Chasing Elixir’s Favourite Things (aka First Bloggaversary) Giveaway!

Posted on May 28, 2012 by tinnipoo

Yippee today is here! Today is exactly one year since I started Chasing Elixir – how time flies heh? Coincidentally, today is the first day in years that I am unemployed (finished up with FOA last Friday), but will be starting my new job in Taiwan 4 weeks time! *Happy Dance*

NKOTB all very happy for me. No I didn't go to their concert (and am totally regretting it).

To celebrate, I ate some noodles for breakfast, am enjoying Dr Phil on TV right now, and will treat myself to Hainanese Chicken Rice later on today

However for you, my dear readers, I have a very special giveaway which has been kindly sponsored by:

Excited? I am! Since starting Chasing Elixir, I’ve been lucky enough to try lots of new products. Although I have found a couple of gems along the way, my favourite skincare products are still mostly from my original skincare regime.

So like Oprah – I’m giving away my faaavvvvvorite thinnnnngggs!!!! *cue hundreds of screaming, crying, hugging, hand-flapping women and some men*

PRIZE PACK:

If you have acne-prone skin including congested pores – these Alpha-H products will be your saviour.

Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser & Gentle Exfoliant - contains 10% glycolic acid. This saved my skin by getting rid of all acne and congestions (tiny bumps on the face) within weeks.
Alpha-H Liquid Gold Smoothing & Perfecting Mask - contains 15% glycolic acid. Draws out the deepest impurities in the pores.
Alpha-H Purifying Clay Mask - used immediately after Liquid Gold Mask, to vacuum away the impurities and refine pores.

Simplicite is a brand that I just ADORE to bits. They smell great, feel great and boost the health of the skin, so it looks naturally radiant. I would encourage everyone to try Simplicite, and the giveaway includes my favs:

Simplicite Plant Gel Cleanser Comb/Oily 125ml – gently removes all traces of makeup.
Simplicite Lemon Night Creme – a divine smelling moisturiser that leaves my skin smooth, refreshed and without greasiness.
Simplicite Rosehip and Lavender Complexion Refiner – a rub-off mask that leaves my skin brighter, clearer, and more supple from the first time I used it. You will get addicted to this stuff!

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post and let me know, how can I improve Chasing Elixir? What have you liked so far? What do you want to read more about?
Like my Facebook Page.
Spread the word! Please tweet “I entered @tinnipoo Favourite Things giveaway feat @AlphaHQ @facialcompany @SimpliciteSkin

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

Giveaway is open to Australia only
One entry per person.
Entry only counts if you have left comment AND liked my Facebook page – please specify your FB name if different to your comment name.
Giveaway closes 12 noon 10th June 2012 (Melbourne time, +10 GMT).
Winner will be chosen at random.
Winner to be announced on 12th June 2012.

I credit my complexion and most of my youthful appearance to the 6 products in this giveaway – you will love them too I promise!

Good luck everyone and thank you for all the support so far! *MWAHHH*

Happy Mother’s Day! What’s my Mummy’s beauty stash?

Posted on May 13, 2012 by tinnipoo

I read Tine’s blog post today, and loved it so much that I’m stealing her idea for my post today!

Rather than doing a Q & A, I’m going to share with you my mummy’s beauty stash:

Skincare:

Ever since introducing my mummy to Simplicite skincare, she’s been a big fan of the brand as well. So for Mother’s Day, I gifted my mummy her staple products in the range – Result Lift Gel (which she says gives her super soft skin), Rosewood Face Oil (the most nourishing thing she’s come across for her dry skin), Damask Rose Day Creme, and Revitalising Night Creme.

For cleansing and toning, she uses her all-time favourite brand, Lancôme. For mask, my mummy loves My Beauty Diary’s Nato sheet masks.

Make-up:

My mummy’s everyday makeup routine is a little eyeliner, mascara and lippy/gloss. Foundation, blush and eyeshadow are reserved for special occasions, and since I usually do her makeup for those times, my mummy has a significantly smaller stash than I do

Brushes:

But my mummy loves her hair, hence the number of hair brushes she has. Also note her makeup brushes – she knows how important they are for makeup application!

A nice, compact and effective beauty stash don’t you think? My mummy is definitely lower maintenance than I am, and with good reasons – she’s a natural beauty!

Happy Mothers Day! Whats my Mummys beauty stash?

My gorgeous mummy at her engagement

Mummy and baby me

Mummy and me - I think I was about 2.5 y.o.

Isn’t she pretty? I love my mummy’s big double lid eyes, and her sweet smile.

Happy Mother’s Day mummy – I love you!

The Facial Company Haul

Posted on November 5, 2011 by tinnipoo

Yay my self-imposed spending ban is over! Well, kind of. I’ve finally paid off my last holiday but then got hit with a MASSIVE bill to fix my car So this isn’t a massive haul, just topping up some of my skincare essentials that have run out.

I am a big big fan of The Facial Company – I first came across it because it’s the one retailer that sells all my favourite skincare brands: Simplicite, Alpha-H and Ultraceuticals. I found their website easy to navigate, their prices are good (always at least a couple $ under regular retail price), and shipping cost reasonable.

Then I discover how great their service is: unlike some other online retailers The Facial Company has customer service over the phone, and they were very helpful the few times I rang them with order/product queries. Another huge plus is that they have managed to delivery every single one of my orders with them the next business day, when they are based in QLD and I’m in Melbourne. How do they do that? I don’t know, but I love it!!

The Facial Company Haul

1. Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser & Gentle Exfoliant

RRP $72; The Facial Company price $61.20.
This is the one thing that saved me from adult acne a few years ago, and I continue to use it. 10% glycolic acid keeps my skin soft and congestion free.

2. Alpha-H Micro Cleanse

RRP $42; The Facial Company price $35.70
A great exfoliant that has micro beads that does not harm the skin. I love this product too but I’ve actually eliminated physical exfoliants from my routine as I have over active oil glands as it is. I bought this for Mr Ronan (my husband) as he LOVES this.

I’ve noticed that Alpha-H has changed their tube packaging to extra squeezy tubes! Now I can get every tiny drop of the product out of the tube without cutting it open

3. Simplicite Plant Gel Cleanser Combo/Oily 250ml

RRP $64.40; The Facial Company price $59.25
My HG cleanser. Cleanses all my makeup off but is still gentle on my skin. Like all Simplicite products the natural plant extracts and essential oils makes it smells wonderfully fresh.

4. Simplicite Rosewood Face Oil

RRP $41.80; The Facial Company price $38.46
I introduced Simplicite to my mum when I started using it and she has loved it ever since as well! My mum has extremely dry skin, and she has found this face oil to be the most nourishing product she’s ever used.

5. Simplicite Damask Rose Day Creme

RRP $44.90; The Facial Company price $41.31
Also for my mum. She finds this creme leaves her skin soft and hydrated during the day. Not quite as nourishing as she needs, so she uses a serum underneath.

The Facial Company includes little samples with every order, and I’m happy to have received tube samples this time (Dermalogica: why the sachets? I know it’s cheaper but I just cannot sample properly with them)! And I’m even happier to receive the Alpha-H Vitamin C serum as a GWP.

I’ll be doing a few more hauls in the coming weeks, so keep your eye out for them (next one will be circle lenses YAY!)

Incoming search terms:

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Review: Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion and my new night routine

Posted on August 16, 2011 by tinnipoo

As I’ve said in my previous post, I have been looking for products that will hydrate my skin without making it greasy or worse, make me break out. This has been especially necessary this winter, which I’ve been finding extremely drying.

I am so glad to find at least one product that I purchased in my Malaysia/Taiwan trip that has finally come to my rescue: Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion.

Review: Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion and my new night routine

Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion 140ml USD$16.80

What they say:

Contains Arbutin to help fight dark spots. Smoothes and clarifies to optimize skin’s radiance and translucency.
Vitamin C helps to reduce the appearance of dark spots to give clearer, fairer skin.
Contains Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate intensely keeping skin soft & supple.
Skin pH balanced. Low irritation.
Free of fragrances, mineral oil, alcohol & colorant.

Although the product is called a lotion, it’s actually a liquid form that is only the tiniest bit more viscous than water, with a little bit of cloudiness to it.

Once patted onto the skin (as per the usage directions), it leaves a slight sticky film on the skin before it fully absorbs.

The liquid may look underwhelming, but it does a great job of replenishing the moisture after cleansing. Bear in mind that because this is a whitening product, it’s not as hydrating as the original Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion. But for an oily gal like me who is also obsessed with keeping a fair complexion, I find it absolutely delightful.

Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion perfectly balances my skin, reducing oiliness as my skin doesn’t have to compensate for the loss of moisture after cleansing, did not cause breakouts and returned my face to its pre-holiday-tan fairness in 2 weeks!

Even better yet, I have been using this in combination with Simplicite Sage Face Oil.

Simplicite Sage Face Oil 55ml $41.80

Using a hydrating liquid emulsifies face oils, making it more readily penetrable into the skin.

For the last 3 nights just before I go to bed and after cleansing, I squirt 3-4 drops of Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion into my palm, pat it all over my face and before it fully absorbs I rub another 2 squirts of Simplicite Sage Face Oil all over my face until I feel the two products combining (emulsifying) with each other.

In the morning, I wake up with plump, baby smooth skin and not a hint of greasiness – oh the wonder!

If you suffer from extreme oiliness like me, I fully recommend Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion.

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My Skincare Routine – Part 2

Posted on June 5, 2011 by tinnipoo

I love masks, I hunt for them, track them down and collect them. When I find a great one I keep it in my skincare repertoire and go looking for some more. I wish I have more than 1 face just so I can try them all at once. I currently have 6 masks and used to have about 10, so I think it’s time to go looking for more.

Here is the current line up:

1. Simplicite Rosehip and Lavender Complexion Refiner

Another Simplicite product that will forever be in my bathroom cupboard. I apply a thick-ish layer to my face, leave to dry, then rub it off without water. This exfoliates my skin to the right level (I get over zealous with granule exfoliators so I have eliminated them from my skincare routine), cleans my pores out, and leaves me with soft, pink-flushed skin. After which I pat on 1 and a half pump of Simplicite’s Sage Face Oil, and I look as rejuvenated as if I’ve just visited a Balinese spa retreat.

Simplicite Sage Face Oil 55ml $41.80

This face oil is for oily/acne-prone skin, Simplicite also has a Rosewood Face Oil for dry/mature skin that my mum swears by.

2. Alpha-H Liquid Gold Smoothing & Perfecting Mask

I am a little worried that it’s not called 15% Glycolic Hydrating Mask anymore, does it mean that it no longer contains that much? Not sure, but I guess I’d just exercise my same old philosophy that I’ll continue to use it for as long as it still works.

This mask pulls out all the underlying impurities in my skin, as such it does have a tendency to break me out a few days after I’ve used it, unless I make sure that I follow it up (straight away) with the next mask.

3. Alpha-H Purifying Clay Mask

I pretty much only use this mask in conjunction with the previous mask, which still makes it very important as I otherwise end up with at least one big zit somewhere on my face. I have used it a couple of times on its own, when my pores are looking particularly enlarged. It does a pretty good job at sucking away all the dirtiness in the pore, but, as much I hate my oily skin, I will always use this with another hydrating mask to fend off ageing.

4. My Beauty Diary Red Wine Mask

My Beauty Diary Red Wine Mask 10 pieces US$12.70

Sasa.com lists this as Red Vine mask, but in Chinese it actually says Red Wine Enzyme Nano mask. Now I’m not sure if this is the best sheet mask out there, as I’ve only tried this and My Beauty Diary’s bestseller, the Pearl Powder one and I prefer this. But it does do a pretty good job at hydrating and brightening, and it’s PACKED full of serum which I then spare some onto my poor, neglected, and thus lined neck. I will keep this in my routine but also keen to try Beautymate (recommended by Ponikuta), My Scheming (recommended by Blushfully) and Prof TK’s TPGS-VE (recommended by the Taiwanese tried-it-all cosmetic enhancement guru IGisele) sheet masks.

5. Beauty Talk Oxy Series OxyMask

Beauty Talk OxyMask 50ml US$67.10

This is such a great mask for brightening and whitening. It is also such a ‘fun’ mask to have on, as it applies as a gel, then starts bubbling and making popping sounds on the skin! The bubbling apparently is how it delivers oxygen, and acts as a carrier of the marine complexes in the formula right into the skin. Granted, the whitening effect only lasts for a day. But I knew this was a keeper when my hubby exclaimed in fright, “WHOA, you look like a ghost!”, when I emerged from the bathroom after using this

6. Lancome Pure Empreinte Mask

Lacome Pure Empreinte Masque 100ml $79

This is actually a very good mask; it does a great job at purifying and minimising the pores. Too good in fact, that it dries rock hard on the face (which kinda freaks me out) and is so damn hard to wash off. Plus I don’t think I need 2 clay masks so will not be repurchasing this.

There are actually another 2 masks in my cupboard: UNT Herbal Cooling Relief Mask and UNT White Mela Control Mask. They are both clear gel masks that feel nice and cooling on the skin, but leaves no lasting effects. Come to think of it, they’ve been there for so long, UNT doesn’t even sell them anymore *walk over to toss both in the bin*

I’m looking to add on another Simplicite one, a couple of sheet masks, and a semi-clay one like the L’Occitane Olive Express Radiance Mask, which was one of my HGs – I am still grieving its discontinuation (why, Lord, WHY???)

What are your favourite masks? Let me know so I can HAUL! (and I’m a poet but didn’t… yeah, you get the drift)

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My Skincare Routine – Part 1

Posted on May 29, 2011 by tinnipoo

I decided my first post would be on my skincare routine. I’m no skincare expert and I tend to stick to the same thing unless it doesn’t or has stopped working for me, but seeing a lot of people are surprised to hear that I am 34 (*cough* and a half *cough*), this is something I get asked about regularly.

I must also stress that skincare is quite individual; what works for me may not work as well on you, and whilst I do have acne prone skin, what doesn’t break me out may not be so kind to you. This is my personal opinion and I think trial and error is still the way to find the perfect combo for you.

There are 4 steps to a good skincare routine: cleanse, serum, moisturise and treatment. I left out toner as I’m not a believer in it, and have managed to bypass it my whole life without detriment. A good cleanser should do it, and it is extremely important to ensure that your face is cleansed properly twice a day.

I’m an advocate of double cleansing – I find that the first cleanse removes the surface grim & oil that has accumulated throughout the day (what am I, an oven?), and the second removes the makeup. For my first cleanse I use Face of Australia Gentle Makeup Remover:

Face of Australia Gentle Makeup Remover 125ml $8.95

This is a dual phase formula which means it must be shaken to combine the 2 layers together to work. I then splash a little on my hands, and go over my entire face like I would a regular cleanser. You can use a cotton square if you wish, but I avoid aggravating my skin from the surface as it just stimulates the oil glands even more.

For the second cleanser I use Simplicite Plant Gel Cleanser, this is the cleanser I’ve been using for the last 2 years and see no reason to switch:

Simplicite plant gel cleanser comb/oily 125ml $39.70; 250ml $64.40

I came across Simplicite on one of my business trips. This is an Aussie owned and manufactured brand by a husband and wife team: David & Robin. David is a naturopath and he whips up this range with high quality, plant/flower extracts that have medicinal qualities to deliver real results. I love the philosophy behind the brand, and once I tried their trial pack I fell in love with the gorgeous smell and feel of the products, then proceeded to procure the entire range.

So back to this cleanser… I find this cleanser such a pleasure to use. As stated before I have acne prone skin that is super oily. And I wear foundation on a daily basis, not a lot but I do buff it on quite firmly as oily skin tends to make foundations slide. This cleanser gets rid of all traces of makeup, including heavy eye makeup, without completely stripping away all my skin’s natural oils, and a small amount goes a long way. This is one of my HGs <3

For serum I alternate between 2: Ultraceuticals C-10 Serum (containing 10% Vitamin C), and Skin Ceuticals Retinol 1.0, both active ingredients essential in an Anti-ageing skincare routine

Ultraceuticals C-10 Serum 30ml $85

Skin Ceuticals Retinol 1.0 30ml $115.50

To be honest I’m really not quite sure if these 2 products are working for me, so once they’re finished I’ll probably go in search of other Vitamin C and Retinol products – recs welcome!

For moisturiser, again I have 2 on rotation at night: Simplicite Lemon Night Cream, and Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser and Gentle Exfoliant. These 2 products will probably never leave my bathroom cupboard… the Simplicite Lemon Night Cream is absolutely DIVINE; it leaves my skin smooth, refreshed and leaves no greasiness, whilst the Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser gets rid of any congestions and it is the ONE thing that saved me from a severe bout of adult acne 5 years ago.

Simplicite Lemon Night Cream 55g $51.90

Alpha-H Balancing Moisturiser and Gentle Exfoliant 100ml $72

Unfortunately I am also in search of day moisturisers that work for me. Currently I am working through Simplicite Alba-White Day Moisturiser and Clarins Ultra-Matte Balancing Lotion, together with Sofina Perfect UV SPF50 White Protect. I’m thinking I will switch over to a BB Cream once I hit the beauty counters in Taiwan late June.

Three last items that I have been using lately in my skincare routine: Clarins Eye Contour Gel, Clarins Lift-Minceur Visage (Contouring Facial Lift), and Medik8 Titanium Dermaroller. But it’s still early days with them so I’ll leave them for another post.

My next post will be on masks – I have about 5-10 on rotation and I just go a little nuts over them… so stay tuned! xx

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Chasing Elixir

Staying 25… forever

Tag Archives: Simplicite

Chasing Elixir’s Favourite Things (aka First Bloggaversary) Giveaway!

Happy Mother’s Day! What’s my Mummy’s beauty stash?

The Facial Company Haul

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Review: Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion and my new night routine

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My Skincare Routine – Part 2

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My Skincare Routine – Part 1

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