. Now, I know, it doesn't mean a product is any good, plus strongly fragranced products usually break me out. Thank god those ones don't. As suggested by it's vibrant orangy packaging, this moisturiser has a divine fresh scent that instantly boost you - it's the best when it comes to early moody mornings or hangovers. I fell for its gel-y consistency, that makes it lighter on the skin. It is not formulated for oily skins, but I've been just fine with a good mattifying primer on the top if I really want to wear make-up. I have to admit that I just followed the hype for this one, it was everyone's choice last summer and I just couldn't stay away from it - and honestly, I'm glad I didn't.


5. LIP CARE

1. EUCERIN ACUTE LIP BALM: A winner if you suffer of chapped, dry and seriously damaged lips - we've all been there right? It even beats Carmex.

2. LUSH LIP SCRUB: A cult product, if you've never heard of it, where the hell have you been ? Smells good, works good, it even taste good.

3. FIGS & ROUGE : My personal favourite. Now, I picked the coco-vanilla scent, and I won't lie to you, it stinks. Maybe it's only me, but I got seriously put off by it, so much that when I purchased it I left it in the back for a while. What a mistake. If my skin in general is quite sensitive, my lips are super sensitive, can't even tell. ANYTHING breaks me out. Yeah, I break out on my lips. The odds are on my side though, because I haven't been in too much trouble with lipsticks, but as soon as I try some fancy lip balm such as the so hyped Nuxe Rêve de Miel, bam, break out. Why is this balm different ? I don't really know, maybe because it is 100% natural? It is definitely thick, the kind of product you want to apply before heading to bed. And man, it's so cheap ! There's no way I'm falling for the By Terry Baume de Rose trend, I swear.

6. MASKS

Last but not least, let's talk about masks. I'm a huge skincare junkie and I get very excited when it comes to treatments. In 2013 I discovered some amazing new products that deserve to be properly shared (and I swear it was such a pain to choose only five, so bear with me).

1. LIZ EARLE GENTLE FACE EXFOLIATOR: Definitely my favourite scrub - I fell for its relaxing smell and its divine texture. Like fire and ice, this exfoliator is literally hard and butter-y at the same time *sounds very wrong, sorry*. Perfect if you have a sensitive skin like mine, you'll be left with the smoothest skin ever.

2. YSL TOP SECRET GRANULE-FREE EXFOLIATOR: I've never read any review about this product before, and it was the first time I tried a skin care related product from a high end brand such as YSL but I wasn't disappointed. It is very strongly (amazingly) scented, but is suitable for sensitive skin as mine coped with it just fine. It has a very thick consistency, almost waxy, that you have to work on your skin with you fingers until it breaks out into an oil - that's when you know the job is done. It leaves the skin feeling softer than ever and when applied at night, you wake up with a brighter complexion too. It feels and smells very luxurious, and well, so does its price, but I'd definitely repurchase it when I run out of it.

3. REN CLEARCALM CLARITY RESTORING MASK : Aren't ya sick of reading about this Clearcalm line ? Sorry, I've warned you, 'loving those babies. Like the rest of the line, the mask is meant to help freaked out skins by calming down the inflammation, reducing the appearance of those red heads and preventing others. It's amazing, that's all I have to say really.

4. ORIGINS CLEAR IMPROVEMENT MASK : This charcoal mask is what I've been reaching for during the past year whenever I was truly desperate. The Ren one is amazing at calming everything down, but this one is brilliant at kicking the ass of those spots. Very effective at gently drying them out, it really makes them go away faster. 

5. AESOP PARSLEY SEED CLEANSING MASK: My first ever Aesop product. I 'no, I'm late on this one. It is a multi-tasking mask that does it all, ideal to use once a week to a) cleanse everything in depth, b) help dull skin and c) heal break-outs. The myth is real you people, go and get it if you haven't already.

YOU MADE IT ! I'm done talking. Well, writing. I know it was a very long post, but I hardly could have cut it down any more. I hope that it gave you some inspiration/motivation to take care of your skin in 2014. If you have any further question(s), please don't hesitate to post a comment, I'd gladly try to help you out.

I'm finally heading back to London on Wednesday, I have no words to express how freaking thrilled I am to go back ! I literally wanted to go back ever since I went on that plane last August. Be prepared, I'll have a LOT to share when coming back. My credit card's gonna hate me forever.

Enough rambling, I hope you started the year well, let me know what were your 2013 favourites !

With love,

M'