Sun protection - TonyMoly, Innisfree, Biore, Bioderma

L-R: Tony Moly UV Sunset spray, Tony Moly UV Sunset balm, Innisfree eco safety aqua sun gel, Tony Moly UV Sunset smartok powder, Biore UV Aqua rich watery essence, Bioderma photoderm max

Growing up in Australia, the importance of protecting my skin from the sun has always been drilled into me ever since I was a little kid. We used to have a rule at school called 'no hate no play' meaning if we forgot to wear out hat during lunch time we had to sit in the shade.

Now I mostly focus on protecting both my skin and eyes from the harmful UV rays that we experience in Australia. I have tried many different brands of sunscreen and found that Asian brands have a lighter non greasy texture than their Western counterparts. Asian brands of sunscreen also have higher SPF ratings. My favourite sunscreen texture is the gel type which has a watery base like the Innisfree eco safety aqua sun gel SPF 30 and the Biore UV aqua rich water essence SPF 50+ PA+++. It goes on smoothly and does not leave a sticky residue or white cast. When applied, these 2 sunscreens are also very cooling and refreshing. I also enjoy using the TonyMoly UV Sunset range which consists of the sun balm, smartok powder and facial sun spray. These products are very convenient and I usually use these to top up throughout the day if I'm out and about. Although the sun balm needs to be applied on dust free skin as it tends to attract dust which then gets stuck onto the balm when you apply with the sponge applicator. The Bioderma photoderm max SPF 50+ is one that I only apply on my body. I usually take this to the beach with me as the texture is a little sticky for every day use. It comes in a spray bottle which is quite handy.

What's your favourite sunscreen?

Multi Purpose Balms and Salves

L-R: Moa the green balm, Innisfree olive real multi salve, Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, Missha Bordeaux absolute protect balm

Melbourne is getting quite cold now that it is officially winter. I have been relying on these multi purpose balms to keep my skin protected.

Innisfree olive real multi salve has a nice citrus scent to it. It is quite emollient and I generally use this on my cracked heels and on my body because it is a bit too greasy to be used on the face. Moa the green balm is probably the best multi purpose balm. It helps me tame my tangled hair after I have been outside in the cold and windy conditions. I can also use it on my face where I have dry patches and on scratches or insect bites. Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream is also quite useful. I like using this on my lips and cuticles. Sometimes I put this on dry patches on my face as well. But I find the Moa green balm works better for that purpose as it is less greasy and seems to absorb better. Missha Bordeaux absolute protect balm is supposedly made out of grapes. It has a floral smell and is matte. I tend to use this on my lips as it might be a bit too thick for other purposes.

Do you use any multi purpose balms?

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Review

Jurlique Herbal Recover Night Cream, Herbal Recovery Eye Cream, Herbal Recovery Gel

Jurlique is a brand that I was introduced to at quite a young age. My auntie who lived in Hong Kong loved this brand and would ask us to buy her various products whenever we went back to Hong Kong because it was much cheaper in Australia. Jurlique is a natural Australian luxury skincare brand. I heard that they have their own farm where they grow their own ingredients used to make their skincare products.

I used to think Jurlique products were too thick and intense for my skin. However I discovered the Herbal Recover Night Cream last year and it changed my view on Jurlique. This night cream has a very herbal scent and is quite thick in texture. However when applied, it blends really easily and has a semi matte finish. It works really well under makeup as well. I love how it does not sting my sensitive skin and provides it with enough moisture without being greasy. I felt my skin was in really good condition throughout the time I used this cream. I finished up the night cream quite a while ago now and ended up purchasing 2 new ones which are waiting for me after I finish using up my current moisturiser. Although I loved the night cream, I felt the Eye Cream didn't really do much for me. It was really thick and had the same herbal scent. When I applied it to my eye area it seemed to just sit on top of skin and took a long time to absorb. The Herbal Recovery Gel was also quite a nice product. Although since it is so expensive I don't think I would purchase the full size of this. I got mine as a trio set from beautybay.com when they had a sale.

Have you tried any Jurlique products?

Tasty water - cucumber lemon

Lately I have been loving the taste of infused water. It just makes plain water taste so much better which in turn means that I end up drinking a lot more of it too. My favourite combination is cucumber and lemon/lime. I usually add a few slices of cucumber and half a slice of lemon as I don't like the bitter taste that the lemon peel adds to the water after a few refills. The cucumber makes the water taste so refreshing and makes it slightly sweet. Adding mint to this would be really tasty too!

Pampering and destressing favourites

It is currently exam period for me so naturally I get quite stressed while studying for exams. To counter the effect that stress has on my body I like to make some time for myself at least once every week to destress and wind down.

Some of my favourites include L'occitane hand cream in lavender. I usually use this while studying as it has a therapeutic lavender scent which helps me stay calm. Another favourite is my Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner. I am absolutely in love with this toner as it has a soft rose and chamomile scent. It is also hydrating and refreshing when sprayed onto the face. I think this is my 4th bottle of the toner. I have run out of backups of it and will need to restock soon. Moa's the green balm also helps when I'm stressed as I find i tend to get dry patches on my face when stressed. I apply a small amount of Moa the green balm to my face and it seems to fix the problem well. The green balm also works wonders on my hair. I use it to smooth the ends of hair and it adds shine to hair without looking oily or greasy. When my eyes get tired from staring at the computer screen and books for too long I use this lavender scented eye mask. It can be microwaved and helps relieve tired eyes. Lastly I like using the Dr. Hauschka lip balm pot while studying as it has a subtle herbal scent.

What do you do to help you destress?

Finding the perfect berry pink plum red polish

OPI miami beet, Essie bahama mama, Essie size matters, Essie raspberry, Essie bachelorette bash, Sally Hansen brick wall

I used to have an obsession with nude pink polishes. I would continuously be on the hunt for the perfect nude pink. Luckily I have found 2 which I would call my perfect nude pinks (Essie not just a pretty face, Essie made to honor).

However my obsession has moved on to finding the perfect shade of berry plum polish. OPI miami beet and Essie raspberry come very close to being the perfect shade I'm looking for. But on my nails they turn into a brighter red rather than a muted pink plum shade. Essie bahama mama is a really pretty shade of plum. However I think it is drying out ever so slightly and now applies goopy. The colour also seems to darken on my nails. Essie size matters and Essie bachelorette bash are not really shades of berry. But I have layered these under other colours to give the polish a pinker undertone. Finally there is Sally Hansen's brick wall which is a lovely dark oxblood red colour.

Do you have any suggestions for the perfect berry shade which is neither too red or too dark?

Project 20 pan

I have the worst habit of buying new skincare and cosmetic products at a much faster rate than I can finish using them. So much so that I have now filled my skincare cupboard completely (yes, I have a cupboard in the bathroom just for my skincare). I have told myself that I will not buy any new products unless I finish 20 products. But there are exceptions for products I use up and have no backup of. I'm already up to product number 9 so I might have to extend it to 30 products instead of 20.

Caudalie favourites and staples

Caudalie gentle cleanser, lip balm, beauty elixir

Caudalie is one of those luxurious but natural feeling brands. It feels like products from a spa. I first found out about this brand when a lot of bloggers were raving about the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. Being curious, I tried out some of their products and ended up really liking a few.

First up is the Caudalie gentle cleanser. The one pictured is the old formula. I heard they reformulated the cleanser and now people don't like it as much as the old. I actually have a 100ml bottle of the new formula which I forgot to include in the photo above. It seems quite a bit thicker and does not have the soothing scent of the old one. This is my second bottle of this cleanser and I absolutely adore it. I cleanse my face with this cleanser after I have removed my makeup. The scent really helps me to relax. It also makes my skin feel really cleansed but soothed afterwards. I also use the Caudalie Beauty Elixir (which I find quite expensive). I mainly use this at my desk when I study and need something to help me keep awake. I know this sounds like the biggest waste of money but this really works to keep be refreshed and ready to continue studying. Lastly I have both the old and new formula of the Caudalie lip conditioner. Again like the gentle cleanser, I have read a lot of reviews saying that the old formula of the lip conditioner is much better than the new. I find that the old lip conditioner (green wording) is creamier and seems to sink into the lips more. It also has a vanilla-ish scent. The new lip conditioner (purple wording) has a more distinct and artificial scent which reminds me of gummy lollies. The balm is also flat where as the old tube had a lip stick bullet. I do find that the old formula is more nourishing and has a subtler scent. The new just seems like a regular lipbalm and does not help chapped lips.

Have you tried any Caudalie products?