HAMPTON SUN – Smart. Serious. Sunbathing*

Tags

#protectyourskin, Hampton Sun, Madison Luxury Perfumery Bucharest, review, SPF

I meant to publish this article later, closer to the hot summer months, as everybody seems to realize they need protection from the basking sun rays around that time of the year … Nothing more wrong! You need protection from the sun all year round without exception!

But I’m not going to bore you with the whys and how-tos, since I already did that in a post I wrote a while back, that you can still read here and move on to the star of this review.

This above is a gift I received after attending a fabulous beauty blogger event at Madison Luxury Perfumery Bucharest at the end of last summer ( read more here ), that was centered around lavender. Hence the bouquet! I somehow managed to keep the products intact and the lavender bouquet as well until a few days ago when we went fishing!… And after the not too pleasant burning experience of last year’s fishing trip, when nothing saved my skin but the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, I definitely decided to prevent that from repeating, and put these Hampton Sun goodies to test!

Hampton Sun® is a complete line of luxury suncare, skincare and parfum products made with only the finest ingredients: vitamins, anti-oxidants and elements from the nature, a brand completely inspired by the high-life and the beautiful beaches of the Hamptons. Need more luxury than that?!

So I got the chance to try a few of their essentials:

• the Hampton Sun’s Hydrating Aloe Mist – you know how much I love a face mist and this aloe one is so soothing, hydrating ( contains Vitamin E as well ) and refreshing, thanks to the mint extracts in it! The formula is oil-free and fragrance-free, and allows you to enjoy the benefits of its ingredients without any sticky residue left behind on skin.
• Hampton Sun’s Luxe Sport SPF 35 Continuous Mist Sunscreen gives the benefits of a highly potent sunscreens in an unique, oil-free formula, feels light and silky on the skin, and absorbs instantly with no sticky film. Plus it has a hint of Hampton Sun’s signature Privet Bloom scent for “the perfect touch of sophistication”.
• Hampton Sun’s SPF 30 Luxe Sport Lip Balm – is the ultimate luxury lip protection, made with amazing ingredients like: Vitamin A, Aloe, Pomegranate extract, Green tea, Cocoa butter, Cucumber extract, Calendula, Canadian Willow Bark, Seaweed extract, all put together to act as a shield against the harmful UVA and UVB sun rays ( the only lip protector I’ve used this far that offers double protection).

What I did to protect my skin was to reapply every other hour the Luxe Sport SPF 35 Continuous Mist Sunscreen on my face that I previously cleansed with my Hydrating Aloe Mist and some cotton pads, a little lip balm, and there was no trace of redness, burning, dryness, sore patches, peeling and all that “good stuff I was experiencing last year!

On my sensitive skin was a God-sent; I had no allergic reactions, and because is an oil-free formula the product didn’t clogged my pores causing breakouts either! My skin could breathe, felt hydrated, nourished and protected! Definitely recommend this brand, for as expensive as it might be!

What do you use to protect your skin, Beautiful? Please share your favourites!

See you soon!

xx, Annie

 

 

*products courtesy of Madison Luxury Perfumery Bucharest

 

 

 

To hear it first, make sure you follow me on

Instagram   |   Twitter  |    Pinterest   |   Facebook   |   Bloglovin’

 

Rambly post about Skincare. Organic… or NOT!?

Tags

beauty, organic, pro and cons, skincare, SPF

It has been quite a while since I wanted to address the matter of the oh-so-trendy Organic Skincare issue! Is it better than the “traditional” skincare we all used at a certain point in our lives?

I did my research, I have tried a lot of organic/natural skincare products! Some worked fine, some literally did wonders and some didn’t worked and made my skin worst!

Please don’t get me wrong! There are great organic products on the market at the moment! But there are also organic skincare products that are really damaging for your skin! That is because of certain plant extracts or oils that are only considered to be organic. I have also discovered that certain companies, by adding this so-called “organic” ingredients to their products, literally ruin an otherwise good skincare either because they wanted it fragranced, or they simply want to use that specific plant oil because that’s what’s trending at that moment! So, I ended up buying a product labeled as “organic” and by consequence “harmless” that was very irritating for my already sensitive skin, and I kept wondering how that was even possible?!

My skin is highly sensitive and it won’t take me too much to form an opinion on a certain product! I will know right away if a skincare product is good for me to use or if I should stop using it immediately. You might have a “good” skin and put whatever you want on it, I have nothing to object, that’s your choice/luck! But if your skin is not prone to any immediate reaction, that doesn’t necessary mean that a skincare product isn’t damaging while sitting on your face/skin, weather the damage is radical and you can clearly see it with your own eyes or the damage happens, in time, on cellular level which will later on will be followed by redness, irritations, which will cause inflammatory problems, and in the end premature aging and irreversible wrinkles.

My point is that you have to be careful with choosing the products you insert in your skincare routine! Read first about the ingredients in that INGREDIENTS list on the back of any product! If they look like a total nebulous to you, go on the good ol’ faithful WWW or on Beautypedia and do your own research ( Paula Begoun from Paula’s Chioce has spent all her adult life doing research and explaining all those “hieroglyphs” for you! ). But first of all take time to really know your skin: what type of skin you have, what works better for it…

I have used a lot of skincare, from the most expensive ( Sisley, Chanel etc. ) to the most inexpensive drugstore or homemade concoctions, and everything in between. And let me tell you this: even if a skincare product ( high end or not, organic or not! ) will cost you an arm and a leg, it’s more likely that it is waaay overrated!

But if you are a snob like me, and you still want to use “the best” that’s on the market, splurge on your serums, your skin hydraters and toners. Makeup removers, cleansers and all that won’t stay on your face too long, and precisely the ingredients in your toners or serums that are really going go help change the texture and the appearance of your skin, getting it ready for and easing up the makeup application.

One last piece of advice! I used to collect skin care! Because someone recommended it, because I was curious about it, and if it worked for that person’s skin it should’ve worked for me too! WRONG! I ended up with quite a skincare collection that only looked good on my shelves and did nothing good for my skin! With skincare it’s not like you can have 10 pink eyeshadows and use them whenever you like or if you’re in the mood! With skincare you have to be consistent, stubborn and to always keep in mind that it goes so quickly out of date! That’s also one of the reasons why it’s highly recommended to change your skincare routine every 3 to 4 months!

FINAL RECAP:

– “study” your own skin

– make research on the ingredients, in general, and what works best for your skin type

– organic doesn’t necessary mean good for your skin, they same way traditional skincare doesn’t have to be “the bad guy”

– choose carefully the products in your routine and stick to those for a few months: you’ll be able to see results and decide if to change them or not

– also, choose your skincare according to what your skin needs and ALWAYS use SPF! 

– invest in some skincare that has the potential to become holy grail items for you and stick to those, no matter how expensive they are!

I hope I managed to express myself in a non offensive way, because I clearly understand that skincare is a matter of personal choice, and hopefully you can find this article somewhat helpful!

Thank you for sticking with me until the end!

Any opinion is highly appreciated – scolding included!

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

Sunscreen. Summer 2014 Round Up

Tags

chemical sunscreen, clinique, Kielh's, La Roche-Posay, physical sunscreen, Shiseido, SPF, sun protection, Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a subject I have been doing research all summer long. That is why it took me so long to write this post and I ended up uploading it so close to the fall season!

The first thing I discovered while doing my research was that it is highly recommended to wear sunscreen no matter the season!

But is it really important to use sunscreen? Is is a sunscreen better than another one? Is a sunscreen my friend using good for my skin too?

I should start by saying that my skin is rather sensitive at the moment, which makes it so easy to burn without the use of a sunscreen, highly irritable if I am not using the right one. So, for me it is really important to have on my face anything that can act like a barrier against any damaging factors!

So after a few hits and misses and a lot of research I found out that the best protection for my skin is the one which comes from sunscreen containing minerals, with a minimum of SPF 30. I also felt good with a SPF 50 sunscreen on, but I have to admit that I was not too keen on how thicker that was and the white, ghostly cast it gave me!

The ones I have been using on rotation this summer were: the Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream Plus SPF 50, the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Nutritive Oil SPF 30 UVA+UVB, ( these two were previously featured in a post, link here ), the Clinique Derma White City-Block Anti-Pollution SPF/40 PA+++ and through the last weeks of summer the Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 PA+++ UVA. 

Mineral sunscreens are physical sunscreens which act like a barrier against sun rays. They bounce off from your skin the rays, whereas the other type of sunscreens – chemical sunscreens – absorb the sun rays into your skin, transforming them at that level. Both offer protection, what makes them different are: the ingredients and the process that takes place inside your skin! 

This chemical process is difficult to comprehend and a bit boring, if I may say so myself, but I discovered that the mineral sunscreen is a bit more gentle and less irritating for my skin.

I have red many “opinions” where people stated that layering certain makeup on top of your sunscreen can cause such a reaction to the point where your sunscreen will not be effective anymore! That is absolutely not true! Also not true is the fact that if you apply multiple layers of sunscreens with different protective factors, those layers will sum up to give you a higher protection!

No, it depends on the chemical structure of your face; that will determine the type of sunscreen you have to use and the protection factor you need, so that you stay free of any damage! That is why a sunscreen my friend uses and is very pleased with, may or may not work for me at all!

I have also discovered that there are researches to figure out a a way of combining chemical with physical sunscreen, which I think is extremely beneficial for the health of our skin! But until then, feel free to layer a chemical sunscreen in top of a physical sunscreen, in order to achieve a better protection from sun burning!

Bottom line: USE SUNSCREEN! Any sunscreen is good! Better than nothing anyway!

And as a general advice: get to know your skin, then the ingredients that work better for you!

See you soon, beautiful! Stay healthy no matter the season!

xx, Annie

Summer of 2014 Bronzed, glowing, healthy summer Tip #10: My Top 5 Lip Products for Summer: Dior, Clarins, Shiseido

Tags

clarins, dior, lip balm, lip gloss, lipstick, review, Shiseido, SPF, summer 2014

Even if I am not the type of girl to wear lip gloss and “sparkles” on my lips all year round, during the bright summer days I find myself reaching for sheer lipsticks and glosses most of the time.

What better opportunity to wear a glossy lip if not in summer, when you have the chance to make those sparkles look so good in the sunlight!

I am a lip products fanatic – no surprise there! – so before I decided to upload this post my lip picks have changed again and again… And again!!!… So, because of the amount of lipsticks, and glosses, and lip balms was bigger and bigger I had to cut it off to a Top 5, otherwise my word count would have gone nuts!

Here you have My Top 5 Lip Products for the Summer of 2014!

1. As you might have red in a previous post, using SPF on my lips is equally important as wearing it on my skin ( read what I use to protect my skin here ). My lip product of choice is the Shiseido Sun Protection Lip Treatment SPF 20 UVA. It is a white lip balm which protects your lips and hydrates at the same time. When you apply it you will see a white cast on your lips but when it absorbs it disappears and your lips are ready for lipstick and protected ( read a proper review here ).

2. I do not go anywhere without my Dior Addict Lip Glow! It is a permanent item in my purse and I carry it with me everywhere I go. You all know this product, I’m sure of that! It is a lip balm which helps enhance the colour of your lips while nourishing them! With the Lip Glow on my lips have a beautiful, natural and healthy rosy tint! Chemistry is magic, don’t you think?!

3. God, I love my next pick! It is another Dior product, this time a proper gloss: the Dior Addict Gloss in #643 Diablotine. This is the lip gloss everyone should have in their makeup collection and to use during summer. It is a bright peachy coral in the tube but on my lips it shows more on the pink/red side. It is quite sheer as you can see from the swatch and it has the most amazing gold glitters, which in the sunlight will give such a natural brightness to your lips.

4. This next product is simply amazing! I have tried to keep myself away from it for the longest time! But when I finally caved in and bought the first one I knew that it will be the beginning of a new and unhealthy addiction ( I now have 3 and need at least 3 more! ). I am talking about the new Dior Addict Fluid Sticks line, and the one I have here is in the gorgeous color #373 Rieuse. It is the perfect peachy pink lipstick but it has the brightness of a gloss. In fact this is a new formula, a hybrid between a lipstick and a gloss which will give your lips an instant lift, making them glossy and plumped, and sensual. I will write a review on all the Dior Fluid Stick I own soon!

Swatches L-R: Shiseido Sun Protection Lip Treatment, Dior Addict Lip Glow, Dior Addict Gloss #643 Diablotine, Dior addict Fluid Stick #373 Rieuse, Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector #6 Rosewood Shimmer.

5. My last pick is an all-year-rounder! The Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in #6 Rosewood Shimmer. It is maybe my most used product this summer, next to my Shiseido SPF lip balm and my Dior Lip Glow! I also have a full review on it here.

As you can see my favourites for this summer are brighter colours, glossy/shiny finishes and liquis textures. SPF and hydration is a must too!

Please share yours? *always on a hunt for new lipstick or lip gloss… lip everything

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

 

 

Summer of 2014 – Bronzed, glowing, healthy summer Tip #5 Using SPF: Shiseido, La Roche-Posay, Macadamia, René Furterer, Diet Esthetic

Tags

body, Diet Esthetic, face, hair, La Roche-Posay, lips, Macadamia, Rene Furterer, review, Shiseido, SPF

We can not talk bronzed, glowing, healthy skin without talking about sunscreen!

Sunscreen’s job is to absorb or reflect some of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the skin exposed to sunlight and thus helps protect against sunburn.

According to the American Cancer Society it “aids in the prevention of developing squamous cell carcinomas and basal-cell carcinomas. Many sunscreens do not block UVA radiation, which does not cause sunburn but can increase the rate of melanoma and photodermatitis, so people using sunscreens may be exposed to high UVA levels without realizing it.

The use of broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreens can address this concern.

Diligent use of sunscreen can also slow or temporarily prevent the development of wrinkles and sagging skin”.

My products of choice are, for the face, the Shiseido Urban Environement UV Protection Cream SPF 50 High Protection. It is an oil-free formula that protects skin against UV rays as well as environmental damage from free radicals, which makes it a good anti-aging product.

It has the texture of a moisurizer and it absorbs easily ( acts as a moisturizer as well as an SPF = less products to layer ) leaving behind a beautifully smooth finish which not only protects your skin against UVA/UVB rays but also protects skin from cell damage and oxidation. It does not break me out nor irritates my skin, as I have sensitive skin, even though it has a bit of a scent to it.

For my lips I use another Shiseido product the Sun Protection Lip Treatment SPF 20 or the By Terry Baume de Rose SPF 15. They keep my lips moisurized and protected at the same time. Since the Shiseido balm comes in a stick, I keep it in my purse to re-apply during the day.

Shiseido products do not contain Oxybenzone and have a paraben-free formula.

For my body I bought this La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 30 High Protection Nutritive Oil. It is an light oil which protects against UVA and UVB radiations, good for sun-sensitive skins like mine. Because I’m pale, I burn like nobody’s business! My skin turns red and peels off! TMI?! Maybe… My point is I need a minimum of SPF on my skin everyday during the summer.

Being a light oil it absorbs immediately and does not leave that greasy feeling most sunscreen do. It has a subtle perfume which fades anyway.

Good to use for both face and body!

It is also Paraben-free!

We are so busy taking care of our skin that we often forget that our hair is exposed to sun damaging rays too!

For my hair I recently bought this René Furterer Hydrating Shower Gel Hair and Body with Palm Butter. This ultra repairing shampoo nourishes and restructures hair damaged by the sun while effectively removing chlorine and salt build-up. Since I have used it I can sense a difference in the condition of my hair when I go to the pool. Using this before and after the hair is softer, easier to comb and did not changed its colour.

And it smells amazing! Floral and fresh at the same time!

To make sure I keep my hair in the best condition, I use the very hyped Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque, everyone knows and loves – and for good reason! It is a blend of oils: macadamia and argon along with tea tree oil, chamomile oil, aloe plus algae extracts to rejuvenate and rebuild the hair, leaving the it deeply nourished, more elastic and shiny with long-lasting conditioning benefits. 

Absolutely recommend this one year-round!

And last but not least, sun protective sprays for the hair!

The one I have here is the Laboratorios Diet Esthetic SUN UVA SPF 30 Hair Protection Spray. They used natural ingredients to create the first UVA and UVB sunlight hair protector, with high protection factor. It is an oil-free formula to spritz on your hair when you leave the house.

Does not contain mineral oils or parabens.

It is a Bio and Eco certified product which is always a plus. And cruelty-free!

Take care of your skin every single day and see you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie