Does cold water really close pores?

Nope. This popular and old beauty tip is just a myth.

Pores can’t open or close like doors. They don’t have muscular attachment. What cold water can do is only preventing them from producing excess oil.

If, after washing your face with cold water, you notice that you pores are a teensy bit smaller, then you probably used an exfoliating product too. You see, the size of your pores is determined genetically, but when they are clogged up with dead skin cells and sebum, they stretch and look larger than they normally would. Using an exfoliating product, especially one with Salicylic Acid which can get inside the pores and get rid of all the gunk that has accumulated in there, can make them go back to their normal size.

Retinoids, according to a 2002 study, can also help in reducing pore size by speeding up cell turnover and stimulating collagen production, which tightens skin. Tight skin = smaller pores. And, of course, you shouldn’t forget the sunscreen. As we all know, collagen and elastin deplete with age. As a result, the pores begin to stretch and sag, looking bigger.

This is why even women who never suffered from large pores can experience this problem when they’re nearing 50. Now, the depletion of elastin and collagen is accelerated by unprotected sun exposure, so to keep your pores from looking bigger when you’re older, using a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily is a must.

So, there you have it. To reduce the size of your pores, use exfoliants, retinoids and sunscreen. Cold water just won’t work, no matter how much your splash on your face.

Do you have large pores? How do you deal with them?

Image courtesy of Akeeris / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I scream: ice cream! There’s nothing more refreshing than a fruity or creamy ice cream on a hot summer’s day. Essence invites you to make a quick stop at an ice cream cart in July 2013 with the trend edition “me & my ice cream”. Soft sorbet shades like beige, vanilla, apricot, pink, lavender and mint as well as awesome products in a cool retro look will melt your heart. And in case your hands get a little sticky while you enjoy your ice cream, you can simply use the practical hand wipes to clean them up again! Gelati, gelati with essence!

BAKED EYESHADOW
These longwearing eyeshadows, available in mint, apricot and caramel shades, have a cool marble effect. The shades are called 01 Cone Head, 02 Icylicious and 03 Always In My Mint.

CREAM BLUSH
This blush, which has a creamy texture, is available in 01 Ice Bomb, a pigmented apricot shade that provides a natural fresh pop of colour to your cheeks.

SHIMMER PEARLS
These shimmering pearls, which come in different shades, provide a subtle glow to your face and cover up small imperfections such as redness. Available in 01 I-cy U.

LIP BALM
These cool lip balms, which feature a cool twist effect, are available in three different color combinations: lavender-vanilla, apricot-beige and pink-mint. They are called 01 Ice, Ice Baby, 02 Icylicious and 03 Ben & Cherries.

NAIL POLISH
Available in four pastel shades: 01 Ben & Cherries, 02 Always In My Mint, 03 Ice, Ice Baby and 04 Icylicious.

NAIL TOPPING STICKER
Available in 01 Rainbow Sprinkles.

HAND WIPES
Keep your hands fresh and clean with this strawberry ice cream scented wipes. Available in 01 I Scream Ice Cream.

The collection will be in stores in July. What do you think of it?

Name: Ultra Plush Lipgloss in Coralista
Brand: Benefit
Size: 15ml
Price: $1600

From Sephora’s website:
This dazzling lip gloss drenches your lips in brilliant shine and a burst of juicy color that’s never sticky. Loaded with crystal brilliance, color glides on smooth

What I liked:
- it provides a sheer wash of coral colour with a natural shiny finish
- texture is comfortable and non-sticky
- if you like matching your gloss to your blush, this is for you
- cute packaging
- summery melon scent

What I didn’t like:
- if you like pigmented glosses, this is not for you
- doesn’t last long on the lips

Some people think matching makeup is some sort of crime, but I love it. It’s easier and quicker for me to get ready in the morning if I don’t have to think about what gloss will go well with my blush, you know? That’s why I was very excited when, last year, Benefit released the Ultra Plush Lipglosses, a line of glosses inspired by their six most popular Boxed Powders. Even their packagings have the same design. How cute is that?

My favourite Benefit Boxed Powder is Coralista, a pinkish coral shade I got last year as a part of set, which contained also the matching lipgloss. The Coralista gloss is an orangey coral shade with no shimmers. It has a glossy finish that’s not too shiny. Colour payoff is very sheer: it gives your pout just the tiniest hint of colour that looks however, very natural and flattering.

The texture is not thick, but not lightweight either. You can definitely feel you have it on, but it is still comfortable to wear and offers just a touch of moisture, which is always nice. Also, the texture isn’t sticky at all. While most people will be happy with that, it also means its staying power is rather poor. I get only two hours of wear, so I often have to reapply it throughout the day. Oh, and did I mention that Coralista has a delicious melon scent? It makes this shade feel even more summery.

Available at: boots and sephora

Summary
Despite its poor staying power, Benefit Ultra Plush Lipgloss in Coralista is a great shade for summer. Sheer and shiny, it feels comfortable on the lips, isn’t sticky and smells like melon. And I love being able to match my gloss to my blush.

Rating: 4/5

Paul & Joe’s fall collection features glowy shades for eyes and cheeks, and richer hues for the lips to transform you into a fairytale princess. The packaging, as always, is whimsical and pretty. Here are more details:

EYE COLOR SET CS ($38.00)
Princess (085): creamy pink, soft lavender and champagne gold
Fairytale (086): snow white, dusty rose and sparkling silver
La Belle Époque (087): lovely lilac, smoky charcoal and platinum

LIQUID EYELINER ($25.00)
True Black (01): deep black
Sepia Brown (02): natural brown

LOOSE FACE POWDER ($36.00) / POWDER BOX (18.00)
This pretty powder has an airy light texture that provides a youthful glow to the complexion and absorbs excess oil. Available in three shades, all housed in Paul & Joe’s signature white and pink box:
Cameo (01): powdery pink adds a healthy hue for luminous cheeks
Fair (02): soft sandy shade makes you the fairest of them all
Buff (03): warm beige tone leaves skin with a healthy, radiant glow

LIPSTICK CS ($17.00)
Once Upon A Time… (081): bright and bold pumpkin
Far, Far Away (082): soft pink
Happily Ever After (083): rich magenta

LIPSTICK CASE CS ($5.00)
(009): perfect pastel leaves dance across this gorgeous, grey case
(010): dreamy, peachy rosebuds evoke the essence of a fairytale land
(011): the trendy tribal print makes for a wildly wonderful case

TREATMENT SERUM MASK ($60.00)
This serum masks promise to hydrate, soothe and illuminate skin.

Not all the products will be released at the same time. The eyeshadow sets, lipsticks and eyeliners will be available in August and everything else will slowly follow in September and October. Will you be getting anything?

Source

Hello everyone,

and welcome to another week of random ramblings. Don’t forget to share yours with me. In the meantime, here are mine:

Wishlist, Vol.08

1. Emmy Francesca Jet Sandals: Emmy is a wonderful little boutique that creates feminine and vintage-inspired shoes and accessories embellished with Swarovski crystal, Mother of Pearl shell and silk satins. The Francesca sandals is heavily jewelled in jet black crystal and beads with gold trim, and lined in leather with a natural nubuck sole. Oh, and did I mention Emmy offers bespoke services too?

2. Sumptuous Two Tone Eye-Opening Mascara: open your eyes with this dual-ended mascara. On one side, it features a black shade with a big brush to add volume to your top lashes, while on the other a brown shade and a smaller brush to add smudge-free, natural colour to the lower lashes. It is also available in black and purple, and in black and blue. Isn’t this such a cool idea?

3. NYX Parallel Worlds Box: inspired by The Mortal Instruments, this beautiful makeup kit features a 6 colour smokey palette, the perfect pink blush, a neutral pink matte lip cream, black liquid liner, a vibrant jumbo eye pencil, and volumizing mascara. Everything you need to create an innocent day look inspired by Clary or a sultry night look inspired by Isabel.

4. Sephora Pro Visionary Perfecting Concealer Brush #101: a concealer brush with curved bristles that perfectly fits in the natural contours of the delicate eye area for efficient, full coverage with a soft touch. I’m really intrigued by the shape, it’s so unusual.

5. The Balm En Route Give Me Volume Conditioner: I’m always looking for ways to give my straight, fine, and flat hair some volume. This lightweight conditioner promises to do just that. And isn’t the retro-style packaging adorable?

6. Rouge Bunny Rouge Incantation Fragrance: this oriental floral fragrance features top notes of citrus accord, blackcurrants, fig leaf, and green tea; the heart is a blend of rose, orange blossom, coriander and cardamom; the drydown is a woody accord that includes notes of vetiver, cedarwood, beeswax, and musk.

7. Lizzy and Darcy Tote Bag: I love this Pride & Prejudice inspired tote bag featuring a cute image of Elizabeth and Darcy on the front and a quote from the book on the back. It’s the perfect accessory for any Janeite.

What I’m Reading Now

The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir. Alison Weir is one of my favourite historians because her academic works are so approachable and read like novels. Yet, I find her novels dull, and this was no exception. The Lady Elizabeth tells the story of Elizabeth I before she became Queen. In the book Weir tries to answer questions such as what Elizabeth thought of her mother, Anne Boleyn, beheaded when she was just a toddler, how she formed her resolution never to marry, what happened between her and Thomas Seymour, the husband of her stepmother Katherine Parr, with whom she lived, often taking poetic licence to make up facts she explains in the appendix she believes never happened. The portrait that comes out of Elizabeth is of a precocious, well-educated and highly-intelligent young woman who managed to survive her stepsister’s reign, when she was confined to the Tower under suspicions of treason, to become Queen. I only wish the book was written in a more engaging style and faster pace. It’s a good book, but not exactly what you’d call a page-turner.

The Links

The Beauty Brains explains the risks of using the foil method to remove nail polishes.

Hair Romance shows us how to do an updo in short hair.

Realize Beauty counts the chemicals we put on our bodies each day.

While you’re there, also check out the follow-up post on how many chemicals we put on our bodies when we go organic (yes, natural ingredients ARE chemicals too!).

Beautyholics Anonymous rants about skin whitening.

Sunday Survey, Vol.155

1. Worst thing about summer?
Mosquito bites! Summer has started only a week ago here and I’m already full of them!

2. How often do you wash your hair?
Mine is oily, so I have to wash it every other day. And thank goodness for dry shampoo!

3. What sounds can you hear right now?
The annoying noise of the washing machine, and the more cheerful one of birds chirping outside my window.

4. Matte or shimmering bronzer?
I use it only for contouring, so definitely matte.

5. Do you think boots can be worn in summer?
I’d say it depends on the weather. If it’s a chilly summer day, why not? But here, summers are usually way too hot for boots.

It’s your turn now!
1. Worst thing about summer?
2. How often do you wash your hair?
4. Matte or shimmering bronzer?
3. What sounds can you hear right now?
5. Do you think boots can be worn in summer?

What it is
Decyl Glucoside is derived by reacting decyl alcohol with a form of glucose.

What it does
Decyl Glucoside is a gentle surfactant: it helps dirt and oil to be mixed with water so that they can be rinsed off. Because it has an alkaline ph (7 to 9.5), it needs to be used together with an acidic ingredient, such as citric acid, that will bring it down to the ph of the skin.

Side effects
Decyl Glucoside is generally considered to be safe.

When a beauty blogger has been blogging for some time, chances are she has accumulated more products that she’ll ever be able to use in a lifetime. Keeping them in a drawer gathering dust would be a waste, so she decides to hold a blog sale. That way, she gets rids of something that she doesn’t use, and someone else will be able to snap up a product they’ve been lusting after for some time.

Blog sales are a great way to get your hands on LE products you might have missed or on items that aren’t available in your country, and at an affordable price too! It’s a win-win situation. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be careful. There is always the chance, albeit small, that something could go wrong. Here are a few tips on how to avoid any problems and make sure you’re getting a good deal:

1. Find a blog sale

If you follow lots of blogs, you’ll surely come across a few sales every now and then. But there are a couple of ways of finding blogs sales held by bloggers you don’t know yet. You can subscribe to MUA Blog Sales, a blog that lists blog sales held my Make Up Alley members. This is a great option for those who feel uneasy about purchasing products from a stranger as you can check out the seller’s feedback on MUA and find out how reliable and trustworthy they are (or aren’t). Another useful tool to find blog sales is Twitter. Simply check out the #blogsale hashtag for a list of bloggers who are holding one. You can’t check out feedback this way, but if the seller has an established blog, chances are she won’t do anything to ruin her reputation.

2. Read the terms and conditions carefully

Blog sales work on a first come first served basis, so it may be tempting to order the items you’re interested in straight away for fear someone else may snap them up if you’re not quick enough. But before contacting the seller, you should always read the terms and conditions carefully. Will the seller hold an item for you if you can’t pay straight away? Do they offer refunds if you should be unhappy with your purchase? How will they ship your order and how do they want to be paid? And if you have any questions the blogger hasn’t answered in the post, email them and ask them. Knowing the terms and conditions in advance will guarantee a smooth transaction and avoid problems in the future.

3. Double check the prices

When the prices are low, it’s easy to get carried away and order quite a lot of stuff. But just because something is cheap, it doesn’t mean that it is a good deal. Remember that you’ll also have to pay for shipping costs so you need to factor them in when you intend to make a purchase or you may end up paying a lot more than you initially thought. Also, be aware of the prices of LE edition products. When these become rare, the blogger may be tempted to charge outrageously high prices for it, and it’s just not worth it. You should never pay more than a product costs, especially if it has been used, or even just swatched.

4. Don’t buy unsanitized products

A lot of people prefer not to buy used makeup because they are afraid of getting an infection. But that happens only when a product hasn’t been properly sanitized. How else could makeup artists safely use the same product on hundreds of people? So, if you’re planning to buy an used item, make sure the seller knows how to sanitize it and, once you receive it, give it another cleaning yourself. I do this whenever I purchase something from a blog sales and have never experienced any problems. However, not everything can be sanitized. I’m talking about mascaras, liquid eyeliners and lipglosses. Unless you know the blogger has always used a disposable wand and never double dipped, it’s wise to stay away from these products. I admit that I have bought a couple of used lipglosses in the past because I really loved the shades (and thank goodness nothing bad happened), but I’d never consider using an used mascara or eyeliner. It’s just not worth the risk.

5. Always used registered post

Registered post may be more expensive, but it will also give you peace of mind. You’ll be able to track your parcel online, so you’ll always know where it is and when to expect it. Also, if you’re not at home often, you may want to have the package delivered at your work address. That way, your it won’t be left lying in front of your doorstep for hours, during which time it could be damaged or stolen.

6. Pay with Paypal (but no “gift” payment)

I always pay with paypal whenever I buy something online. Not only it is quick and convenient, but you can also get a refund if something goes wrong. Unless you send the money as a gift, that is. Some sellers will ask you to do that to avoid paying fees, and while this may seem a harmless request, you should comply with it only if you know the blogger well and trust her. Although most bloggers are trustworthy, you may want to make sure you can get a refund, just in case. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Do you like blog sales? Have you ever purchased anything from them?

What’s your body care routine?

My answer: I use a gentle body wash and then apply a body butter. My favourites are from Haus Of Gloi. If I remember, I’ll also exfoliate, but it’s rare lol.