Daytime Skincare Routine

Today, I want to just briefly write about my daytime skincare routine. Now this is my WINTER skincare, of course it changes as the seasons do, but since we're in the middle of January., lets get to it! :)

So first off, I always cleanse my skin in the morning (obvs) and the cleanser I am currently using is the OZ Naturals Ocean Mineral Cleanser! I just wrote my previous post on it and if you haven't read it yet, go check it and the brand out! :)

1. After cleansing, I apply a serum. Here I have two options:

• Borghese Cura Viso Brillante - which is a brightening serum
•  Skin Food Gold Caviar Serum - firms and smooths skin while moisturizing and regenerating skin

I alternate between the two because I honestly really like both!

      2. Then Moisturizer, the most important part!

• Currently I switched to Hada Labo Tokyo Skin Plumping Gel Cream

This stuff is supposed to plump your skin up and reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and clinical results say you'll see the difference in 4 weeks. Its made with awesome ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide, Arginine and Collagen - all these ingredients are great for your skin, plump it up, protect and regenerate and strengthen your skin. It hasn't been 4 weeks yet, but I'll let you know if I see differences! In the meantime... I really like this gel cream, being that it is gel makes it feel more hydrating on my skin as well and being a great humectant!

** great tip, mix a facial oil in with your moisturizer for an extra boost of moisture!!

      3. Finally, don't forget to give your lips some lovin'! I have 3 favorites lately!

• Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm  - this is my top favorite, keeps your lips plump and moisturized for long and i like that it stays on and doesn't absorb quickly! Added bonus, smells like fresh roses!
• TokyoMilk Bon Bon Sweet Cream Lip Balm - first of the scent and flavor is delicious! Its very moisturizing and smooth
• Tony Moly Banana Lip Balm - Got this in Korea and instantly fell in love! Its super smooth and hydrating, stays on for a while. And the banana smell is yummy!

These steps are essential, especially in the winter! You need to make sure you keep your skin moisturized, hydrated and humectified!
- Lips are the first to go, make sure to apply lots of balm so they don't crack and chap!
- Make sure your face has moisture locked in

Stay warm and beautiful :)

OZ Naturals Ocean Mineral Cleanser Review

Hellloooo,

First off I want to say thank you OZ Naturals for the Ocean Mineral Cleanser!

Now don't get me wrong, I love makeup and getting glammed up but, taking my makeup off is my favorite part of the day! So when I received this cleanser I could not wait to try it out.

The great thing about it is that it is all natural and 72% organic, so for all my organics and natural lovers, check OZ Naturals out!

A little about OZ Naturals:
Angela Irish is the co-founder of the brand, who is very passionate about "healthy skin, anti-aging, natural ingredients, and utilizing the latest technology to formulate the highest quality skin care products on the market." She had her own skin concerns and knows how it feels to drop $$$ on products that did not do what they said they would, so she came up with OZ Naturals! 

Oz Naturals was founded to help create healthier, better skin care to help people who were not born with the best of skin, Angela believes that everyone deserves the perfect skin they always dream about and truly effective skin care products to help reach their skins goals! 

To learn more about the company check them on their website!

This Ocean Mineral Cleanser claims to cleanse deeply to unclog pores and fight toxins, moisturize and balance the skin and be gentle enough for any skin type. It has over 92 ocean minerals to soothe, heal the skin and even stimulate cell regeneration! Let's see what this cleanser's all about! 

Now on to my review:

You can definitely tell this product is all natural, reading the ingredients I saw that most of them are fruit oils and extracts, along with a few gentle surfactants and glycerin. It is also unscented because there is no "nice" smell that you get from shampoos, cleansers, etc. it is straight up natural, which I love, because many products claim to be natural and when you check the ingredients only 1 or 2 of them are "natural." Their products are paraben free, sulfate free, mineral oil free, lanolin free, gluten free and most importantly, cruelty free!

As I squeeze some in my hands I notice it is very runny, one downside for me but it is 100% forgivable because as I said before, this shows it is all natural. In order to have a more viscous product and a "harder" cleanser that stays as a dollop on your palm, you need fillers and thickeners and many more synthetics! So I cannot dislike that it is runny, it is simply just showing off :)

Lathering it on my face, it feels really cooling, refreshing and gel-like. It doesn't produce much bubbles or foam but that is because it doesn't contain sulfates! (surfactants that make soaps foam) (did I mention this cleanser's natural?? :-P) Nonetheless, you don't need foam to show that it's working because once I rinsed my face and patted it dry, I noticed my skin felt super refreshed, soft and energized. 

So far I have been using this cleanser for several days morning and night, and it has not disappointed. It does a great job breaking down any left over makeup and it purifies the skin super nicely and leaves it feeling enriched and nourished. All in all, I recommend this cleanser to anyone because it is amazing for any type of skin, even sensitive! It does the job well and your skin doesn't feel tight and dry as it sometimes does after cleansing.  It truly does leave your skin feeling soothed and as if you came out of a spa!

I have not used this product long enough to notice and long-term changes or if it has improved my skin exponentially, that usually takes about 4-6 weeks to notice! But I will keep you all updated!
Definitely check OZ Naturals out, they have numerous amounts of skin care such as masks, cleansers, moisturizers, serums, toners and even SPF!  I'm intrigued and impressed by them and will definitely be trying out some more products!

To Purchase OZ Naturals products click on either of these links! 

Amazon OR http://amzn.to/1QM50Bx

*This is a sponsored post, powered by Brandbacker

Alterre X Uye Surana Holiday Trunk Show

On the 17th of December, Alterre Shoes hosted a quaint & cute little holiday trunk show with Uye Surana, an exquisite lingerie brand that has its studio in TriBeCa.
That is exactly there the trunk show was held! When I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by Harmony (who remembered me and it made me smile) who told me to come in, relax, have a drink and stay a while! And that I did.

There were two different cocktail oils made from Lavender and Rose and whiskey, seltzer and lemonade to mix them with. There was Uye Surana's beautifully articulate lingerie spread out on a table with their home made natural fragrance oils and in the back a table set for Alterre. An old fashioned suitcase packed Alterre style with their incredible shoes, which were also laid out and two frames asking who is your "alterre ego?"  Jackie or Marilyn? It was all adorable!

Everyone was super friendly and we all discussed how amazing both brands were, and what was to come in the next year! Alterre's shoes are made in Brazil in a super chill factory where its always a party! Within that conversation we spoke of how crazy the weather has been,, Seriously what is up with it? 70 degrees in December!!

We all drank, ate cupcakes and were merry! I had my horoscope read and it seems 2016 will be a lucky year for me! As I am sure it will be for both Alterre and Uye Surana!

If you have yet to check these brands out, please do so, they are so unique, detailed and charming - just like their founders! Shilpa you were definitely missed!

If you want to learn more about Alterre, check my previous blog post on their Launch Party!
Below are some pictures of their awesome versatile shoes, which you can switch out the straps depending on the mood you're in that day. Their shoes come in different styles such as The Jackie, The Marilyn, The Billie & The Elsie. Another great thing is that they give back! 5% of their profit is donated to Restore NYC.

I left with a sweet goodie bag containing a mini bottle of Jameson, Uye Surana goodies & a She Who Rose roller ball (which smells delicious), with a smile from ear to ear because of the great company and even more love for these brands!

PLEASE drop everything and go check them out now! Alterre & Uye Surana GO GO GO!

Cheers to 2016, you Alterre, Uye Surana and to you all <3

* This is a sponsored post, powered by Brandbacker