XOJENBEAUTY

5/13/2016

MOTD: Sun-Kissed Bronze

4/15/2016

Dupe Alert! Whirl X Natural Creme

A few weeks ago I was going through my lip liners when I noticed two products that looked almost exactly the same. I mean I was surprised because at some point I couldn't even tell the difference. They are by no means exact dupes but they are close enough that I would consider them as dupes.

The two lip liners I'm talking about are the MAC Whirl and L.A. Girl lip pencil in Natural Creme. As you know, there is a huge price difference between the two but they are both known for their quality as well.

DIFFERENCE

Like I said earlier, both lip liner have great quality but aside from that what differs one from the other?

Whirl became a cult favourite and uber-famous when it was said that its the exact lip liner that Kylie Jenner used on her lips. Yes, I'm talking about the "Kylie Jenner lips". Ever since she started posting photos of herself on instagram wearing a 90's brown-pink nude lip shade, every one and their momma went crazy and wanted to know what products she used. And when a fan said that Kylie was wearing Whirl from MAC with Velvet Teddy on top, the two lip products was suddenly sold out EVERYWHERE.

I've had this lip liner for almost two years now and its consistency is slightly different from when I first bought it so I can't really compare it properly. Although, I do remember it being really creamy and smooth as when I was first applying it on my lips. As you can see from the photo above, they are not exactly the same colour. Whirl is lighter and a bit on the pink side. This baby retails for CAD$20 plus tax, of course.

Natural Creme is from the brand L.A. Girl which is known for their PRO Concealers and their affordable yet great quality products. You probably have heard of them or seen their products on instagram. Anyway, this particular product is really creamy and smooth that its so easy to apply. I'm really impressed with the quality since the price is much lower than Whirl. Natural Creme is more on the brown side thus a tad bit darker. I was actually surprised on how the photos came out because in person they really look the same. This retails for CAD$4.99 plus tax.

Even though there's a slight difference with the colours, they do both have the reddish undertone so that makes them similar. I really hope this dupe comparison helps those who are on a budget or if you just want to see if there's a dupe for one of the lipliners. I did a dupe post for Velvet Teddy if you are interested in that one too!

*side note: If you've wondered where I've been for the past month, I just took a much needed vacation from all things social media in sense that I was MIA for awhile. But now I'm back and things will go back to normal!

Have a blessed day!

2/24/2016

Review: L'Oreal Hydra-Total 5 Ultra Fresh Ritual

Looking for the right skincare is important mostly when you're in your early twenties. Why? Because that's when aging starts where wrinkles and all the icky stuff that comes in the process follow. My skin is somewhat complicated because I basically been through most skin problems. Acne? Dry skin? Oily skin? Scarring? Been there, done that! Now, since my face is clear and healed, I need products that could maintain my face and keep it hydrated at the same time. L'Oreal Canada recently came out with new skin care products for 3 different skin types that keeps your skin fresh and hydrated.

Although these products were sent to me to try out and review, I wanted to give my honest and personal opinion.* I used this roughly about 25-30 days. I was already happy with my normal skincare routine so I was nervous to try new products. Anyways, before I begin I would firstly introduce to you what I'm talking about!

Like I said earlier, L'Oreal Canada has created a 3-step skincare line for the different skin types: combination, uneven and sensitive. This is basically products that give you 5 benefits to achieve refreshed skin. I received the combination skin line because I have mostly oily-acne prone skin. If you are not sure which skin line is perfect for you, there is a diagnostic test that you could take.

Let's get on to the review!

Ultra-Fresh Gel Cleanser

"The Gel Cleanser makes skin feel clean and refreshed. It removes skin’s impurities and leaves a fresh feeling. Skin is perfectly clean, feels fresh and revitalized." - L'Oreal Canada

Approx. C$8.47

This cleanser makes me feel clean after I wash my face. It doesn't create a lot of suds which is fine but some people want that bubbly cleanser to feel more clean. Anyhow, each of these products has a scent and this one literally reminds me of detergent. I don't have anything else to say other than I do feel clean and fresh after using this.

Ultra-Fresh Toner

"The Ultra-Fresh Toner removes impurities and tightens pores in oily-prone areas for fresh-feeling skin that is toned. Skin stays clean and complexion looks fresh. Skin remains visibly soft, smooth and even." - L'Oreal Canada

Approx. C$8.47

Out of all the products, the toner actually made a difference on my skin. I didn't notice it at first because my sister was the one who pointed it out. She said that my pores look smaller and tighter. I didn't believe her but I started to notice the pores around my nose and cheeks area were more toned down. Pun intended, well, not really. Anyways, I also like the scent of this toner because it smells fresh and flowery.

Ultra-Fresh Moisturizer

"Ultra-Fresh Moisturizer, enriched with vitamins (CG, E, B5) and essential minerals (magnesium and calcium) to meet the five essentials needs of normal to combination skin types.

5 ACTIONS + RESULTS:

1. ALL DAY MOISTURE: glycerin-enriched formula with apricot oil and shea butter provides intense hydration.

2. REVITALIZES: gives skin a less tired appearance.

3. REFRESHES: gel texture provides immediate freshness and comfort to the skin.

4. SOFTENS: emollient-enriched formula works to reveal silky soft skin every day.

5. TONES: vitamin and mineral enriched formula leaves skin toned." - L'Oreal Canada

Approx. C$12.97

This is my favourite out of all three! I love putting this on my face because its cold all the time which is so refreshing. It definitely cools down my face. Also, I love the cream-gel texture because it moisturizes my face without feeling sticky. I would definitely purchase this after I used up mine.

L'Oreal has done good with this skin care line! I did break out which is normal because I have deviated from the usual products that I have used for months. But after a few days it was gone and my skin stayed relatively good.

I would definitely recommend this to those with the same skin as me. Just a reminder that I only reviewed their Ultra-Fresh Ritual line which means they have two more for uneven skin and sensitive skin. Hope this review helped! If you have any more questions, comment down below! Or if you have a different experience from mine, I am interested to hear about it in the comment section.

#BEYONDHYDRATION #5WORKS

Have a blessed day!