First Impressions Korean Beauty from Wishtrend

As you may have noticed already from my previous posts, I am a big Korean skincare fanatic since the first time I have tried this kind of product. I was lucky enough to get to know some of these brands throughout my first collaboration with Wishtrend, and from that day on, I have started to research and try more and more brands. 

For today's post, I would like to share my first impressions of some products I have also received from Wishtrend. On this site, you can get some of the best Korean brands and they even have their own brand By Wishtrend, from which I have only heard great things. So I invite you to take a look at this site if you are interested in trying some Korean skincare products because they have some great offers quite often. So, without further due, let's begin discussing these new products I have tried. 

I'm From Rice Toner

I have heard many great comments about this toner on TikTok (yes you already know that TikTok has influenced a lot of my beauty purchases lately) and I was very interested in trying it out because it looks so soothing and calming. The rice helps to clean the skin and make it clear and glowy. It's very hydrating and moisturizing so it feels really nice on the skin when you apply it. It has a very light and liquid texture, almost like milk and it absorbs very quickly into the skin. In addition, this toner has Niacinamide, which also helps to regulate sebum production and to brighten the skin. Overall, I'm very satisfied with this product and I'm very happy I have incorporated it into my skincare routine.

Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil

I was very interested in trying some other products from this brand since I had such a good experience with their Vitamin C serum and I opted for this cleansing oil because I wanted to try something different for my double cleansing routine. This was my first time trying a cleansing oil and I have to say I'm very surprised! This oil does a very good job in removing my makeup, it takes a little time to work it, especially on the eye area but it does remove all my mascara, without any problems. You need to rinse it out a few times to make sure that there is no oil residue on your face but after you finish the skin feels very soft, clean but still hydrated and nourished. Just keep in mind if you use this product that you need to use another water-based cleanser to remove all the excess oil and to make you it doesn't clog your pores. I'm also super satisfied with this cleansing oil and I will be using it every other day instead of the micellar water so I can remove my makeup without using so many cotton pads. 

Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence

From Korean brands, you can get the best sunscreens because they have amazing formulas that are lightweight, hydrating, and that don't leave a white cast. this particular sunscreen from Klairs has SPF 50 and it blocks UVA and UVB rays so it gives you complete protection from the sun. This Klairs SPF contains 80ml so you get a lot of product for a very good price. The texture is like a light moisturizer and it gets absorbed very quickly without any white cast, I even think it's lighter than the Purito one and that is a lot to say! So, overall I'm very impressed with this SPF and I would totally recommend it. 

I hope you find these quick reviews or first impressions useful, I love trying and discovering new products, especially from Korean brands because they are maybe not so popular but they offer an amazing quality in regards to ingredients and formulations for very reasonable prices, and to me that it's always a plus! Let me know if you have tried any of these products or if you have any other recommendations. 

Advent Calendars Wishlist

Advent calendars are something relatively new to me since it's not common in Argentina, the country where I come from. There is not an Advent tradition there so I never thought about buying an Advent calendar until I moved to Croatia. 

I feel like it's such a nice and special way to get ready for Christmas and it makes the holiday season so much better because it's not only one day but a whole month that you celebrate and receive little present until Christmas day. 

Advent calendars come in all shapes and forms, you have the traditional chocolate ones, the makeup, and skincare ones, which are definitely my favorites, but you can also find tea advent calendars and also gin and tonic ones. There is one option perfect for everyone and I think that is why they are so popular.

I think in these uncertain times in which we are not sure how the holiday season is going to be like, having a little ritual that gives us comfort and a bit of happiness every day sounds like a great idea. Therefore, I wanted to put up this wishlist with the Advent calendar I would like to shop this season. 

High end

The Dior Beauty Advent Calendar has to be my ultimate advent calendar dream, not only because I love Dior beauty products but also because the design of this calendar is absolutely dreamy and stunning. It's like an actual piece of art!

The Net-a-Porter 25 day Beauty Advent Calendar is the perfect option for the luxury skincare lover. This one has a very elegant and sleek design in black and white which looks really chic.

More affordable

L'Occitane is one of those Advent calendar classics that we wait for it every year. This 2020 Signature Advent Calendar has a great selection of products, and it has a good price point but they also have a luxury version which is a little bit more expensive, so it great they offer different options for every budget.

The Douglas Advent Calendar has a very cute and simple design but it really caught my attention, I like the around the world theme and I also think it includes a good selection of different brands and beauty products, so it's a great option if you would like to try more than one brand. 

The Revolution Advent Calendar is without a doubt an excellent option for the makeup fanatics because it includes some great makeup goodies from the brand at a very affordable price. This is another one that I'm seriously considering getting because I think it offers great value for the money. 

I think that would be all for my Advent Calendar wishlist, I will make sure to let you know if I buy any of these. Which one is your favorite? Or if you have any other advent calendar in your wishlist let me know :)

TikTok Made Me Buy It - Beauty Edition

 

I don't know about you but TikTok has definitely become my favorite social media platform of 2020 (you can give me a follow here if you want). From the moment I have downloaded it at the beginning of the quarantine back in March, I haven't stopped using it! 

I love that it's light and fun, just what I was needing back then but at the same time, you are able to find all sorts of content, such as fashion, beauty, memes, dances, astrology, even politics. TikTok has it all! 

So, when it comes to beauty, TikTok has created major beauty trends and a lot of products got some serious hype, for example, Cerave and The Ordinary so I must confess that after seeing all this hype I had to try some of them too! So here are a few beauty products that I bought after seeing them all day long on TikTok. 

Purito Centella Green Level Unscented Sunscreen 

I already mentioned this one in one of my previous posts but I saw many people talking wonders about this product on Tiktok and as I love trying some Korean products I was very interested in buying this sunscreen. This is now my favorite sunscreen because it's so lightweight, it absorbs so quickly and it's so easy to wear that it's no excuse to not wear an SPF every single day. I absolutely love it!

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I don't understand why it took me so long to try this product because this was already hyped even before TikTok, it's definitely a holy grail! I'm already in the middle of the bottle and I love it because it removes my make up so quickly and easily. Also, it's a very affordable product that you can find at any drugstore, so I would recommend giving it a try if you haven't already.

The Ordinary Retinol 0,2% in Squalane

I have seen so many skincare experts and estheticians in TikTok talking about how important is to include retinol in your routine that I was totally convinced! Also, as I'm turning 32 next month I thought now it's the right moment to start. I was very curious to try The Ordinary since I have heard that they have some amazing products for very affordable prices so I decided to try their retinol. I like this formula because it's quite gentle as it only has 0,2% retinol and it has worked very well for me. I didn't experience any redness or irritation since I have started using it and now I'm seeing some amazing results! My face is looking a lot better, brighter and with a lot less acne, so I'm very satisfied!

Have you bought any new beauty products because they were so trendy and popular in TikTok? I also have bought some other products so let me know if you would like to read the second part of this post! :) 

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Guest Post: 4 Beauty Choices You Might Regret in the Future

It seems like wherever we look, there are new ways we can improve our bodies and take them one step closer to perfection. And while we all know very well that perfection is unattainable, we still like to feel like we are doing all we can to look as good as possible. But what happens when a procedure that was supposed to make us beautiful goes wrong? Well, instances aren’t that common, but there are some procedures that we might just regret doing down the line, even if we are satisfied with the results that we see at the moment.

Over-dyed hair

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Who doesn’t love playing around with different colors and trends with a body part so expendable as hair? There’s always the good old “It will grow back!”, as if we are really ready to wait for years to get our hair to a decent state. The biggest problem with hair dyeing is the bleaching part. A lot of colors require hair to be bleached before they are applied, and bleaching is just about the worst thing you can do to your hair. This especially goes for Australian girls and other women that spend a lot of time in sunny weather, as direct sunlight will make the hair even lighter, dryer and more brittle. Do yourself a favor and try to stick to colors that don’t require bleaching, and if you absolutely don’t want to miss out on it, use a lot of nourishing masks when you wash your hair and sun protection when you go out.

Tanning to oblivion

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Everyone likes to have a bit of a tan going on. It makes the body look more toned, gives us a healthy glow and overall makes us look like we’ve just stepped off a beach. But getting the tan is a whole different story. Let’s first start with fake tans. Whether you spray, smear or drop, artificial tans that you apply over your skin can end up going off in blotches, leaving you with a patchy tan. Secondly, they can permanently stain your skin – but not in a good way. Next, if you are going the natural route and tanning on the beach, you will get a healthy tan – but only if you’re careful. Overexposure to constant sun, like it happens in Australia, leaves girls with sun spots all over their bodies and pigmentation removal is definitely sought after. To avoid this, always put on sunscreen and only spend time in the direct sun during mornings and evenings. Try to completely avoid tanning beds, because they have continuously been proven to increase risks of melanoma and different types of skin cancer.

Eyebrow tattoos

Before we had microblading – which is a lighter version of makeup tattooing – we had full-on eyebrow tattooing, which is still used today. There is no need to mention that tattoos are permanent, and one little mistake on an obvious spot like the middle of your face can be quite disastrous. So if you really want to permanently fill in your eyebrows, wear the look drawn on with a pencil for a few days first and see how you like it before committing to it, and then go for microblading, which is only semi-permanent and will fade over time.

Face fillers

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Everything from your lips to your cheekbones can now be poked and filled with a variety of solutions to make them look full, plump and symmetrical. But with the rise in demand, there have been more and more places popping up where people who are very far from professionals administer these fillers – which can be very dangerous if not handled properly. After all, botox is the most deadly chemical in the world. So if you don’t want to end up with lips that burst open, cheeks that run down your face and a forehead that looks like you got stung by a bee, make sure you visit professionals and ask for other options to get your desired look. There are plenty more ways to look young than filling your face with chemicals.

Guest Post was written by Brigitte Evans Cosmetic Skin Care Consultant and an editor for highstylife.com

New Skincare Products

That time when you run out of your favorite skincare products always comes. Sooner or later we need to re-buy them or in my case, sometimes I like to take that opportunity to try something new. 

A few weeks ago I ran out of my day and night creams (which I have bought back when I was traveling) so there wasn't a chance I could find the same exact products here in Argentina. So, I went to the drugstore in the search for some new and affordable skincare products to add to my routine and this is what I have found!

L'Oréal Hidra-Total 5

I have been loving a lot of L'Oréal products lately (like their concealer, mascaras, and BB Cream) so I thought I could give them a chance and try one of their skincare products. I choose the Hidra-Total 5 daily moisturizing cream because it looked quite interesting. It's supposed to provide 24-hour hydration to the skin, while also nourishing, brightening and toning it. What I also like about this product is that it has UV protection which is very important for a daytime cream. 
This product is designed for normal skin and it's working very well on my face. I feel that my skin is hydrated throughout the day. What I also love about this cream is that it has a very light texture and it absorbs very quickly, so I can complete my morning skincare routine within minutes :)

Tortulan Nourishing Night Cream 

I'm still in love with this Argentinian brand and so far I haven't found a product from them that I didn't like. After I also ran out of my night cream and decided to try something from their range of products and I'm very satisfied with it.
Their nourishing night cream is very simple but effective, it contains vitamin A and E which help the skin to recover their natural nutrition and contribute to regenerate the skin overnight. The texture of this cream is also quite light and it absorbs very quickly as well. It doesn't have a particular scent, it's very neutral and soft. 
Plus, the price of this product is very affordable and you get 110ml, that's like twice the amount of some other creams on the market. So you do get a lot of value for your money here.

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Gel Cleanser

I have been using Neutrogena products for many many years now and I always like to try something more from this brand. I think it was last month that I bought this cleansing gel and I have been using it every day. Again this product has a very good price and you are getting a massive amount (354ml)!
This cleansing gel is very delicate with the skin but it does a great job with taking out all of the dirt and impurities from the day. I normally use it every morning when I wake up and then in the evenings after I removed my make up. My face feels completely clean and refreshed after using this product so I'm very happy with the results right now!

Well, these have been the new skincare products that I have bought recently and that I have added to my routine. I hope you find this post useful and I would love to know if you have tried any new skincare products lately? Tell me in the comments!! :)

Review: Le All in One Base and Top Coat from L'Oréal

Today I want to share with you a quick review of this new product I have been using lately. I was looking for a new base to apply to my nails before the nail polish because I think it really helps to keep my nails healthy and nourished and it also helps the nail polish color to look better.

I love doing my manicure myself at home because I feel like it's my "me-time", it helps me to relax and disconnect so I always enjoy trying new nail products. This base and top coat from L'Oréal recently caught my attention because it has rose oil. Also, it's a 2 in 1 and you know how much I love this kind of products that you can use for different things.

So, even though it's a little bit more expensive than the other nail products I was using before, I thought it was still a good investment because you get a base and a top coat in one product. 

Anyway, let's dive into the important thing here: does it really work? Well, I have two different opinions about it. As a base, I definitely love it! I feel like the rose oil really does a good job keeping my nails healthy and nourished. Also, I don't see my nails getting stained from the nail polish colors and they are not getting yellow as well, something that has happened to me before with other products. In addition, my nails are not getting broken and they are chipping a lot less. 

On the other hand, as a top coat, I'm not so convinced about this product mainly because of two things: it doesn't dry as fast as some other products I have tried before and it doesn't give as much shine to my nails. I would like to point out that this product is not a quick dry product but I still feel like it takes a lot get dry, which doesn't help if you are like me and can't keep your hands still for a long time. In regards, to the finish, it's not super shiny but I'm ok with that, I feel like it gives you a decent shine but nothing too crazy.

I would recommend this product if you don't want to have too many different products and also if you are looking for a good base for your manicure. But if you are considering this product to use it more as a top coat, then in that case, maybe you can get some better options (for example the Insta-dri from Sally Hansen, which is my all time favorite top coat).

In general, I feel satisfied with this product and I will continue to use it. I hope you find this review helpful and please let me know if you have tried this product? Also, tell me which are your favorite nail products?  I would love to know! :)

Monthly Favorites: May

This month I have some new products I have been trying and loving so I thought it was time for a new Monthly Favorites post! I don't have too many products to talk about this time but the ones I'm going to show you in this post were really useful during this last month. So, let's go straight to my favorites! 

1- Herbal Essences Pure Renew Argan Oil Shampoo

I have mentioned in a previous post that I have tried the conditioner from this same line and as I had amazing results with it, I decided to get the shampoo too and try the complete treatment. Both of them are designed to repair the hair and I have to say I'm getting exactly what I was looking for! My hair is a lot more hydrated and soft. The frizz is being controlled and my hair doesn't feel dry anymore. It was exactly what I was needing. 
This complete Pure Renew line is crafted with antioxidants, aloe and sea kelp and it doesn't contain any parabens or colorants, which is great. This product is also very affordable and that is always a plus! 
So, if you are looking for some good products for your hair that contain argan oil and that have a good price, I highly recommend this line from Herbal Essences! 

2- Tortulan Physiologyque Eye Treatment

Tortulan is an Argentinian brand that I'm loving more and more every day. Their products are very affordable and they have an excellent quality for their price. Also, they don't test in animals and that is something very important to have in mind as well.
Anyway, I have been loving their cleanser and toner so when I ran out of my other eye cream, I decided to try some other products from this brand. 
Their eye cream has collagen and hyaluronic acid and it's designed to hydrate the eye area and prevent wrinkles. The texture is lightweight and creamy, it has a soft scent and it gets absorbed very quickly. 
I really enjoy applying this product and I'm seeing some good results so far, nothing crazy but it does what it says, my eye area feels quite hydrated so I'm very pleased with this new treatment. 

3- WAV Nail Polish Removing Wipes

It's been a few years now since I have started to only use wipes to remove my nail polish. I found them a lot more practical than using any other liquid nail polish remover because you can carry them in your purse for example or take them with you while traveling. Another thing I love about this kind of wipes is that most of the times they don't contain acetone, which makes my nails very weak. 
I find these wipes to be very gentle with my nails but at the same time, they are very powerful to remove the nail polish. 
In particular, this package contains 8 wipes which are super big ( they have the size of a makeup removing wipe) so you can easily remove the nail polish of both hands with just one of them. They are also very affordable and if you are like me and you do your nails once a week, this product can last you two months at least. That's why I find them very convenient and a good product to feature here on my Monthly Favorites.

That would be all, I hope you find this post helpful and please let me know which are the products that you are loving at the moment! I would love to know! :)

K-Beauty Wishlist from Wishtrend

As you may already know, this year I had the opportunity to try my first K-Beauty products and I have been completely obsessed with Korean skincare products since then. I have seen so many improvements on my skin and I had the best experience with those products I have tried from Wishtrend that I thought about sharing with you some other products I would love to try from this site!

Wishtrend is the right place to shop when it comes to K-Beauty, they have many amazing brands and they even have their own line of products, By Wishtrend. In addition, they always offer special promotions and events. From May 24 to May 31 they are doing the Cruelty- Free Brand Week which is a special event to raise awareness of cruelty-free brands as well as to support animal rights. Besides shopping for your favorite skincare products and getting some really cool gifts and benefits with your order, you will be supporting a very important cause! ;)

Therefore, I thought it was a great initiative to share with you here on the blog and also show you which products I would love to get my hands on!! 

1- Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask

I have always heard that Vitamin E is very good for the skin so when I saw this mask I got really curious about it. According to the site, this product is perfect for brightening and firming the skin, it has antioxidants and whitening properties so your skin looks hydrated and brighter the next morning after using this mask.

2- By Wishtrend TECA 1% Barrier Cream

I saw this product in one of the videos in Wishtrend's Youtube channel and it looks amazing! This is the perfect product to prevent acne scars and to help your skin regenerate, since it contains Centella Asiatica. The TECA 1% Barrier cream will also lighten pigmentation and it will soothe irritated skin.

3- Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask

I think it wouldn't be a K-Beauty wishlist if I didn't include at least one sheet mask! I have been dying to try one of their sheet mask and I think this one would be the perfect product for me. It's full of moisturizing ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Panthenol and Hyaluronic Acid which sounds amazing to add that extra hydration boost to the skin!

So, these would be the top 3 products I would choose from Wishtrend! Don't forget to check out their Cruelty- Free Brand Week from May 24 to May 31 (you can find all the information in the image below), and please let me know if you have tried any of these products or if there is any other Korean product I need to try! ;)

New Video: My Nighttime Skincare Routine

Once again it's time for a new video! I'm very excited because I'm still keeping it up with my goal of uploading one video per month on my Youtube channel. I know it's not that much but hopefully, at some point, I will be able to do more videos ;)

This time, I'm going to be showing you my current nighttime skincare routine because I thought it would be much more interesting to see this in a video rather than in a regular post. I also enjoyed a lot filming and, especially, editing this video because I feel like it was a little bit more challenging than the other ones I was doing before. And I also think I was able to apply more resources to show you what I do in my skincare routine at night. 

Also, I hope that in the near future I'm able to get a tripod because that would make things a lot easier since I had some problems with the frame in this video but I hope you don't mind :P I take this as an opportunity to learn and practice my skills. So, without any further talking, I'm going to leave you with the video. I hope you like it and please let me know in case you have any suggestions for things you would like to see on my channel :)

First Impressions: New Products I Bought Recently

This month I thought about doing something different than the Monthly Favorites post I have been doing lately because during April I didn't really have a lot of favorite products to talk about. So, I think it would be best to share the first impressions I have about some new products I tried last month. Let's start!

1- Burt's Bees Coconut & Pear Moisturizing Lip Balm

I run out of my lip balm so I decided to finally give Burt's Bees products a chance. I have been very tempted to try them for a while so I was very excited when I bought this lip balm. I love that this brand uses natural ingredients for their products and this one, in particular, is 100% natural.
The best thing about this lip balm is without a doubt the smell, as the name indicates is made of coconut and pear, so you can imagine that combination!! The smell is so fruity, sweet and delicious! 
On the other hand, the texture is soft and like butter, it runs very smoothly on top of the lips and I feel that it keeps them hydrated for a very long time. So, I'm very happy and satisfied with this product and I'm looking forward to trying more products of this brand in the future. 

2- L'Oréal Hidra-Total 5 BB Cream 

Recently I also run out of the Kiehl's BB Cream that I was using and I'm still a little sad about it because it was one of my favorite products of last year! But, anyway, life goes on and it was time to find a new one. I decided to try something more affordable this time so I choose this one from L'Oréal and there are a few things that I like a lot and some others that I'm not so sure about. 
What I like about this BB Cream is that is very good in perfecting my skin texture and it also evens my skin tone very well. I see that my skin looks smoother after I applied the product. 
But what I don't like is that there was only one shade available and it's a little bit light for me but as BB Creams, in general, are not high coverage I feel like it ends up blending with my skin tone somehow. 
Also, this BB Cream has SPF20 which is nice to have but compared to the Kiehl's one it's a little bit low because Kiehl's BB Cream has SPF50. However, I feel like, in overall, is a good product for the price you pay.

3- Garnier Fructis Oil Repair Liso Coco Shampoo

I have been obsessed with this line of Garnier hair products, I was using their Oil Repair treatment, shampoo, and conditioner, so when I saw that they have launched a new one with coconut oil I knew I had to try it!
This shampoo is designed to smooth and straighten rebel and frizzy hair and that is also what made me buy this product. But, even though the coconut scent this product has is amazing, I'm not seeing such good results when it comes to controlling the frizz. 
I'm still going to give this shampoo a chance because we have been having the craziest, rainy and humid weeks here in Buenos Aires, so maybe there was no way of escaping frizz with this weather. I'll see how it goes on a less humid day. 

4- Herbal Essences Pure Renew Argan Oil Conditioner

I'm going to confess I have an obsession with trying new hair products, I can't help it! Whenever there is a new hair product I have to give it a go, even if my current hair routine was working pretty well. 
So, when I saw this new Pure Renew line by Herbal Essences I got very intrigued because I had some good results with this brand in the past. 
All of the product from this line have antioxidants, aloe, and sea kelp and they are designed to renew your hair fiber.  It also doesn't contain any paraben, salt or colorants which makes it very mild. 
I have picked the one with Argan Oil, which is supposed to repair the hair. I have used it once and I could fell that my hair was smoother and softer.  The texture of this conditioner is very light and the scent is nice and a little bit sweet. 
So far, I really like it but we will see how it goes when I use it more. 

That's it for today! Those were the 4 new products I have been trying last month and my first impressions! I would love to know what do you think about this kind of post! If you like it better than Monthly Favorites post. Also, let me know if you have tried any of this products! ;)