Love using gel cleansers? Here are a couple of non-drying gel cleansers that won’t strip your skin

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I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with gel cleansers. On the one hand, I love them. I love the gel texture, and how it feels so light on the skin. I hate how it dries me out.

While gel cleansers do not necessarily mean foaming cleansers, they do generally tend to foam up, and it is the ingredients used in creating such foam, that makes our skin dry out. If possible, I’d say to avoid foaming cleansers altogether. But that would be over-generalizing, because it can be helpful for oily skin types. Truthfully also, it does feel quite nice to wash your face with light airy foam.

groan alchemist gentle gel facial cleanser, antipodes juliet gel cleanser

I now tend to use only cream or milk cleaners, which feel more gentle and less stripping on my drier skin. But it hasn’t stopped me testing out the odd gel cleanser.

Sometimes, I am happy to find one that not only feels gentle on the skin, but does not strip the skin more than normal, and I’m happy to share it with you! If you know of more, please do share, because it is helpful to know of gel cleansers that do not strip your skin and dry you out!

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The Hourglass Ambient Powder Brush is the only makeup brush I use every single day – but not for powder!

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I’ve been wanting to tell you about one of my most-used and favourite brushes for a while – the Hourglass Ambient Powder Brush. Despite its name, I don’t use it for powder nor for what Hourglass intended it for. Instead, it’s a brush that has helped me appreciate wearing bronzer or what I prefer to call a complexion-warming powder.

I shared once before about how I had finally learnt to appreciate wearing a bronzing powder and I shared the brushes I was using. But I realized that those brushes were still a little too precise for me. I decided that I don’t wear bronzer to contour – I wear it to add a touch of warmth to my skin, because I find I look better that way.

hourglass ambient powder brush

Enter then the Hourglass Ambient Powder brush. You can see how worn away the print is on mine – it’s because I use it practically everyday! Or every day that I wear makeup. Even on days when all I wear is a light tinted base, a touch of complexion warming powders help me look a whole lot better.

I was first introduced to this brush by Sophia of Makeup Blogette on Instagram. When I watched her doing her makeup in videos, she used to use this brush, and I was intrigued. More so by the size, shape and lack of handle! So one day, I gave in to my curiousity and picked one up.

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Reliving the SK-II Experience with the miracle water that is the iconic SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

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Goodness me! The SK-II Facial Treatment Essence certainly brings back some memories! I am often asked about this very iconic product, but it had been years since I first dipped my toes into the brand. I did share a review back in 2010, through a friend. I said then, that my favourite item in the brand is the Facial Treatment Essence (FTE), which was one of my first introductions to using an essence lotion.

Recently, SK-II asked if I might give their Facial Treatment Essence another go, and share my thoughts on it with you. Almost 15 years after my first time trying it, and after turning down numerous offers before this, I decided that this time, I would! Perhaps my 40 year old skin would appreciate this SK-II experience better than my 20 year old skin. One can hope LOL!

sk-ii facial treatment essence review

By now, most of us would be familiar with the concept of an essence. It isn’t exactly a toner. What it does is far more than that of a toner, in that it boosts hydration and along with it, radiance. What is unique in the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence is the use of PITERA, a sake ferment. PITERA is a combination of nutrients that is said to bear a close resemblance to the skin’s natural moisturizing factors, and this helps improve the skin’s natural surface rejuvenation process and thereby promotes what SK-II says is “crystal clear skin”. Don’t we all want that? 😛

If this is something you’re currently using or have used, I’d love to know what you think of this very iconic product!

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I wear sunscreen daily but still get dark spots! Why?

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I am a very big proponent of wearing sunscreen (SPF50 at minimum, don’t try anything less) everyday, rain or shine, indoors or outdoors. I always pick sunscreen as my must-have skincare product because you cannot have too much sunscreen, and it has been proven to slow down skin aging caused by UV rays. By now, I think most people are aware of the benefits of wearing sunscreen (whether they choose to is another matter).

wear sunscreen but still getting dark spots

Yet, for those who use sunscreen as a defence against dark spots (not as a Defence against the Dark Arts – there’s a difference 😛 ) you might wonder why you still get dark spots or pigmentation spots despite all your efforts. I used to wonder the same, because dark spots and pigmentation spots are my nemesis.

Then I learnt the sad truth – Even regular use of sunscreen may not stop you from getting dark spots. Bummer! 🙁

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