All posts tagged: Avene

Into the Glow

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Into the glow we go! After a long festive season, a polar vortex winter and the mother of all allergic reactions, I am more than ready to welcome Spring and reclaim that glow! I might have to wait a bit longer to feel that first crisp in the air or see those first buds on the trees, but I do have a few new tricks up my sleeve to lightly amp up the volume and get that soft lit-from-within effect I love. Preparation is key, no gorgeous painting without a pristinely prepped blank canvas, so after my morning routine, I apply a thin layer of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Arden Cream. A golden oldie, but as my nan always used say:  ” The classics never go out of style”, and this product is the textbook example of a classic! A thin layer of the thick cream seals in the moisture, acts as a barrier between my skin and the extreme elements we are battling this moment, and functions as a primer for the Bourjois Air …

Summer Favourites

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Summer really did flew by. Seems like only yesterday I was writing my June favourites post, fully intending to do one for July and one for August as well. Family issues took over, summer did not  feel like summer and before I knew it, September 1st had come and gone. However, there were a few products that I used (and repurchased) religiously these last two months, and it’s safe to say they’ve been crowned my summer favourites. I’ve gushed about the Avène Gentle Exfoliating Gel before (see this post), and described it as ‘gentle enough not to aggravate or strip my sensitive skin but efficient in it’s exfoliating ways’. It was inevitable that this was going to be one of my summer loves, it’s been repurchased, used, loved and recommended, and between this beauty and the Pixi Glow Tonic, I’ve got my exfoliation covered. Make up-wise, I’ve been loving the Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Universal Tinted Gel, Rosy Cheeks and Lips (what’s in a name), and not much else. Remember how last year’s summer somehow …

When In France….

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You do some pharmacy damage… It’s like an unspoken law that, whenever I (or just about any other beaty blogger for that matter) am in France, I feel this urge to plunder the biggest ‘pharmacie’ I come across on that trip. Sure, I need to show some restraint, otherwise my family travel budet is blown to pieces, so I draw up a ‘must have’ and a ‘would be nice to have’ list before, but it is a given that, whenever I am in France, even for a few hours, a local ‘pharmacie’ will be visited, and some hauling will be done. Here’s what I brought home this time: Biafine, known and loved by everyone, is a lifesaver in my household. My sensitive skin yearns for a touch of this ointment whenever I react badly to another product, burn my self whilst cooking or even when I get sunburned. Another product that I repurchased for the gazillionth time is the La Roche-Posay Serozinc Spray, the simple formula of Zinc Sulphate, Sodium Chloride and the La Roche-Posay Thermal …

An Abundance Of Oils

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What better universe to divulge yourself in than that delightful, aromatic, silky soft and golden hued one of body and face oils? My devotion to oil is no secret here on LeenLovesStyle, and with a love so devout an intense, why stick to only one product? These 4 have been on rotation lately, and here’s a little breakdown of each of them: The Avène Body Oil has long been a darling of mine, and is the epitome of minimalism. No frills or thrills, but boy does this oil deliver! Thanks to avocado and calendula oil, it breathes life back into parched skin, takes it from croco to soft & supple. Plus, the Avène Thermal Spring Water in it has this heavenly soothing effect on my itching and dry limbs. Sheer hydrating heaven! Another golden oldie in my collection is the Caudalie Huile Divine / Divine Oil, and quite frankly, the clue is in the title. Divine by name, divine by nature, this oil raised the bar when it first launched several years ago. Not only …

Testing Testing

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Not all that comes in, makes it onto the blog. Mainly because t didn’t work for me, wasn’t suitable for my skin or simply because I only have one face, and rather test certain things thoroughly than go for a new product every week. These products have been tried and tested over the last few months, and most of them have been added to my cabinet or routine without much fanfare or mention on this blog, but I still wanted to shine a light on them. The Origins Gin-Zing Energy Boosting Moisture does exactly what it says, it moisturizes and boosts. My Sahara skin needs more when the temperatues drop, but  this might be the perfect summer moisturiser. However, when combined with the Collistar Hyaluronic Acid Drops and Avène Hydrance Hydrating Serum, it becomes (for a while) a different story. The hydration levels go through the roof at first, and keep my skin going until well in the afternoon. However, having to top it up late afternoon is what’s stopping me from going full on …

Covering my bases with the essentials

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It is no secret that I absolutely love love love Avène! Several friends recently asked me if I could recommend some great skincare brands, and so I got to thinking. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that, even though they all have different skintypes and issues they want to adress, my mind kept going back to one brand in particular. Avène has been a lifesaver of mine in more situations that I dare to admit, having saved and soothed my skin after an allergic reaction to another brand more times than I can recall. But where to start? What to go for first? As the wise Julie Andrews would sing: “Let’s start at the very beginning!”. Keeping that in mind, Avène released ‘The Essentials’, a duo that takes us way back to the basics, proving that all that glitters ain’t gold when it comes to skincare. Sure, us bloggers can be real magpies when it comes to new products, but sometimes it’s good to realise that content is far more important than packaging, …

Winter essentials – Body Care

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Even tough temperatures aren’t as winter-y as they should be, I’m still indulging in a winter routine as if the outside temperatures are below arctic levels. It may not be freezing, but somehow my skin seems to think it does, and has turned into large sheets of sandpaper *winter skin alert*. Time to bust out the anti-winter guns! Nothing beats the winter blues like a good shower (not too long, not too hot unfortunately…), and when you say shower, you say Nivea! Like a big, fluffy, comforting hug made of soap, the Nivea Care & Cocoa is sheer indulgence for my skin (without the fancy price tag). A pure shot of shea butter, with a soft, subtile scent to match. Under the motto: “If it’s good enough for my children, it’s definitely good for me!” the Uriage Cleansing Protection Oil is a relatively new addition to the shower shelf, but one with an impact. One of the few products that works for both mine and Little Miss C’s diva skin, this one got bumped to …

An Office Worthy Make Up Menu

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A day at the office might not be the best time to try that new gold eyeliner or show off those killer smokey eyes tricks you’ve got, but not wearing any make up when at work? That’s a no go! Secret is keeping it fresh enough so you’ll look awake and refreshed all day long, even after back to back meetings, but at the same time soft enough so that your colleagues can focus on what you’re saying, and not the warpaint on your face. Step one, the new Avène Hydrance Optimale Skin Tone Perfector Rich. After all the BB, CC, DD cream fails of the past year, this one takes it back to basics or me. Hydration, an SPF 30, light reflecting  and soft focus particles for that summer-y hint of colour, I like! A little touch of the Dior Diorskin Nude Air loose powder sets everything in place, and the NARS Douceur blush is the blush numero une for an invisible perk-me-up boost. Next up, the eyes. My Dior quintet in Amber Design is …

Everyday handbag essentials

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“Show me your handbag and I’ll know all about you”. If you take one look at my handbag and it’s contents, and you’ll see immediately that I am a big control freak, and like to be prepared for just about anything that could happen. Less is more definitely does not apply to what I lugg around on a daily  basis, and while the exact content might vary from day to day, these are the absolute essentials I always need with me! Bobby pins and elastic bands for my hair are a no brainer, I love wearing my hair down but can not stand it falling in front of my eyes when I’m working on my laptop… A lip balm is a year round necessity as well, the Kenzoki Balm for Lips to Kiss is a new discovery that has my lips loving it. A transparant, hydrating, buttery texture that sinks in easily, perfect for on-the-go touch ups. Another Kenzoki favourite is the Kenzoki Cream with a Sheen, for those moments my skin needs some extra …

I’m an Avène Skin Care Ambassador!

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Finally!!! After months of having to bite my tongue, I can finally let you in on a personal secret that I’ve been keeping for far too long. Together with 4 other amazing bloggers I’ve been selected to be a beautiful part of the official Avène Belgium Bloggers Team! As official Avène Skin Care ambassador (how I love that title!), we get to spoil you with tips and tricks, reviews, new product launches, inside info and anything else you want to know. For example, want to know why the Avène Thermal Water is the best option out there, and what else it does besides soothing and refreshing? Head on over to my first article as Skin Care Ambassador (for Dutch-speaking readers only sadly), and let me know what you think! http://blog.eau-thermale-avene.com/BE-nl/2015/08/05/avene-thermaal-water/