Bobbi Brown Skincare Purchases: My staple toner of choice

So Bobbi Brown had its Friends & Family Sale with 20% off. This should also remind you that you should sign up for newsletter if you want to get discounts for brands you are interested in purchasing new items. Aside from Sephora Friends & Family sale, it is pretty difficult to get discounts on skincare items so this is definitely the way to land on good discounted brand-name skincare or makeup.

I am currently trying to trim down my makeup stash so no makeup purchase unfortunately, but I purchased skincare items. 

Bobbi Brown

Hydrating Face Tonic 

$30

This has a divine herbal fragrance and it is great at taking off some leftover makeup when I have missed any from my cleansing routine. It appears to have helped me with my occasional breakout. I have used the Bobbi Brown Brightening toner before and I do not see much difference although this toner is cheaper. I would repurchase it when I run out.

Hydrating Face Cream

$55

I love Bobbi's face creams. One of my favorite cream from them is her extra repair eye cream. They have great consistency and restores moisture very well even in harsh weather such as in New York now. I don't see any remarkable effects other than hydration, but I would think this could be a very good staple cream for any type of skin. 

http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/
Catherine xx

Byredo Parfums: Black Saffron Eau de Parfum

BLACK SAFFRON by BYREDO

Eau de Parfum

Made in France

Top: Pomelo, Saffron, Juniper Berry

Heart: Black Violet, Accord Cuir, Cristal Rose

Base: Blond Woods, Raspberry, Vetiver

One of my latest perfume purchases was this beauty of a fragrance, Black Saffron, by ByredoIt is a bit on the synthetic side, not so subtle. It has raspberry accord which gives it a bit of a tang and lusciousness. I hoped for more saffron as per its name sake and more leather. But both of these qualities are not very strong which makes it wearable but there is a bit of both Saffron and leather and it is great as it gives a bit of a dirtiness to the crisp transaprency of cristal rose and berries. The vetiver tones down the uber-feminine qualities and makes it earthy. 

I wasn't such a great fan because of its crisp and almost synthetic quality but it has definitely grew on me as I wear it more and more.

Catherine xx

London Shopping: Books, Tea, Cleansing Balm

Koenig Books are one of my favorite bookstores in the world.

EVE LOM cleanser 

is a great cleansing balm with wonderful buttery texture and such relaxing aromatic and herbal scent. You can use muslin cloth to take it off, but I like to use just warm water and it leaves my skin feeling perfectly cleansed and pores feeling unclogged. 

Teapigs Liquorice and Peppermint Tea

One of my favorite naturally sweet teas. I wish we had teapigs in North America but I have only seen it in London.

Catherine xx

The Three Masketeers: Three Gorgeous face masks for three different purposes

I love face masks. I have tried many and have struggled to find different ones that work for my skin for different purposes. I have come to a conclusion about face masks and they come in three for me.

Cleansing mask

Exfoliating mask

and Moisturizing Mask

Cleansing mask: 

This is the type for everyday uses. You can use cleansing masks as often as two-three times a week. Clay masks are a type of cleansing masks. Great for clogged skin, combination skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin or just anyone who lives in polluted areas.

Cleansing mask of my choice is Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque.

It is a lightweight clay mask that dries to a hard finish. Cleans the pores like no other without making my poor winter-weathered dry skin uncomfortable.

Exfoliating mask:

Exfoliating masks can be enzyme-based or chemical-based. Most common are AHA (such as Glycolic or Lactic Acid) or BHA (such as Salicylic Acid) based. These can get your pores ultra clean and help with lightening the hyper-pigmentation or dullness. Could get tingling sensation and a bit of redness but it will pass. You should not use it in the morning because it will make your skin too sensitive to the sun. But amazing for night time use so the next day you can look glowing in the morning.

REN Glycolactic Renewal Mask

Quite an intense exfoliating mask with both Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid. I only use it once a week and I believe it keeps my skin problems at bay such as hyper-pigmentations and blemishes. 

and Moisturizing Mask:

This is the type of masks for dry, sensitive, and/or dehydrated skin. Great to use anytime such as night before a big event or in the morning. And Unlike other masks that need to be washed off, you can keep it on through the night. 

Galénic Argan Oil Extreme Comfort Mask

(from French Pharmacies)

Good but not the best. One that I would recommend is Origins moisturizing mask with Apricot oil. I have very dry skin and I usually wear it as a sleep mask when I go to bed.

Catherine xx

Flea Marketing in Paris: Porte de Clignancourt Review

Porte de Clignancourt in Paris. Pretty lousy near the metro station, but go through Marché Dauphine which is a large indoor market and to the back and you might find some gems
Marché Dauphine in Porte de Clignancourt has a diverse selection of goods, not the best place for good price, but it surely is a cool place to check out if you like old things.

Good if you collect old prints and old photos and love doing DIY projects.
And good selection of various furniture and trinkets, a bit on the expensive side.
If you like very nice and expensive vintage dresses,
there are a few stores in the back of the indoor market.

I hope you enjoyed this brief review on the flea market and more Paris stories to come.
Catherine xx

Spring Makeup: Dior Purchase & Dark Nails for Spring?

Not too long ago, I have purchased a few Dior bits and they are gorgeous and perfectly spring appropriate. It isn't really very spring-like in New York yet, so it really is more of a preparation, but one can only hope for warmer weather to show up soon.

Dior blush in 656 Coral Croisette

Dior Vernis in 970 Nuit 1947

 The blush is beautiful and definitely a perfect spring color. 

Good mixture of pink and orange, as all good coral blush should be. 

The nail polish is surprisingly wonderful for spring. 

It is quite dark yet it has very nice warm purple undertones that can be seen in daylight.

 Left to Right
Top row: NARS Deep Throat, Chantecaille The Coral Reefs Palette
Bottom row: Dior blush in 656 Coral Croisette, NARS Orgasm

Left to Right
NARS Deep Throat
Chantecaille The Coral Reefs Palette, 
Dior blush in 656 Coral Croisette
NARS Orgasm
It seems to me that the dior blush is most similar to the notorious Nars Orgasm, but less shimmery. But all four of these coral blushes are lovely and wearable.

Dior Nuit 1947

Chanel 563 Vertigo

Kure Bazaar Chérie

Some of my favorite dark nailpolishes. 

I wish I had swatches of all of them but for now we will admire the Nuit 1947 swatch below.

Dior Nuit 1947 in action:

with a selection of colorful macarons from Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki 

and who knew that dark nail polish can look great along with bright colors!

More muted / dark nail ideas from Net-A-Porter

If you know any gorgeous dark colors still appropriate for the warmer weather, do share.

Catherine xx

Revival In Order: Paris and More.

I have been gone for a while. A few years ago, I started this blog with the vague idea that I would collect images and such that interest me and compile them in a neat way. 

Since then I have lived in Paris for a little bit and now I am back in New York. 

I want to blog bits from my time in Paris in all its glory and commemorate what I can, before my memory really fades. I hope to blog and review beauty items, especially fragrances. 

I had some beautiful moments and they will never come back, 

but I can try to hold on to them just a little longer. 

I plan to upload regularly and I hope you all come back for some more.

Catherine xx