little-panda-reviews

Sunday, 20 December 2015

My favourite cleansers

Hey everyone! Today I want to share with you some of my favourite cleansers. I used to think that any cleanser would do, since it's a product that you wash off anyway, but after switching to organic skincare I've realised that a cleanser should help maintain the right pH, not strip the skin of all its natural oils, be gentle but thorough and should leave your skin feeling soft, clean and nourished.

Let's start off with makeup removers:

Byphasse Micellar Water, Rubifresh Oil Cleanser

1. Rubifresh Oil Cleanser (step 1)
This is my first oil cleanser and I love it! It's so easy to use; two pumps, massage it all over your face, splash on some warm water and wipe of gently with a couple of cotton rounds! I was a little wary of the citrus oil around my eyes, but I didn't experience any irritation. In fact I think because this runs a little waxy it doesn't drip, which means you have lots of control around the lashline. I also love how dewy, glowly and bouncy this makes my skin, I think it's organic ingredients and essential oils.

2. Byphasse Micellar Water
I spotted this at Chemist Warehouse for $5 and thought it was such a steal. It doesn't sting my eyes, and gets rid of all my eyeliner and mascara. I love this because it's so gentle on the skin, in comparison to makeup wipes. If you want to protect your skin against wrinkles, micellar water is the way to go.

I like to follow up with another cleanser to make sure there's no makeup residue:

Sukin Cream Cleanser, Rubifresh Gel Cleanser

1. Sukin Cream Cleanser
I think I've said this a million times but Sukin is one of my favourite brands for healthy good-for-skin skincare. Their cream cleanser smells like oranges, is incredibly gentle and very very hydrating. I feel like I could massage this onto my skin for ages, it's just so nourishing. The packaging makes it a little awkward to travel with, but I like how handy it is sitting on my bathroom counter.

2. Rubifresh Gel Cleanser (step 2)
This is the second step of Rubifresh's cleansing system, and it's amazing. It's a funny texture, it also seems to separate as you work it into your skin. There's something about Rubifresh's ingredients that just make my skin look so calm and feel so soft. The combination of the oil cleanser and this gel one leaves my skin hydrated enough that all I need is some Rose Mist toner and my skin is soft, bouncy and fresh.

And finally, right before bed, I like to use my Sukin Super Greens Facial Scrub:

I think it really cleanses my skin and preps it to soak in all my skincare. The beads aren't the sort that are bad for the environment, and it leaves my skin so glowy.

Monday, 7 December 2015

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Perfect Fit SPF 30 Review

I mentioned in my November favourites that I've been meaning to do a review on this BB cream, so here it is! I've been wearing this BB cream a lot more lately and I've been really loving it. When I first was looking for an Etude House BB cream to try, I wasn't sure because there weren't many reviews out there so I hope this helps some of you!

The point of BB cream is that it has skincare, sunscreen and coverage all in one. I like how it has SPF 30, but be careful because the sunscreens they use are all physical sunscreens, which means flashback if you're using flash photography. If you look at the ingredients list it has Pearl as the second ingredient (water being the first), which just shows how serious Etude House is about skincare embedded makeup products. In fact all the pigment is at the bottom of the list of ingredients, which is definitely a good sign. I find my skin has been looking brighter and feels softer after wearing this BB cream, but my skincare routine is probably also helping with that.

The formula and texture is very creamy and smooth, and blends into the skin very easily. I would consider this to be a light-medium coverage, and very brightening. It doesn't have a dewy finish but it's not matte either. I had initially picked this BB cream because I heard it was matte, and while it does dry down to a slightly powdery finish, I think it's more of a satin finish. Depending on how you like your skin to look, you may need to powder but I don't think it's a necessity. It sits and feels fairly comfortable on your skin, you'll definitely feel like you have something on your face but it doesn't look or feel cakey. If you have textured skin or dry patches, this might not be as flattering. I have combination skin with textured acne scarring and I find it can be a little patchy if I don't blend this in with a sponge.

I love how it comes with a pump, and the packaging is very travel friendly. This is something I look out for in BB creams, because they're such an all-rounder product that I feel like it constantly belongs in my travel makeup bag.

Korean base makeup isn't known for being very diverse in colour range. I use the colour W24 Honey Beige, one of the darker shades. If you have pale and pink toned skin, you'll probably really like Asian makeup. If you're around NC20 to NC25 in MAC and have yellow tones, then W24 should work for you.

Overall I'm really happy with this BB cream and I'm excited to try other Etude House products. I think I would give this a rating of 7.5/10! Have you tried any or do you have any you'd like to try? Feel free to share below in the comments section!

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Thursday, 3 December 2015

November Favourites!

I'm so inconsistent with favourites posts, but now I'm on holiday I'm trying my best to be consistent with my posting. Read ahead to learn more about my favourites of late and I hope you enjoy the mini reviews!

1. Sukin Mist Toner: So so refreshing after the shower or on extra hot days. I've heard really great things about rosewater and I think this is what's making my skin glow lately.

2. Sukin Super Greens Facial Scrub: I love using this in the morning, it's very brightening and refreshing. One of my favourite Sukin products, and I'm running out so I definitely need to repurchase soon.

3. Etude House BB Cream: I've been getting back into liquid face products and this BB Cream has been very handy for days I don't have much time to get ready. I usually wear mineral makeup but sometimes when I'm in a rush I don't have time to buff and build. This is really easy to slap on and it dries to a powdery finish so I don't even need to set it. I want to write a review on this soon, so keep an eye out!

4. Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner: I picked this up fairly recently at the Priceline sale but I have to include this in here because I've been wearing winged liner every day since then because it's so easy with the liquid liner!!! I love the tip, it's just so easy and precise. This definitely lived up to the hype.

5. Maybelline Lash Sensational: I did a review on this, and I'm still loving it. I honestly think it gets better with age too. I pretty much carry this with me everywhere.

6. Nude by Nature Lipgloss: I love this lipgloss because it isn't sticky, it gives a lovely natural shine to the lips, it's very hydrating and softening and it's by one of my favourite makeup companies!

7. Nude by Nature Virgin Blush: I've been loving youthful and dewy makeup inspired by Korean idols, and I think this blush helps to complete the look. It's a loose powder which is a little messy, but I think it's worth it.

Klorane Dry Shampoo: A spur of the moment buy and holey moley dry shampoos are amazing?! Where have they been my whole life? I needed something to freshen up my hair before going out with some friends, and this stuff makes my hair smell and look fresh and clean and awesome. I have really long hair that can look a little flat once it gets greasy, so this is great for volume as well as oil control. I'm really tempted to get the Batiste one next but I know I should finish this first.

Monday, 30 November 2015

Rimmel Match Perfection SPF 20 Foundation Review

Hey everyone! Today is a quick review on Rimmel's Match Perfection Foundation with SPF 20. I'm a lover of mineral makeup but recently I've needed a night-time foundation, and I've been reaching for this. (It's got a little bit of flashback but not as dramatically as my Nude by Nature Mineral Cover.)

My favourite thing about this foundation is its texture. It's very smoothing and light and liquidy, and is just fantastically comfortable on my skin. I think this will be very soothing for people with dry and/or dehydrated skin, which I tend to get around my cheeks. My t-zone can get oily throughout the day, but this foundation doesn't really shift, as long as you powder the problem areas. It takes a little while to dry down properly, but when it does it's a very flawless satin finish. It's also very blendable, and easy to apply with a flat top brush or just your fingers. I would call this medium but buildable coverage, which is my favourite because it means the foundation is very flexible.

The packaging is also very functional with a pump, and the glass bottle is a classy touch, although it does make it a little fragile to travel with.

I use the colour Soft Beige, which is an okay match, but I do need to lighten it a little with concealer and powder. For reference I have light-medium yellow tones, around NC20-25 in MAC colouring. The colour range isn't all that impressive to be honest, especially with a name like 'Match Perfection'. They do cater for light shades but definitely not darker shades.

Have you tried this foundation? Or do you have a foundation for photography to recommend? Comment below! :)

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Thursday, 26 November 2015

12 Present Ideas Under $50 - Beauty Edition

I think this is my first Christmas on this blog and I'd like to share my recommendations for this busy gift-giving season. I've decided to choose affordable products, mainly gift sets of my favourite things/from my favourite brands since all the money spent on gifts tend to add up.

Let's start with the some lippies. I think lip products are fantastic gifts because they're fun, colourful and tend to work for most people despite skin type etc.

This Chi Chi Lip Gloss Favourites set is awesome because it has a range of colours, and they're small and travel friendly. This set could even be broken up into smaller stocking stuffers, and retails for $17.

This set is the Brights Creamy Matte Liquid Lipstick Collection by Chi Chi, but you can also find the set in Nudes. Considering how popular liquid lipstick are nowadays, this lets people try different colours and formulas without breaking the bank. Plus the box is super cute which means less wrapping for the gift giver.

Since we're on a roll with Chi Chi, I'd also like to recommend the Choose Chi Chi Face Extravaganza palette. It has some gorgeous eyeshadows, blushes, highlighters and bronzers and is a great kit for people starting with makeup or even people just looking to expand their collection. Chi Chi powder products have always been soft and good quality and this ginormous palette is currently on sale at Myer for $24.

And finally, to round off the lovely products of Chi Chi, here is a travel perfume set of a bunch of their perfumes. I own two of their scents myself, and absolutely love them. They don't smell cheap and childish despite their cute packaging and incredibly affordable price tag. This is also currently on sale for $20.

I recently picked up this Nude By Nature Bronzed Beauty Cheek kit at the Priceline sale, and I think it's absolutely gorgeous. I love NBN as a brand, as their products are good for the skin and look amazing. This kit is another great starter kit for someone who isn't really into makeup, since it comes with both a bronzer and a blush in one as well as brushes so they don't need to go out and buy their own. Currently retailing for $40 but NBN is stocked in plenty of places, and I'm sure you'll be able to find a sale sometime somewhere.

Another great find at Priceline is the Katy Perry Parfums Collection featuring Killer Queen, Oh So Sheer, Spring Reign and Royal Revolution. Mini perfume collections make great gifts if you're not sure of their exact perfume favourites/tastes, or you're not sure what they already own. This retails for $39 which makes it fantastic value for 4 perfumes.

If you're looking for something a little more luxurious with a brand name to it, but still want to stay within budget, this Benefit set is perfect. Featuring a range of Benefit favourites and all neatly tucked into an adorable box that again, makes wrapping super easy, this set helps to achieve that perfectly glowy and youthful look for the holiday season.

Another way to glow is with this Revlon Christmas Photoready Set. With some fantastic full sized products, this set is another great value kit, and is currently on sale at Myer for $40.

I am a huge fan of Natio and their products, and I love the look of this Sparkle Gift Set, $26 at David Jones.

When I first saw this theBalm palette I had a mini shock. This is kind of my dream palette, and I want to get my hands on this so bad. This will make a fantastic gift because it features theBalm's best hits and all their popular and most favourite products! It's a steal at $50 for so many different products!

And let's finish off with some nail stuff. I love OPI polishes but they're very pricey, so I think sets like these are fantastic value for yourself or as gifts. The Twinkle set in particular even includes rings to match!

I'll back back to regular reviews very soon, I hope everyone is having a fantastic day!

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Sunday, 22 November 2015

Priceline 40% off Cosmetics Haul!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to quickly share the goodies I picked up at the Priceline sale :) I can't wait to try everything out and play around with it all.

I think I'm the most excited about this. I own the Virgin blush by Nude by Nature but it's loose and messy and I've been looking for a good mineral but pressed blush for a while, and this kit looks amazing. Plus it comes with a double ended brush!

I needed a new eyeliner since my Essence one has completely dried out and it was just a massive pain. The master precise has been raved about for ages and I really hope it lives up to its hype.

Completely didn't need this but I don't have a mauvey colour like this so I decided to pick it up anyway.I've tried it and this essence lipstick is so ridiculously creamy and I love the grey tones it has.

What'd you buy at the Priceline sale? Comment below!
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