L'Oreal H.I.P. Kohl Liner

As I told you earlier this week I am a sucker for great packaging!!! This is what lead me to check out L'Oreal H.I.P.'s kohl liner when I saw it in my local Shoppers Drug Mart. H.I.P. products aren't as easily found here in Canada, so when I see some I always take a look.

This product comes in a vile and there were six gorgeous shades in my local store to choose from. at first glance it reminds you of a liquid liner with a tube and pull out applicator.

I had high hopes for the cute little bottle of liner, but I was quickly disappointed. First of all this is a powder consistency, something that I usually don't look for in a liner unless it is in a cake form. The applicator is an extremely firm pointed sponge that I actually found irritating to the skin. Finally the colour payoff was a supreme disappointment, with fallout out everywhere. So many bright tubes to choose from but the colour simply did not transfer onto the eye!

I would skip this product even though it looks pretty in the bottle, that is where the charm ends!

L'Oreal H.I.P. Color Presso Lip Gloss

I am always searching for new products and recently I came upon some of the new offerings from H.I.P. I really wanted to examine these products closer due to the unique packaging... I am a sucker for cool packaging!

Color Presso lip gloss which comes in 10 duo's for you to choose from. I really liked that you get two glosses for the price of one. All of the glosses are quite sheer, very shiny and have very little stickiness. I really liked they way these glosses looked on and the colour combinations are very well done to maximize the combinations you can create when you mix them.

The thing I didn't like is the thing that drew me in to check this product out... the packaging. I found it sort of a pain to use the glosses, taking them in and out! I know it's a small thing and something that probably wouldn't bother most of you, but I just often was ease when I'm on the go and I found this a little difficult.

Overall though these glosses are a good buy and I would definitely check it out!

Acne Products That Actually Work

Ok so I admit it I am not a teen anymore and now have bouts of adult acne. I'm only admitting this for any of you who also have this problem and can't seem to find anything that works. I've tried all the popular advertised brands such as Proactive with no amazing results as advertised. In fact I am left with overly dry while still oily skin that makeup will not sit on top of leaving me feeling worse then when I started. Now I know that many people have a great results with this product so if you do great! 

I have been on a quest trying what ever I can get my hands on and I have learned that you need different routines for different times of the year as well sometimes for different times during the month.

I know it's sounds a little overwhelming but it's really not it's easy and once you understand your breakouts you can suit your routine with ease. Let's start with summertime as we are in the middle of it right now. Here are my list of products;

Clearasil cleanser

Cetaphil cleanser

Clearasil benzoyl peroxide treatment

Clearasil sulphur treatment

Johnson and Johnson salicylic acid treatment

Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask

Moisturiser – I personally love L'Oreals Skin Genisis but use what works for you

Baking Soda ( you'll understand in a little bit.

Lets start with the cleansers, I use the Clearasil when I am in the middle of a bad breakout and my Cetaphil the rest of the time. The Cetaphil is more gentle but still suited to oily skin, therefore it doesn't over dry the skin and is great when combined with the baking soda as once a week exfoliater. I find any more then once a week and it will actually make me breakout.

Next are the treatments of which I have listed 3 great ones. I use the Jonson and Johnson's salicylic acid treatment in the winter time. My skin isn't as oily and it works great without over drying or being too hash on my skin. In the summer for me it's just not strong enough, you will know because the breakouts keep coming. At this point I switch to a benzoyl peroxide product which although too strong in the winter is great in the summer with my oilier skin. The other treatment is a sulphur and zinc product which dries out acne and draws out redness. I find this one great for those spots that just don't want to clear up, it is not effective however on the really inflamed area's these need one of the other two mentioned depending on the season.

As a mask I use Queen Helene's Mint Julep which is also a sulphur product. I LOVE this one and haven't used anything else since finding it last winter. I use it twice a week ad a treatment and then use it on spots that just don't want to go away as a overnight treatment. If you have sensitive skin do a spot test fist as this is not how the product is intended to be used, but it works great for me!

Even in a breakout don't forget to moisturize it really does make all the difference! I use L'Oreal Skin Genesis both the serum and the lotion. The lotion is too strong for me to wear in the daytime during the summer so I use just the serum and both in the evening. For my oily skin I find them wonderful for providing moisture without too much oiliness.

These are the products I love, use some or all whatever works for you. Every ones skin type is so different that often trial and error is the only way to find the perfect products for you.

I hope this helps you all. I get asked so often about acne products and the one's I have listed are the one's that have worked for me!

L'Oreal's Double Extend Mascara (Beauty Tubes)

I actually tried this one when it first came out but just haven't gotten around to sitting down and and thinking about what I really think abut it. I don't use this one often only because I usually don't have time for extra steps in my like like a primer and mascara. This one has gotten mixed reviews on the blogging community and on youtube. I found this mascara gives pretty good results, here's the breakdown of this mascara.

Double extend really does leave my lashes looking fuller and longer. It works best if you do not allow the primer to dry before applying the mascara. This is pretty much the opposite of most 2 step mascaras. If I allowed the primer to dry the mascara clumped...not a good look. The products washes off like they claim as well (in tubes) as long as you really soak your lashes with warm water to soften them first. Please do not rub or you may lose lashes with the tubes!

The con's as I said before I really try to avoid anything 2 steps, there are other brands on the market that have tubed mascara without 2 steps. Next due to formulation the wand really gets clumped up often due to the product drying on the wand. I regularly have to wash the wand to remove the buildup so as not to get the clumps on my lashes.

Overall I do like this mascara and I may even buy it again but probably only if it is on sale as I really don't use this one often.

Black

L'Oreal's Everpure Leave-in Conditioner

I recently purchased L'Oreal's everpure leave in conditioner in an attempt to protect my hair with it's sulfate free formula. L'Oreal claims that this formula is more gentle on coloured hair and leaves it smelling fresh with it's rosemary and mint fragrance. I have curly and usually dry hair both due to texture and my constant hair lightening.

I wish I could say I loved this product but although I found the scent refreshing the conditioner itself did not leave my my hair feeling any softer. In fact my hair felt straw like after being dried and styled.

I have read several positive reviews on this line of products and post positive reviews came from people who had fine to medium textured hair which was either straight or with a wave. Maybe this product just wasn't meant for us curly haired girls as many products just aren't strong enough to tame our tresses.

Moisture Leave-In Conditioner