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!! :)

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask Review

My latest beauty obsession has been, without a doubt, sheet masks! They seem to be everywhere and it looks like there is a sheet mask for each and every single need your skin may have. 

So, I have been trying a few sheet masks I was able to find here in Buenos Aires, but I was really looking forward to testing a real Korean sheet mask because I feel like this was a thing that they have invented so they probably are the best in this topic and also because I have been really into Korean beauty lately. 

Anyway, I was really lucky because I was sent these Klairs sheet masks from the Korean beauty store Wishtrend and I got super excited to try them out! The Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask is designed to moisturize and soothe the skin and to also help to strengthen the protective barrier of the skin. 

I have already tried their Rich Moist Soothing Serum which I like a lot (you can read my full review of this product here) and I continue to use every day on my skincare routine so I was hoping that this mask also gave me the same good results. 

What I like about this sheet mask is that is very gentle and it has very basic and natural ingredients, such as, aloe vera leaf extract, hyaluronic acid, and Centella Asiatica extract along with 5 different types of ceramides which work together to strengthen the skin barrier. 

The mask is very easy to use, it's divided into two pieces, one for the forehead and eye area and then another part for the mouth area. I think that this makes it a lot easier for me to apply. After you apply it, you have to wait for 15-20 minutes and then you can remove the mask and pat the remaining product so that your skin can absorb it. 

During the 20 minutes, I left the mask on, it didn't move or fell from my face and it felt very refreshing, cooling and soft. It doesn't have a strong scent and to me, that is a plus because it feels more natural.

After I removed the mask, I could tell that my skin felt great, a lot more hydrated and recovered from all the stress I was carrying on from the week. These masks became a new weekend ritual for me now because since I have started working again I feel like my skin is suffering those fewer hours of sleep and maybe not eating as well as I was doing before. 

So they are really helping my skin to be at a better condition and I totally consider getting them again in the near future. I really hope you find this review helpful and let me know if you are using any other sheet masks at the moment? Which ones are your favorites?

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! :)

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! ;)

Monthly Favorites: March

Yes, we are already in a new month so it's time for another Monthly Favorites post! During the last month, I was really loving some new items I bought and I thought I would share them with you. So, let's get started right away! ;)

1- St. Ives Exotic Naturals Body Lotion/Cream

I have mentioned before that I'm not very good at maintaining a skin care routine when it comes to my body, I'm very consistent with my face but with the rest of my skin I was the worst really. I was using a shower cream which was very good and practical but last month I decided to try a new product. I'm talking about the St. Ives Exotic Naturals body lotion with coconut milk and orchid extract. I'm not going to lie, the biggest motivation for me to buy this product was the absolutely delicious scent it has! Imagine the combination of coconut and orchid, is so sweet and it stays on your skin for quite a long time. 
Apart from the scent, I also love that the texture is really lightweight, it absorbs very quickly and it leaves a fresh sensation on your skin. 
I have been using it non-stop since I bought it last month so it is definitely a favorite that deserves to be here.

2- Garnier Fructis Oil Repair 3 Fortifying Mask

If you remember my hair routine post, you know that I have started using the shampoo from this Garnier line and I was loving it. After trying that one and having such a good experience with it, I decided to buy some other products from the Oil Repair 3 range. 
The fortifying hair mask is designed to repair, seal and nourish the hair and it contains fruit concentrate along with olive and argan oils. I have been using this mask twice a week and it's helping my hair to look healthier and nourished. It also has a very fruity and sweet scent which makes it very enjoyable to apply and that is always a plus for me.

3- Universo Garden Angels Tea Tree Oil Treatment Balm

This treatment balm is made of a very interesting mix of essential oils, such as lavender, lemon and, of course, tea tree oil to help in the treatment of acne and imperfections. 
What I love about this product is that you apply it just in the areas of your face where you have spots and it completes the drying process. So, I think it's a very good addition to my skincare routine for those days when I'm a little bit break out. The results so far, have been very positive so I thought I would include it in my monthly favorites too.

So, these were all the products I'm loving at the moment, I hope you like this post and I would love to know which are your favorite products right now! ;)

My First Steps into Korean Beauty: Klairs Products Review

A few months ago, I have started hearing a lot about Korean Beauty and I was completely intrigued by it. So many bloggers were saying wonderful things about some particular products from Korean brands that I was really looking forward to learning more about this skincare system and perhaps trying one of their products. 
The truth is I was seeing this as something difficult to me because you can't get any Korean products here in Argentina but I was super lucky and I got an email from the lovely people at Wishtrend, a major Korean Beauty online store, to test some of their products! You can't imagine how excited I was with this email because I was going to see with my own eyes if all this hype around K-Beauty products was true!

Once I have accepted this collaboration, I decided to do some more research about the Korean Skincare routine, just to have a little bit more information about how I would incorporate the new products to my normal skincare routine and also to see if I needed to make some adjustments to the steps I was doing at the moment. 
Anyway, I have received two amazing products from a Korean brand named Klairs, which were exactly what my skin was needing at the moment. As far as I know, this brand only works with natural ingredients and is vegan-friendly, which is always a plus. 

The first product I received is Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum and this is a very gentle and aqueous serum which helps to hydrate and replenish moisture in the skin. This product has a very light and watery texture, it feels very nice on the skin and it absorbs very quickly. It's not sticky at all and it's very easy to apply. I normally use just two pumps of the product for my entire face. I have been using it every morning and night for the last month and I really enjoy applying it to my skin. Once I finish, my skin feels super smooth and hydrated so I consider that this serum totally does what it promises.
Another positive aspect of this product is that it contains a very good amount, it's a bottle of 80ml and you just need to apply 1-2 pumps to cover your face so I think it will last a good time. 

I have also received Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop which is a Vitamin C concentrate and I have to say that this is the product that has surprised me the most! It was my first time using any product with Vitamin C and I have seen the greatest difference once I have started using it. 
Apart from pure Vitamin C essence, this product also contains Centella Asiatica, Yuzu, and Grapefruit extracts, as well as L-Ascorbic Acid, which help to stimulate collagen production and they also help to improve skin tone and texture without harsh irritation. 
It's indicated to use 1-2 drops of this product in the morning and evening but I have been using it just in the evenings. 

As this was my first time using a Vitamin C extract I wasn't very sure about how to incorporate this product into my skincare routine. Even though the Wishtrend site has a lot of information about each product, it would be nice if they include more information about how to use them in a particular routine, in which order it would be better to use each product because I was a little bit lost about this one.  
Anyway, I ended up applying the Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop right after the toner and before the serum and it worked perfectly!
This product is also watery and very easy to apply as well. I have been using 2 drops and it's more than enough for my face and neck. Right after I apply it, I just notice my skin to be a little more bright and luminous but I think this product works its magic overnight because I see a lot of improvements when I was up, but let's talk about this more in depth.

How my skin has improved by using these two products?

1) My skin looks brighter and more luminous
This was one of the most noticeable improvements I saw on my skin once I have started using these products. My skin tone was more even and brighter than ever! Every morning, when I wake up my skin has a healthy, natural glow and it looks more luminous. That's why I say that these products work their magic overnight. 

2) The texture of my skin is softer and smoother
When I touch my face I feel it incredibly soft and it's also a lot smoother than before. After just one month of using both products, I can see a difference in this aspect as well and I feel very satisfied with it.

3) My acne was reduced a lot
This was the most important improvement I have noticed after I started applying both products. I had a few pimples the day I received the package at home and after just one use of the Vitamin C extract and 2 uses of the serum, I saw those pimples looking a lot better the next day! Also, in all of this month using the Klairs products I didn't have as many pimples as before and if I had any it wasn't as bad as it used to be. So, here I see I huge difference and I could also add that all the acne scars and pigmentation marks are looking a lot better too. 

So these were my thoughts about my first experience trying Korean Beauty products and I have to say that it was a very positive one. I feel like this kind of products and skincare routine suits me very well, so I would definitely recommend these two products as they have shown amazing results on my skin. I hope you find this review helpful and in case you are interested in trying some of their products I would recommend checking out these two-product sets Wishtrend is offering only during this month, with a special 5% off! 

Get the Delay Aging Night Care Recipe Set here

Get the Klairs Calm Night Kit here (this kit includes the Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop)

Get the Klairs Calming Blue Set here

*Wishtrend has sent me the products for review. However, all opinions are my own.