Oils that changed my face

I first wrote (a short impression) about my experience with Aragan oil in 2015. Has it really been that long? This was my gateway oil - all other oils followed. I think it was a good starting point - immediately hydrating dehydrated skin and improving its appearance - but I've moved on from it since. Overtime the argan oil proved too heavy on its own so I wanted something targeted more towards hormonal acne-prone skin. I found two oils that changed my face, and after finishing multiple bottles I also found alternatives that cost less.

A quick note: I have acne-prone, sensitive, combination skin.  
Often dehydrated, my face is swathed in redness, and I have Rudolph's red nose.

> Trilogy's Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ is an oil for dehydrated skins, and works to repair and replenish. It's the same as the brand's pure rosehip oil but boosted for more skin benefits. Love it! I realize Evening Primrose oil is better suited for hormonal acne sufferers such a myself (so if you can get your hands on it, do) but I know rosehip oil really helps to soften my skin and repair the damage to my delicate undereye area after I used eye cream (never again! not for me). It provides the right amount of moisture without blocking my pores, and that's a big ask for most products. I like that my skin looks glowy but not oily when I use it all over, and my redness subsides. The oil feels like a 'dry' oil, absorbs immediately into the skin and leaves a beautiful glow without any tackiness or residue. My face feels extremely smooth after using it. I like it for the undereyes and lips especially.

> The Odacite's Pimples oil - This potent blend of Black Cumin + Cajeput makes the best grandmother remedy. It really is a miracle oil for targeted treatment of suspected or enflamed cystic acne, as well as topical acne! When I stray from my diet and breakout, I know this will come to my rescue, disappearing the spots in a matter of days. It has a very powerful scent that I personally find pleasant, and feels like a wet oil that absorbs well. Really, I can only fault this one on its price vs. size issue (you get a measly 5 ml) - but as it's a targeted treatment the oil will actually last me several months (nine months at last check).

> Sunday Riley's U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil - After two bottles of Odacite's pimple oil I decided to look for the magic ingredient of Black Cumin in other oils. To my surprise Sunday Riley has one! Sunday is a notoriously expensive brand, both in looks and in practice, but as a good lesson on relativity - it's much cheaper in comparison to Odacite. With a long list of oils in this blend it is less potent than Odacite's though still effective. It has a strange green color added just for kicks and is unfortunatly thick and sticky so use at night. If you have severe acne I'd start with Odacite until you feel your skin is under control, then switch to this one because you can mix this into your moisturiser without crying over the cost.

> Pai Skincare's Bio Regenerate Oil - I bought this because it looked as clean as Trilogy's but you get more oil for your money. It's an orange tinted oil (this is reportedly a natural tint, not color they poured into it) that's mostly rosehip but has a bit of rosemary mixed in as well. It's heavier than Trilogy's oil with a tacky texture and does not absorb as quickly or fully into the skin so I love to use it mixed in with my moisturiser for a heavier nourishing feeling that lasts.

Yana Proviz Beauty retro lips review

YANA PROVIZ is my favorite Israeli YouTube beauty influencer. She's a professional makeup artist that creates easy-to-follow tutorials and educational clips in a fun and personable style. Two of my favorite videos of hers I keep returning to are the tutorials Eyeliner Effect Without Eyeliner for Weddings and Quick 50's PinUp Style Hair & Makeup (her channel is in Hebrew but she shows the steps, so for those of you who aren't Hebrew speakers you'll still be able to follow even if you mute her). (follow her on YouTube | Instagram | Facebook).

Last year Yana launched her own line of makeup under the brand name YANA PROVIZ BEAUTY (or YP Beauty for short). She started with a line of liquid lipsticks, which have since expended in shades and into glosses and a two-tone eyeliner cream. I really wanted to try them because she's a working makeup artist so I knew the products would be quality. Once she launched a bundle deal of matching liquid lip and gloss I quickly clicked over to the shop lest I'll miss it.

I didn't want to beat around the bush and went straight to the reds. I picked up the VERY GLAM Duo, which includes VERY HOLLYWOOD matte liquid lipstick and the VERY RETROACTIVE gloss (also sold separately). Because I love retro fashion I couldn't pass them up, no matter how many retro reds I have already. They are a classic red, balanced in warm and cold tones, though the gloss pulls cooler for that bright cold-red/white-teeth balance. For Besame fans, VERY HOLLYWOOD is the perfect liquid match to their 1946 revival Red Velvet. Still, only a true makeup enthusiast will relate - they're different just so than all the other reds I have, clearly they're a must buy!

First of all, the shopping experience on the site is very smooth and easy. It's rarely the case with Israeli shopping sites so I took note of it and appreciated it very much. They ship worldwide for free at a very reasonable price threshold too. I received an email from customer care because they needed my phone number for the courier so they have good followup. My purchase arrived in a week, which is fast for where I live, by a courteous courier who messaged and called ahead, and to top it all off the package was beautiful!

I shop online nearly exclusively so I've come to favor the places that take care to carry the shopping experience into their mail packaging.  It's all nice and well to have a flashy site, but if my products come in a janky mailer stuffed with bubble wrap, then I'm not going to remember you favourably. The first and best online retailer I found who knows this - every package arrives by courier and opens like a gift, no matter if I bought one or ten items - is Beautylish. YANA PROVIZ BEAUTY is the second.

QUICK CATCH UP IN 2018 0.2

Whenever I see a blog that hadn't been updated in months I wonder if it was abandoned or the person running it died. Well, none of it happened here. I'm not writing this from beyond the grave and ummm… I would describe this as an unintentional break. Like drifting away. For a time. Now I'm back!

But just to let you know I'm not dead. Only still very much not a prolific blog writer. And very much a procrastinator (why write that post about 40s style blouses when I can just tell you I'll write that post someday). I haven't even updated my professional site in months, and that can't be good for business. All I can say is that I spent this time working. No major upheavels or reasons to this hiatus, not even a short vacation - which makes this silence almost not worth it :/

I can say that there will be another post - hint in the photo - so there's that at least!

quick catch up in 2018

I survived my first 12 hours migraine - YAY! Just wanted to put it out there. I probably deserved it for spending about 2 straight weeks in pyjamas. Good news - I have on real clothes now! So something good came out of it.

I am disappointed with myself that I lost the momentum on social media after I spent weeks in December writing one blog post after another and keeping up with the Johnsons on instagram. I have 2 more scheduled posts on my work blog and then I am all out so I better start drafting new content. It shouldn't be too difficult since I am working on beautiful new designs for clients. I also have about 30 drafts on this blog as well, which has more to do with my unnecessary collection of coats (I do live in the Middle East after all) and my never-ending search for cute shoes (internet shopping has failed me!). But at least I popped over here to throw a line at you about the near-death pain I experienced last weekend, right? Just thinking about it gives me an echo headache, I swear.

Back to papercutting. I can be found on instagram most days if you're wondering, though I can't say I do it well. I'd still love to see you there! Anyone else concentrating on one online domain at a time? Which is your guilty pleasure?