NIVEA Matte Effect Purifying Cleansing Gel

 I started using this product after running out of my regular cleansing gel from Miniso. To me, Nivea is a trustworthy drugstore brand because it is always gentle with my skin, it's affordable and, it does the job. 

This cleanser claims to deeply cleanse your skin and to reduce the oil excess, balancing your skin. It has small pearls that gently exfoliate your skin, leaving if fresh and soft after using it. 

It actually has 2 types of pearls, the blue ones that disappear as you rub and the super small white pearls that work as the scrub

it is a gel formula so it doesn't foam when you rub it on the skin.

It contains seaweed to revitalize the skin and it has a very fresh scent to it. 

I wouldn't say it gives me a matte effect, which I'm ok with but, it does remove the oil excess. It is recommended to use only once a week, I honestly use it more than once, to be honest but it's well known that exfoliating your skin frequently isn't exactly good for the skin. Maybe twice a week?

I've been using it for over a month and my skin accepted it pretty well! No breakouts, no allergies or weird reactions. I'd defo recommend it if you're looking for a gentle and soft scrub.

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Collective Haul: Clothes, accessories & beauty

 It's been a looooong time since my last haul and I blame the pandemic for it, lol. I've done some online shopping before but they were mostly random things or pressies. I finally managed to collect a few things to put together in one post.

I'm gonna divide them in groups so, let's do this!

✰ Accessories

The first one is more of a needed-item than a wanted one. I've been spending a lot more time in front of the computer for work this year (not a surprise tho) and my eyes were having a very hard time. They got to the point where they became super red and irritated and I had to buy eye drops. But also decided to get a pair of blue light blocking glasses. I bought them online and they don't have a particular brand. There a lots of styles, prices and colors. I decided to get pink ones, of course. I'm trying to get in the habit of wearing them as much as I can, especially when having online classes. In a way, I feel my eyes are less tired and they don't get all red and itchy anymore. 

✰ Clothes and shoes

Note: I am really bad at taking shoes and clothes pics, sorry!

Let's start with the shoes cuz both of them were pressies from my mom.

First pair are cute, yellow flats. I don't really own many yellow items so it'll be interesting to match them with the clothes I have. They are perfect for the spring - summer season but they also look cute with black tights.

And next we have a pair of black, winter booties. They actually look like a mix of snow booties and sneakers. They are the most comfortable things ever! I don't know how much I will wear them now that the weather is getting a lot hotter but, they are defo a favs now!

These next two blouses are both from the same brand, 18 Forever. I really like the designs they have. Even the bag I'm currently using is from that brand. Very girly and cute, affordable and with good quality. I bought because they are pieces I really liked but because I can also wear them for work. 

The pastel blue one is one of those basic blouses that go well with a pair of jeans but can also look a bit more dressed up. It has a nice V neck line and I loved the ruffle detail at the bottom.

And the black one is a bit more formal I guess. It is made out of a thin fabric with a sheer part on the top and the sleeves. It also has small ruffles! (of course!) And even tho I've only worn it for work so far, I can't wait to pair it with a nice skirt!

The last one is a khaki  short dress. The color makes me think "Safari vibes" but in a very girly way. It is very comfy and fresh! I don't usually go for this type of colors because I feel like it makes me look paler, but, I couldn't resist. Guess the shoes and accessories could change that.

Even tho it wasn't much, it feels now to buy new clothes again~ Hehe.

✰ Makeup & skincare

I told myself that I was not going to buy more makeup for now because I don't really wear much makeup lately since I'm always wearing a mask. And I guess repurchasing a product because I'm running out of the one I have atm is not breaking that "promise", right?

This product is the Mary Kay Volumizing Brow Tint (dark blonde). I've been using this brow gel for a couple of years now along with my brow pencil from Bissú. Mostly because they go well with my brow color and, even tho it is not waterproof, it lasts through the whole day. Plus, it gives volume and keeps my brows in place.

Then we have a nail polish that my mom gave me. It is the Lure Salon Formula Nail Color in "Lavender Bloom". There is a post dedicated to it. Click here if you wanna check it out.

Lastly, is the NIVEA Purifying Face Cleansing Gel with a matte effect. I bought it when I ran out of my Miniso cleansing gel. Nivea is a trust worthy drugstore brand for me because I never  get reactions when I use their products. I've been using it for a little over a week now and I might write a separate post about it.

And that is it for this haul. The first one this year! I really hope I can make more in the future cuz, I miss my shopping!! Hehe. ♡

| September Blogging Challenge | Skincare for olily to combination skin

Skincare has been an important part of my routine for a couple of years now cuz I do believe that going back to "basics" can make, even the cheapest makeup, look great.

It is true that what you eat and drink can have an influence on how your skin looks and to be honest, I don't worry too much about that, and I should. But, it is amazing what drinking a lot of water can do for you. And I think that would be my first tip for a healthy looking skin, start from the inside to look great on the outside. (and here is when I should start taking my own advice...)

I'll start with my skin type: I have combination skin but, it is also very, very sensitive. So I struggle with a bit of everything; I have a bit of an oily T-zone but my cheeks tend to get dry especially during Winter. As for the sensitive part, I can't experiment with many products when it comes to cleansing because some of them give me rashes and reactions after the first or second use, no matter how good the brand is.

So, today I am going to share with you some of the products I use to take care of my skin. Keep in mind that what works for me may not work for everyone.

I linked some of the products to older posts dedicated to them, in case you want more info.

One of the main requests for this post was to talk about skincare for oily skin, which is caused by the excess sebum production, this colgs pores and can lead to acne. So I think good and constant cleansing is key here. Salicylic acid is known to be good to help with oily skin.

I usually go super basic with my morning cleansing cuz I don't have much time but, I always make sure to wash, apply moisturizer and sunscreen before I do my makeup. It also helps me to wake up. I'm currently using the Miniso Watermelon Bouncy Hydra Facial Cleansing Gel to wash my face in the morning and at night. It removes excess grease, dirt and impurities, is super gentle and it smells delicious. Other cleansing foams I love are the Missha Creamy Latte Cleansing Foam. They have 3 different "flavors". The Green Tea one is for oily skin. Plus they smell delicious and are super creamy. And lastly, a product I got to try a few months ago: The Burt's Bees Soapbark & camomille deep cleansing cream. As it says, it is very creamy and soothing. This is a great choice if you're looking for something with natural ingredients.

I've been using this sunscreen from Mary Kay 
for a couple of years now.

One product that I liked to use years ago was an astringent from Bioré that contained salicylic acid. I used to apply it at night, using a cotton pad after cleansing. Since it also contains alcohol it kinda soaks the oil from the skin and you wake up with a fresh, non-oily skin. I don't remember why I stopped using it and I'm not sure if it's still out there.

Another product I really, really like is the Avon Clearskin Pore Penetrating Invigorating Scrub (What. A. Long. Name.). I love to use a good facial scrub twice a week and this one if defo one of my favorites. Not only because it is super cheap but, it also does the job. It is gentle to my sensitive skin but at the same time you can feel the beads scrubbing all the dirt on your skin leaving it fresh and clean after using. It has a cooling effect that I love. It contains eucalyptus extract and Witch Hazel which is also a good ingredient to cleanse the oil. I love face scrubs in general, but this one is great for oily skin.

I double cleanse at night. Sometimes, when I'm not extra lazy. The first step would be to remove my makeup using Micellar Water or the MINISO Sakura Water Bright Cleansing Balm. I find Micellar water to be faster to use and effective when it comes to removing my makeup but the cleansing balm is pretty good too. After having a makeup free face, I move on to the washing to make sure there is no dirt left.

This is the one I'm currently using

After that comes the moisture part. Before applying a hydrating cream, I've been using a new essence lately. It is the MINISO Energy of Fruit 3 in 1 Essence (citrus) and it's been working well for me so far. I wake up to a moisturized and healthy looking skin.

A moisturizer that I would defo recommend is the  Hada Labo Tokyo Skin Plumping Gel Cream. It has to be hands down one of my favs. I like to use it as both, day and night cream.

But when in Winter, when my skin gets super dry, I try to use something thicker at night. Last year my aunt introduced me to this cream called Tressura, and it is one of those super old creams that are very cheap but work wonders. It contains glycerine and it works great as a night mask and super hydrating body cream.

And well, I think I've said this before but using facemasks constantly also helps a lot. There is a huge variety now, and not only for the face. You can choose according to your needs and some of them are also really cute and fun to use. 

I don't know if I'm missing some things, I probably am but I don't want to make this a super , duper long(er) post. So, let me now if there is something else I should mention when it comes to skincare and I'll be glad to share it in another post.