My Skincare Essentials

ENG: Here are my favorite skincare products, which I use every single day. I think it's important to find right products for your skin as they can really improve your skin's condition and help protect it from the negative effects of the environment and premature aging.

RUS: В этом посте я бы хотела рассказать вам о своих любимых косметических средствах, которыми я пользуюсь каждый день. Я считаю, что каждому необходимо найти "свои" продукты, подходящие именно для своего типа кожи, так как они способны улучшить ее состояние и защитить от негативных воздействий окружающей среды и преждевременного старения.

 1. Origins A Perfect World SPF 25. This is a great, lightweight moisturizer with SPF. It's not as greasy as your regular sunblock, but at the same time it's very nourishing - it feels silky on the skin. It's very important to wear SPF every day (even when it's cloudy outside) as it will prevent you from getting wrinkles and skin discoloration.

Origins A Perfect World SPF 25. Отличный легкий крем с высоким СПФ-фактором. Он не такой жирный и плотный, как типичный солнцезащитный крем, но при этом он очень увлажняющий и шелковистый. Если вы хотите предотвратить появление морщин и дисколорацию кожи, вам просто необходимо использовать СПФ каждый день, даже когда на улице нет солнца.

2. Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash is a basic facial cleanser without fragrance or other irritants. It easily removes all my makeup and leaves my skin feeling clean without drying it.

Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash - это очень простой гель для умывания без отдушек и других раздражителей. Он очень легко удаляет макияж и оставляет на коже ощущение чистоты без стянутости.

3. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. This is exfoliating powder (without any exfoliating particles) intended for daily use. I've noticed my skin looks much brighter and smoother than it did before. The bottle also lasts a long time - I've had mine for about 2 years, and only now it's close to being half empty.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. Это - отшелушивающая пудра без каких-либо скрабирующих частиц, предназначенная для ежедневного применения. Это своего рода химический пилинг. Я заметила, что после его применения моя кожа приобрела более равномерный цвет и стала глаже. Несмотря на то, что эта пудра довольно дорогая, есть и положительный момент - у нее очень маленький расход. Моей баночке уже 2 года, но она израсходовалась только наполовину.

4. Clarins Toning Lotion with Camomile. It's a basic, non-drying toner. I love the way it smells (very herbal) and the fact that it leaves my skin feeling moist and supple. I talked about it here.

Clarins Toning Lotion with Camomile.  Это стандартный, не сушащий кожу тоник. Мне нравится, как он пахнет и то, что после него моя кожа чувствует себя увлажненной и напитанной. Я уже рассказывала об этом тонике здесь.

5. Clarins Facial Oil with Blue Orchid. Amazing, amazing product. I apply it at night, and the next morning my skin feels baby-smooth. I also mentioned this oil here.

Clarins Facial Oil with Blue Orchid. Я без ума от этого масла для лица. Я наношу его перед сном, а на следущее утро кожа становится невероятно нежной и пропадают шелушения. Я уже рассказывала о нем более подробно здесь.

6.  Clarisonic Mia 2. I've had it for over a year now, and still love it. Nothing is as effective at getting all the pore-clogging dirt out of your skin as this little guy.

Clarisonic Mia 2. Он у меня уже более года, и я по-прежнему его люблю. Ничто не очищает кожу от закупоривающей поры грязи так, как этот великолепный прибор.

7. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15. I've had it since last September, used every night, and never had flakes or any sort of dryness on my lips. I wouldn't call it a lip balm, it's definitely more of a deep lip treatment, hence the name. 

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15. Я пользуюсь им с сентября прошлого года, и за все это время, даже зимой, у меня не шелушились губы. Я бы не назвала его обычным бальзамом для губ, это скорее такое глубоко ухаживающее средство, отсюда и название.

What are your skincare essentials and what would you like to try out?

А какие  косметические средства являются вашими самыми-самыми любимыми? А какие бы вы хотели попробовать?

My Travel Makeup/Skincare Bag + Reviews

We've just returned from our one-week vacation (we went to visit Mike's parents), and I wanted to share with you guys what makeup and skincare products I took with me.
Starting off with makeup, I want to say that I don't really like heavy/complicated makeup in general, and especially when I'm out of town. That's why I took only basic things with me, most of which I use regularly.

Here we have Jane Iredale Purepressed Base SPF 20 (mineral compact foundation). I've never been a fan of loose forms, that's why I love this powder - it's compact and not messy at all, provides very good coverage (although it's sheer, it can be built up and at the same time look thin and very natural), the color is just right for me, and I like the golden compact! But the most amazing thing about it is that it creates a soft-focus effect, making your skin look poreless and smooth.The brush I use for it is also by Jane Iredale. It's called the Handi Brush. It performs very well; however, the bristles can feel scratchy at times as it's made of goat hairs, but maybe it's just me who is used to extremely soft synthetic brushes like Sigmax ones.
I also took my favorite matte bronzer with me -Too Faced Chocolate Soleil. It's great for contouring or just adding warmth to you face, and it looks very natural - not orange at all! It smells amazing too, just like hot chocolate!I'm going to do a review and comparison on all the bronzers I have as there are a couple more that I also like.
I don't like blushes in general, but there are two in my collection that I find look good on me. One of them is Mac Mineralize blush in Warm Soul.It's hard to describe what color it really is because depending on the lighting it can go from beige to peach to bronzed pink. I really like the effect it gives my face.
The brushes I use for applying blush and bronzer are from Mrs Bunny travel set by Sigma.
My cat has recently stolen my favorite concealer, and I couldn't find it, so I took my Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch concealer instead, which is more of a highlighter than a concealer, but it still has some coverage.
The only eyeshadow palette I took with me was NYX Triple Eyeshadow palette in Rock&Roll. It has a highlighting color, a pinky-nude color, and  a darker blueish-silver color. I like the colors, and the palette itself is very versatile.

NYX Triple Eyeshadow Palette in Rock&Roll and Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake

The brown eyeliner by Stila is called Smudge Stick in Lion Fish. I got it in my Birchbox a couple months ago and really like it! For my eyelashes I used Dior Extase mascara (Birchbox again, lol), and for my brows - Mac transparent brow gel. I also took a neutral lipliner and two lip products - Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss in Pink Pop and Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake. The latter is used in the above pictures.

Ok, next to my skincare.

High SPF was my priority. I like that Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock is truly dry-touch, and doesn't feel greasy on the skin as most creams with high SPF do.
My day cream is A Perfect World SPF 25 by Origins. It's a little too thick for my liking, but if I wait half an hour before I put on my makeup, it soaks in and feels soft and moisturizing rather than greasy.
 My night cream and toner are from the same line, Vitamin E, by The Body Shop. The are both very moisturizing and smell like baby powder, which I like, surprisingly. I can say that these two products were the first ones that truly helped my skin to get rid of the extreme dryness that I had not so long ago.
The eye cream that I use is by the Grapeseed Company and is called "Vine Eyes". It's organic and is supposed to be anti-aging. I'm not sure about the anti-aging effect, but the cream itself is very moisturizing. My under-eye area is very dry, but when I put this cream on at night, I wake up with very soft and supple skin.
 I used Gold Bond Ultimate Softening Shea Butter Lotion as my hand cream. I'm not sure if I like it or not, just because it's not as rich and thick as I would like it to be. I mean it's thick when you put it on, but when you rub it in, it becomes dry, and your hands feel just bare. The cream still works, but I don't like the initial effect. I guess I'm just used to greasier types of hand creams.
I also took a hair spray that I got in my Birchbox this month and Dove soap to use in the shower.

Alright, that was a really long review, but I hope it wasn't too boring! I'll try to be more concise in my future posts though.
Thanks for reading!