My vanity

What was the most exciting thing when we just discovered ‘the magical world of beauty products’? Stealing, ahem sorry, borrowing our mothers make up products? No, I don’t mean these times. I mean later than that, when we had our own budget to buy beauty products. For me, one of the most exciting things of these times is showing to my friends what ‘treasures’ I had in my make-up bag. I started to invest beauty products (not just make up but also skincare) since my teenage times. On these times, I needed to spend a big part of my pocket money for these, but now I can understand how good investment I have done. I am not old, but just 30 and I can see the difference between my skin and any of my peer’s skin who hasn’t taken care of it. So beauty shopping, especially skincare is a serious business that someone should’t take it cheap. And in the end you harvest what you plant.

So after years, my ambition of showcasing what I have in my vanity haven’t changed.  Let’s start what I use in my beauty routine and what I have on my make-up desk. What you see on the top is a sketch of my vanity desk. If you think it is a lot, I must warn you that there is more in my bathroom 🙂

I always start my day with a good cleanse of my face. After hearing about it a lot, I could’t resist anymore to buy a Clarisonic Brush. And my birthday was an excellent occasion to buy it as a gift to myself 🙂 I have a mix-combination skin, thefore I always have problems of oily- acne prone T-zone and dry cheeks. I damp my face, put my gel cleanser and as recommended, I use Clarisonic on my face for one minute. Just after using it what I feel a squeaky clean face without dry and tight cheeks.  After using two weeks, I realised the difference on my skin.  I have smaller pores, no pimples, faded spot marks and the most important: confidence of going out make-up free. I like make up but I don’t want to cover my skin during my off-days or having a casual meeting with my friends. It is a bit expensive but definitely worth for what it gives.

And with my Clarisonic routine, I use Clinique Liquid Facial Soap for Dry Combination Skin. It is gentle yet a strong cleaning gel, takes out all sebum and make-up residue without giving dryness. For peeling, my choice is StriVectin-SD Instant Retexturizing Scrub.  The product has been honoured as ‘best beauty buy’  from some woman magazines and I can say the same for me. With twice-a-week usage, I have more balanced skin.

For every morning as a face wash instead of water and for removing the make up, I use the famous Bioderma Crealine H2O/ aka Sensibio H2O. First I heard about it on Gwyneth Paltow’s blog,  goop. She says that it is her favourite buy from French pharmacies. And after seeing that it is a beauty blog phenomenon, I decided to give it a try. Since then, I am happy with it. It doesn’t irritate my skin, cleans make-up easily and gives a feeling of freshness. About using it in the morning instead of water, we gonna talk about it but just for know I can say, it is a suggested regime by some dermatologists.

After cleaning, let’s go to nourishing. As a starter/serum, I prefer Sanoflore Elixir of Queens. Sanoflore is a bio-cosmetic brand, therefore all of their products are organic and paraben free. This is a big plus for me. With the company’s words, it is a ‘an incredible anti-aging concentrate, a creator of perfect skin, based on pure royal jelly. I don’t have wrinkles but for balancing my skin and reducing sebum, it is perfect. After 3 month usage my pores are smaller and I have clearer skin. What I like most with this serum is just after first usage, you feel a baby’s skin on your face.

After serum, I continue with another balancing moisturizer: Estee Lauder Daywear. It is an anti-oxidant creme with SPF 15.  Good for balancing the skin and keep it fresh, especially for summer months. It has the title of ‘best beauty buy in 2011’.

For the naughty parts of my face, rebelling for pimples, I use Noreva Actipur Stop Bouton Anti Imperfection Treatment to repress the uprising. It is yet another French pharmacy miracle to keep your face rebel zone free. (We will have another article just about French pharmacy phenomenon, I promise 🙂

And for the eyes… Actually my only problem about my eye area is dark circles. For this problem, I tried several treatments, from the most expensive to cheapest, I haven’t find the cure yet. Everywhere it says unhealty eating is a reason for dark circles but i think it is not my case, nor any illness. Anyway, until I find the ultimate cure, my concealer is my best friend 🙂 In my daily routine I use Nuxe Nirvanesque, yeux.  Nothing special, I just trying to keep this area nourished, since it is very delicate.

But of course nothing is substitute for a good night sleep. When you take the place of  ‘The Sleeping Beauty‘, a night cream takes care of your skin. My night care taker is La Nuit De Chanel. It makes you wake up with the feeling of a baby skin. Of course for avarage skin concerns, there are lots of cheaper options to this cream but if you want to do like Marilyn Monroe, just wear Chanel when you go to bed, nothing else 🙂

 

 

Hello World !

An average size mannequin with an average size woman.

Hello world!

I wanted this would be my first words in my brand new blog. Here, we gonna talk about life in every aspect.

You have hundereds of bloggers writing about beauty, so that we can see how beautification is important in a woman’s life. Does being beautiful mean fitting into the patterns that popular culture (magazines, fashion shows, movies, advertisements…etc) imposes to us ? I don’t think so. Don’t take it as a ‘cliche’ but it is true: ‘Your beauty source is within you’. Being skinny, tall, having best hair color or wearing the latest fasion trends aren’t enough to make you charismatic, looking really good or making real friends. I’ve seen many woman glowing in their simplest dresses just with the energy they send out.

For this glowing energy we need to nourish ‘the woman within ourselves’. This means being our very best version, mentally and also physically. You can ‘conquer the world’ with a clear and determined mind.  I will share my way of mental improvement, but it is variable by person. In the end you do what you feel like and suits best to you. Here I also share my way of physical well-being. First we need to take care of our body. It is the most precious gift given to us. Here, I am not talking about being thin or having a models body. Everybody have their own natural body shape and beauty. Just keeping that body in its form and health is more than enough.

And of course skincare… Even I am a make-up fan (like most of you 🙂 I strongly suggest that ‘before you start painting, first nourish the canvas: your skin’. Your skin is the most important thing about your appearance. Without a good skin, it doesn’t matter how chic or trendy you wear or how good make up you do, you all fail. There is no make up artist or a designer, can cover bad skin. Your face is foremost part of your body that people will always look at, all your lifetime. After succeding a good skin, we can talk about some make up tricks can reveal the glow and health of your skin.

What about eating ? You don’t need to be an ‘chef étoilés‘ to cook healty at home. I was thinking I even can not cook an egg and I was living with a ‘best cooking mother in the world’, so I never condescend to enter the kitchen. But after living alone, I reliased that cooking is not hard that much, on the contrary it is so fun. So I will share my ‘very secret recipes’, you can take but never reveal my secrets 🙂

You will be also my roadtrip companion during my travels. I love travelling and helping people about it. I enjoy arranging hotels, flights, ‘to do’ and ‘to see’ lists for my friends. Since you are my friend now, there is no obstacle to serve for you 🙂 A Turkish proverb says that ‘It is not the one who lives long knows most, but the one who travels a lot.’

Whoa, I talked a lot huh ? I will share my experiences with you and looking forward to hear yours 🙂 What about after all ?  With all these experiences from me and you, we will discover our ‘the most exquisite selves’, hence the name of blog 🙂 Here we go.