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?

Lip balm edit

Dr Hauschka lip balm, Dior Creme de Rose, Nuxe Reve de Miel, Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, Clarins Hydraquench lip balm

As you may realise, I am a lip balm hoarder. I just can't get enough of them. I find that they are one of the easiest skincare products to buy. You don't need to do much research and they are relatively less pricey than other skincare items. I have however developed a love for a few lip balms that are on the expensive side.

My absolute favourite is the Dior Creme de Rose that everyone is raving about. It leaves my lips feeling so soft and nourished and is not too glossy. It leaves a rather nice sheen to my lips and looks really pretty when applied on top of my lip tint. Dr. Hauschka lip balm was one that I did not really enjoy using at the start. It had a really herbal smell and didn't seem to keep lips moisturised for long. But as I have kept using it I have grown to like this balm. Although I would probably not repurchase it when I run out simply because my Creme de Rose works better. the Nuxe Reve de Miel is another balm that I didn't like when I first bought it. I find it a bit disappointing since it is so highly raved about. It is a nice matte waxy balm but I don't feel as though it keeps my lips moisturised for longer than 1 hour. However I will keep using this until it is finished but will not be repurchasing. It smells really pleasant though. The Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream is a firm favourite of mine. I tend to use it on my lips in the morning just before I get out of bed since I wake up with really dry lips. I also use it on my cuticles and basically any dry or flakey skin. Lastly I have the Clarins Hydraquench lip balm which to be honest I bought initially because I didn't feel like splurging on the Dior Creme de Rose. This Clarins balm is quite similar to the Creme de Rose but just slightly stickier since it comes in a tube form. I really enjoy using this one too but for some reason prefer the Creme de Rose.

So these are my current most used lip balms. What are yours?

Current nails

Essie Raspberry, Essie Bachelorette Bash

Since it's getting quite cool in Melbourne, I have been feeling the berry toned polishes more than my staple nude pinks. Here I layered Essie's Raspberry on top of one layer of Essie Bachelorette Bash to get this pink toned red. I find that Essie Raspberry on its own wears slightly too blue toned red for my liking and Bachelorette Bash is a bit bright. However, when paired together it creates a pretty pink red that is perfect for Autumn.

Essie Raspberry layered on top of Essie Bachelorette Bash

Makeup bag essentials

I work part time in an office environment where there is aircon and heating all the time. This really dries out my skin so there are a few products that I must have with me at all times. Lip balm is my obsession so I always carry it around. I'm currently using the Dior Creme De Rose which I love. It smells like soft roses and has a pretty pale pink colour which goes on clear. It is one of the most moisturising lip balms I have tried (I have tried many). I heard this was being discontinued? Not too sure about that though. I also always carry a tube of hand cream with me. My hands always get really dry and uncomfortable while typing at work. The L'occitane limited edition one in passionate jasmine has the original formula but smells like jasmines. It is not too overwhelming but instead a very pleasant slightly sweet smelling jasmine. For my cuticles or any dry patches I reach for my Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream (fragrance free version). To be honest I bought this initially just because it was so hyped up. I was curious about why everyone loved it so much. After trying this I can see why it is loved. However, I do have to say that for me it is not as much of a miracle worker as everyone says. It does moisturise my lips and dry patches. But I have other balms that can do that too. I carry this one for the convenience of it being in a tube.

For makeup, I like using neutral pinks like the Dior Addict lipstick in 564 Model. This is the perfect daytime pink that just brightens up my complexion. I also carry around a bold coloured lipstick for days I go out after work. I'm currently loving the Mamonde creamy tint in the colour matte pop rose. I wore this the whole night and only touch up once. It does not transfer and fades evenly and gradually. But it still leaves a vivid tint on your lips.

Lastly, I also carry around a hair tie just incase.

Skincare favourites May 2014

As Melbourne is becoming cooler, my skin has been needing a bit more moisture to keep it from being flakey.

I love the brand Innisfree as they have really simple and minimalistic designs. Their products are also marketed as being from natural origins. A while back I bought their green tea seed line to try out and fell in love with the green tea seed serum and the face cream. They both smell lovely and help to keep my skin hydrated without making it greasy.

The price is also quite reasonable too. They can both be purchased for around $20 AUD. I bought mine from roseroseshop.com

Comparison: Etude House Sweet Recipe Dear My Jelly Lips JPK004 vs Revlon lip butter in Juicy Papaya

I've been meaning to talk about these 2 lipsticks for a while now.

I bought the Revlon Juicy Papaya lip butter a while back and loved it. Then I bought the Etude House Jelly Lips in JPK004. When I opened it I was surprised at how similar the colour was to the revlon lip butter. They were basically an exact dupe for each other. This was fine with me since I love the colour so much.

The Revlon lip butter is slightly creamier than the Etude House. But both have a very similar texture and sheerness.

My Etude House jelly lips did not last through summer though (as you can probably tell from the photo).

Revlon lip butter - juicy papaya

Etude House Sweet Recipe Dear My Jelly Lips - JPK004

Top to bottom: Etude house jelly lips, Revlon lip butter juicy papaya

Recent Purchases

When I heard that Urban Decay were releasing the Naked 3 palette I went and preordered mine on lookfantastic.com while they were having a sale. Best decision as I absolutely love the Naked 3. Also picked up the Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey cologne. I have been wearing it everyday since getting it.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey

Urban Decay Naked 3

Urban Decay Naked 3