My Skincare Regime

Two words: hydration and moisture.

When it comes to skincare, I like to give it a fair shot before I give my opinions about it. I would say I am a skincare junkie - I might even have a bit of a problem if I'm completely honest but let's just pretend that everything is fine. A few months back, I mentioned that I was going to write a skincare routine but never got round to it. Well you're in for a treat because in today's post I will walk you through with the products that I use on an everyday basis for my face.

Drinking a lot of water and getting a good 8 hours of sleep as well as taking care of your diet and lifestyle plays a big role to having smooth porcelain skin but skincare plays a big role in it too. I am not much of a health freak (I should really exercise more if I'm honest) but I do drink a lot of water  daily and I attempt to get more than a couple of hours sleep. My skin really isn't that bad - I rarely get any blemishes and there aren't any visible scars but hey, nothing lasts forever so it's better to be safe than sorry, right?

Before I start, I'd like to make a quick note that I only have 6 steps that I take every single day/night. Okay sometimes I use the Innisfree Jeju Sparkling Mineral Mist just to refresh my face but that doesn't count, right? And these steps doesn't include any exfoliating and masking - maybe I'll write that in a different post. It's not all that crazy, right? *laughs nervously* Okay, okay.. so maybe it's a little excessive but I personally think it's really calming. I enjoy slathering my face with an abundance of moisture and hydration. I used to never have a skincare routine, it was just a facial cleanser and moisturiser and that was it but as time goes by, I wanted to try something new and here we are now.

1. CLEANSER. This is a must for me, I can never go a day with just splashing water on my face. I don't care how late or tired I am - I must at the very least cleanse my face and for the past few months, I've really been enjoying the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. I've mentioned this in my Glossier Favourites but it is just a soothing, gentle face wash. It doesn't burn or sting my skin and its consistency is as the name suggests, a jelly. It smells of faint roses and I love how soft and clean my face feels after each wash. I'm even on my second bottle now!

2. TONER. The second step of my routine is toning - I used to use a toner but then I stopped and I revisited that road and now I cannot live without it. I use the Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol Free Toner and it's brilliant! Especially for my skin where I get oily on my nose and forehead and dry on the perimeters of my face. I find that it doesn't clog up any pores and controls the oil but doesn't dry my skin which is all I ever want in a product.

3. ESSENCE. Now this next step I've only recently added to my routine because 1) the more the better, duh! and 2) we all know the crazy 10 steps Korean skincare routine that recently caught everyone's attention, so I had to try it for myself. After toning, I apply an essence and I use the Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Deep Essence. I call it, 'pre-moisturising' because it's lighter than an actual moisturiser and it just adds another layer of hydration which hey, no complaints there.

              

4. MOISTURISER. Need I say more? I use the Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream as my night moisturiser because I like a heavier cream based consistency at night, so when I wake up in the morning my skin feels extra soft and hydrated. I am a little extra when it comes to moisturising so for day time use, I use my Chanel Hydra Gel Creme. Not much to say about it really - I prefer a gel based moisturiser for day time use because it won't be as oily and heavy on my skin but still gives hydration and nourishment for my skin. The only downside to this is it is VERY bloody expensive. You can definitely use a different moisturiser and it'll work just fine, I just find that this one works really well for me.

5. EYE SERUM. Just like the essence, I never used to use any eye serums or eye creams but seeing as how I am always on my laptop/phone/iPad and my usual bed time is past midnight (facepalms), I had to give my eyes the extra love that it deserves. My mum actually got this as a part of a gift set but she is pretty loyal to Estee Lauder so she gave this next product to me. The L'Occitane Immortelle Divine Eyes Ultimate Youth Cream is a great way to give some life back to my dead, raccoon  looking eyes. Again, say it with me - it is hydrating and very light under the eyes. The only downside of this product is IT. IS. SO. BLOODY. EXPENSIVE. Will I purchase it for myself once I'm on my last drop? I guess we'll have to see.

6. EYE CREAM. The final step to my skincare routine is eye cream. As mentioned in my Sunday Splurge post (which by the way is one of my popular post, so thank you!), I use the Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado and again it's ahmazing! Ever since I started using it, my dark circles are less visible and it's so creamy and moisturising. One of the best thing I purchased in 2017! And, I use this religiously but I still have a lot of it left. A little really does go a long way with this product. Bloody love it.

My Ultimate Go To Products For A Minimal Look

I've been away for the past couple of week and I do apologise for not updating anything. I haven't had the chance to write for this blog and my other blog because the last two weeks has been super hectic. I did write something but because I didn't take any photos for the post, I decided not to post anything yet. 

Anyway, I finally had the chance to write a new post and this is going to be a fairly long one - so sit back, have your cuppa ready and enjoy as I take you with me in the world of 'Haziqah's minimal makeup routine.' 

Since I received so much views and love on my Sunday Splurge post (I pretty much spammed the link on every social media accounts I have! Ha) which you can read here, for today's post I'm going to write an updated version of the makeup products that I use on a daily. It has been a few months since my last post on makeup and there are new products that I've been trying out and absolutely adore. I thought I'd just share what they are.

I purchased the It Cosmetics CC Cream Your Skin But Better (I am in the shade Tan) under the influenced of The Anna Edit and immediately fell in love with it. I knew I was going to like it; it's not a full coverage foundation but you can build it up. It gives a nice dewy finish which I am all about these days. I personally think the shade is a tad bit too tan for me, but I always sheer it out or mix with my Bourjouis 123 Perfect CC Cream in the shade Rose Beige. 

As you may have guess, I am a 'no makeup-makeup' kinda gal. As much as I love watching other people cake their face, it's just not me.

Glossier recently came to London for a week and had a pop-up shop in Marylbone, so a couple of friends and I decided to grasp this opportunity and pop down to the shop and treat ourselves to some good makeup. I got the Glossier Skin Tint in the shade dark and their Cloud Paint Blush in the shade Dusk. I don't usually wear blushes, but I find that the cloud paint is sheer, so it's not overwhelming and it makes me look flushed - which is great. If you can't already tell, I am obsessed with Glossier. 

I know Glossier doesn't ship to anywhere else in the world other than America, Canada and now the UK, so it might be a little harder to get a hold of them if you aren't in either of the countries. But if you are in either one, and you're into the minimal makeup look, pick yourself some of the products, you won't be disappointed.  

Moving on from my Glossier obsession, I also use the All-in-One BB Cream from The Body Shop (shade 4) from time to time. It doesn't give me any coverage, much like the skin tint, but it evens out any discolourations and makes your skin still looking like skin, but better.

I use the Maybelline Fit Me concealer in the shade 'deep fonce' because it gives me a nice light, coverage but still conceal the dark circles. For powder, I go back and forth between the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless powder in 250 Sun Beige or the Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder.

If you read my previous post, I mentioned that I use The Body Shop Honey Bronzer (shade 4) and I love it. It's great - it's matte, blends easily and the colour is perfect for my skin tone. I never skip on my bronzer, I feel like it gives a nice, natural warmth to my face. Ever since I started to get into makeup, I wasn't a fan of the 'dewy, glowing' look because I have a combination oily-to-dry skin but recently I've really been enjoying looking like a ball of sweat, in a good way.

To achieve this look, I like to use the Maybelline Master Strobing Liquid Highlighter in the shade 'medium'. If you like to look like a bedazzled jewel, you're not going to like this highlighter. It's really soft and subtle, but you can build it up. Sometimes I feel like I'm not even wearing anything but it gives you that natural glow. However, if I do want to spice things up just a little bit - and that's saying a lot - I add just a little bit of The Balm Marylou-Manizer with a fan brush.

Moving on to eyes. I love wearing mascara and curling my eyelashes, it makes all the difference to my face - especially if I have a 9 a.m. class and I do not want to look like a walking corpse. The eyelash curler that I use is just a cheap one from Superdrug.

I am currently using the Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara and it's actually not that great. The only reason why I continue to use it is because I don't want to spend another eight quid on a mascara when I still have one. I'll purchase a different one once I've used up the entire tube. Wow, I wish I could say the same for all the lipsticks that I have.

Because I am a minimalist, I rarely ever wear eyeshadow. I rarely even wear makeup. But when I do want a little bit of colour, I take a Real Techniques eyeshadow brush and apply the dark, warm brown shade from the NYX Full Throttle eyeshadow quad in the colour RIOT all over my eyelids and that's me eyes ready for the day. I sometimes attempt to create a wing eyeliner and I use the Barry M Eye Define Liquid Eyeliner for it. It's very affordable and the quality isn't too bad either. It doesn't transfer or smudge, and it's super easy to take off too.

We have finally come to the last step of my routine: lips. Most days, I don't wear lipstick but a lip balm instead. Especially this time of year, it's getting colder in London and I can't stand having dry and chapped lips. I use the Glossier Balm Dotcom and I have the Birthday flavour. I kid you not, it does smell like an actual birthday cake. Frosty and vanilla-y. It's got a little bit of glitter in it but you can barely see it. I also love the Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm. If any product has the word hydra, hydro or moisture in it - I'm sold.

But I can't deny this, I am a sucker for lipstick, then again who isn't? I have so many lipsticks and I always go back to one - shameful, I know. I can't help myself, I bloody love lipsticks. My current go to is The Body Shop Matte Lip Liquid in the shade Windsor Rose and pair it with a cheap Primark lipliner  either in the shade 'Toffee' or something else that I do not know the name of. (I can't seem to find the shades on the Primark website either, sorry!) This lipstick is just the perfect nude for me - it doesn't dry out my lips and it has a subtle, sweet smell to it.

Other days though, I do enjoy adding a pop of colour to my face. I recently purchased the Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in the shade Calabasas and Family Jewels. I ordered them when they were on sale but what I did not know was, I still had to pay for customs! That was a pain but it was worth it, I absolutely love the products. I also love a good burgundy, red lip especially during this time of the year. I rarely wear the Maybelline Superstay 24 Matte Ink Lipstick in the shade Pioneer but I thought I'd give it a mention because when I do wear a red, it's that one.

I feel like I have so many other products but always go back to the same ones. Well, you know what they say - if it works, it works. Plus, it'd be cool to actually finish a product. For once...

Sunday Splurge: New Skincare Items

On Sunday, I went to Harrods with my parents because my mum wanted to repurchase the Double Wear Powder makeup and the Advance Night Repair serum both by Esteé Lauder. I tried the serum before because it was really raved about everywhere on social media and my mum seems to really love it but I find that it didn't really do anything for me. So while we were in Harrods, I thought why not repurchase things for myself too?

Ever since I started working, I've been able to spend anything for myself without feeling guilty. Of course rather than feeling guilty, I do feel a rush of regret for a moment but it goes away, unless I overspend it which will never happen (I hope). I knew what I wanted to buy and set my head straight to purchase that and only that so while my mum was at the Esteé Lauder counter, I walked pass all the luxurious smell of makeup and skincare from Charlotte Tillbury to La Mer to Chantecaille and stumbled upon the Chanel counter.

Now, Chanel is just as boujee as Esteé if not boujee-er (is that even a word?), but I did buy this with my own money so I think I'm allowed to splurge a little bit on something I love and work wonders for my skin. I repurchased the Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme and I have been using this moisturiser for years - I think I was 18 the first time I tried it and have been a fan of it ever since - and for someone who has a combination oily to dry skin like I do, it works like a dream. The moisturiser is not heavy and it sinks right into the skin, especially back when I was living in Malaysia where it was always humid, it wasn't greasy on my skin at all. And honestly almost every time after I apply it on my skin, I feel like a million dollars - and I'm not just saying that because it did cost me almost a million dollars. *The feeling of regret is back, goddamn it.*

However, this time I bought the gel based version because over the years I feel like the cream based moisturiser got a little bit heavy on my skin so now I opt for the gel based, which works equally the same, just lighter on the skin. After a sigh of both relief and regret, I turned a blind eye to all other beauty brands and walked straight to where my parents were and my mum has bought her stuff too. Just when I thought I didn't want to spend anymore of my pound notes, I remembered that both my toner and eye cream are down to their last drops, so I had to spend a little more.

Prior to this, I did use the Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel as my toner but after months of using it, I find that it really didn't do anything to my skin which was a bummer, but I continued using it anyway until the very last drop because that stuff costed me around £15 plus shipping (I got it from Amazon) so I was going to make my money's worth. The eye cream that I was using was the Soap & Glory Puffy Eye Attack eye cream but just like the Thayers toner, it didn't really do much. The first time I tried it though, I did see a minor difference but the dark circle under my eyes are just too bad so it wasn't strong enough to help me, I guess.

So I ended up buying the Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract toner and Creamy Eye Treatment with Avacodo to replace my two skincare item must have. I have used both products only for a few days so I can't really say anything about it yet though, but I was thinking about writing another post on that, a skincare update routine, or something along those line. Not gonna lie, I have been enjoying writing a different content for my blog lately. Whether there are any audiences or not, I'm enjoying it and that's all that matters. And that's always a good thing, to enjoy what you're doing. Unless you enjoy killing people.... no, don't do that sh*t.

Anyway, I do realise the products that I mentioned are a bit of a splurge but if it works, then why not buy it? Plus, I worked hard for the money I earned, so it's like an early Christmas gift to myself, from myself. And I don't even celebrate Christmas! I'll be sure to write an update on the toner and eye cream though, along with my other skincare products that I use. Still have yet to write about Glossier, but I'll save that for another time. 

Everyday makeup products.

Hello, hello everyone! I know I have been absent for the longest time (nothing new there lol) and a lot has happened since I last updated my blog. As most of you know, the contents of this blog are mostly rambles of my personal feelings, stories of one of my many adventures and pretty much updates about my life, as I had intended this blog to be. However, in today's post I have decided to try out something new and different because why not? 

Recently, I've been feeling really inspired and I wanted to write it all down before I lose that 'inspiration' or 'motivation' or in other words, before I get too lazy again. It's a bad habit and I've been trying to update more post on this blog and my wordpress but I guess 'life' got in the way. And I have also been really obsessed with anything Korean related (Kpop, K- dramas, Korean food… you get the drill) recently. I've been particularly obsessed with BTOB and I can go on forever about them but that's not what today's post is about. In today's post, as you can probably tell from the title and picture that I took, (A+ for effort in making it look aesthetically pleasing) I will be writing about the makeup products that I use everyday - not really everyday, because I'm not the type of person to even wear makeup (just started learning earlier this year!) but let's say every other day, or when I'm feeling  bothered at all.

Most -  if not all - of my makeup products are from the drugstore because I am a cheapskate and I'd rather splurge a little bit more money on skin care products rather than makeup. Plus, drugstore brands perform just as good as a higher end products so I don't see why I should spend 30-50 quid on a foundation/concealer/palette etc. However, lipsticks are an exception because I love lipsticks. But hey if you are the type of person who loves spending your money on higher end products, do you boo.

Okay, now let's get started.

I have a combination oily to dry skin but I much prefer my skin to feel hydrated than dry so before I put on any makeup, I prep my face with a lot of hydrating products. After I prep my face - I will write that in a different post - I use the Soap & Glory Speed Plump as a primer before I apply any makeup on. It's technically not a primer but a super hydrating moisturiser but it makes my face feel tacky as it has glycerin in it so that makes the product stick to my face better. I actually bought this because of sophdoesnails on YouTube. She's a UK YouTuber and she uses/reviews a lot of drugstore products and usually her recommendations are spot on which is why I gave it a go. So far I can say that I quite like it.

So after I prime my face, on days where I feel extra bothered or want that extra coverage, I use the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC cream in the shade Bronze & Rose Beige (I mix them together). The thing about me is I like wearing very light makeup. I am that person who wears the 'no makeup makeup' because personally, I don't like the feeling of a heavy foundation on my face so I opt for CC or BB creams. What I like about this CC cream is that you can build it up to a medium coverage which again personally I feel like that's already too much for me. This CC cream has an SPF 15 and it covers pretty much any discolouration, dark circles and spots. I find that this product is really lightweight which I love and I apply a thin layer and blend it with a Real Techniques sponge so it makes my skin still looks like skin but better. On other days where I don't need any coverage and I feel like my face is looking dull and I need just a little help, I use the Body Shop All In One BB Cream. This BB Cream  has no coverage but it adapts to your skin colour - I use the darkest shade (4) - and it just makes your face looks more awake. It doesn't cover anything which I don't really mind because personally my skin is not that bad. It's not oily or drying on the skin which is nice and overall I really like these two products. It does the job but it's also not as heavy as an actual foundation. The only downside to these products is that the shade range is a complete joke. My skin tone is I would say tanned caramel and for both products I am the darkest shade which sucks to be honest because there are so many beautiful skin tones out there and they don't cater to them.

Moving on, the concealer that I use is the Maybelline Eraser Eye or aka Instant Age Rewind in the shade Honey (which is also the darkest shade! Smh and it's still fairly light for me) and I love it. It really does conceal all the spots and dark circle under my eyes. It is full coverage but I use just a little swipe under the eyes, spots and places I need to conceal so it still looks natural. I have been meaning to try the Maybelline Fit Me concealer as well as it has more shade range so I might give that a go in the future.

Of course after the base, you would need to powder your face and under eyes to stop the concealer from creasing (I obviously have been watching far too many makeup videos on YouTube lol) and I use the Coty Airspun Translucent Powder. I bought mine on Amazon and the reason why I bought it was because Jbunzie  and Tati (also YouTubers) spoke so highly of this powder so I was like why not try it. It's great, it mattifies my face pretty well and it makes my skin feels soft. The only downside to this product is, it is a loose powder so it's hard to put in a makeup bag for when I need to touch up but I hardly ever do that anyway so it doesn't bother me much. I powder my face using the same damped sponge from Real Techniques that I used for my base.

After I powder my face, I bronze my face with The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in shade 4. They have two darker shades after 4 so it's a little better than the first two products I mentioned. I bought this Honey Bronzer because I heard so many good things about it so I decided to give it a try and honestly after powdering my face, I need a little colour so I don't look unnaturally pasty. I don't use blushers so I like that this bronzer warms up my face. It blends really well and the colour compliments my skin well. I just use a normal, cheap buffing brush I got from Primark to blend everything in.

Because I go for the very natural, minimal look, I never go overboard with anything and that includes highlighter. I like a soft, highlight because I do not want to look like I've been running a marathon. So I use the Sleek Face Contour & Highlighting kit in the shade medium. The highlighter in the Sleek kit is really soft and subtle which I really like, it gives a sort of glow from within. If I want to contour, I would use the contour shade in the same kit using the same brush as the bronzer. One brush for everything, quick and easy.

For my eyebrows, I don't really do much with it. Because I don't thread, shape or do anything with my eyebrows, I just brush them with a spoolie and lightly draw upwards with the Maybelline Master Shape in dark brown. My natural eyebrows are already thick so sometimes I just brush them and leave it at that. As for eye shadow, I use the same Honey Bronzer from Body Shop and use my finger to apply  on my crease to give my eyes a little colour. As for my lashes, I LOVE full, fluttery eyelashes and since mine are pretty long naturally, I'm not particularly fussy about mascara. I use an eyelash curler and apply the Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara. This mascara is honestly not the greatest but I take most of the product off on a tissue before applying a thin layer on my lashes and like I mentioned, since my natural lashes are already long, it doesn't bother me if it doesn't give me much volume. It's not clumpy and it does the job so I'm not too fussy about it. However on days where I don't have to pray, I use a waterproof mascara, Miss Baby Roll Mascara from L'Oreal and that is a great mascara. It's a bit of a pain to get rid off but it's a great mascara. I might have to buy the normal version of it. 

Finally the lips. I love lipsticks the most, so on days where I don't wear makeup at all, I would at least apply some lipstick so that I wouldn't look so dead. I use quite a few lipsticks regularly and some of them are liquid lipsticks from Sleek in the shade Birthday Suit or Bittersweet, Rimmel The Only One Lipstick in the shade Naughty Nude, Maybelline Colour Sensational in Nude Mocha, Coffee Crazy mixed with Beige Babe, Sephora cream lip stain shade 01, Rimmel liquid lipsticks in Be My Baby or Moca and The Body Shop liquid lipstick in the shade Windsor Rose. If I wear a more nude brown lipstick, I use a lip liner I bought from Primark for a quid in the shade toffee and honestly this lipliner pairs wear with most of my brown nude lipsticks! And I love it. However fall is approaching and I might have to buy a few more shades to add to my collection. A girl can never have too many lipsticks ;)

So that's that guys. This was a longer post than I had intended to write but I wanted to write it as detail as possible as to why I like it and I figured this was something different than my usual post so I thought might as well, right? I hope whoever reads this post finds this somewhat informative? Entertaining? Helpful? I don't know but I hope you enjoyed reading this, whoever you may be. Oh, I almost forgot. Sometimes when I remember to do this step, I use the Makeup Revolution Setting Spray to set all that product in so it lasts longer through the day (until I have to take my wudhu/ablution then I don't bother with my face anymore. Lol). That's all I have for today so, until the next post - which will probably be about my skincare routine so stick around!

Thanks for reading.

x,

Haziqah. 

PRODUCTS MENTIONED

Soap & Glory Speed Plump All Day Super Moisture (£13)

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream (£9.99)

The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream (£12)

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Honey (£7.99)

Coty Airspun Powder (Amazon)

Real Techniques Sponge (£4.99)

The Body Shop Honey Bronzer Shade 4 (£14)

Sleek Contour & Highlight Kit Face Powder shade medium (£6.99)

Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil Dark Brown (£2.99)

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara (£8.99)

L'Oreal Miss Baby Roll Mascara (£7.99)

Sleek Matte Me Birthday Suit/Bittersweet (£4.99)

Rimmel The Only One Lipstick Naughty Nude (£6.99)

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Lipstick (£5.99)

The Body Shop Liquid Lipstick Windsor Rose (£6)

Maybelline Colour Sensational lipsticks (£6.99)

Sephora Cream Lip Stain (I bought this back in Malaysia and I believe it was RM 49)

Primark lipliner 'toffee' (£1)

Makeup Revolution Setting Spray (£5)