hey !! I just got an email stating that I've been selected for the giveaway, which means that the confirmation emails are out :) be sure to check your emails !!

congratulations to the winners, and good luck next time for those who werent selected.

have a great day !!

somethinc giveaway

okay so.. i recently decided to treat myself and ordered some skincare, i'm super excited about it arriving !! it made me curious though, what have you guys most recently ordered? here's what i did :)

most recent skincare purchase

do you guys like to use snail mucin in your skincare or do you find the idea grosses you out too much?

i'm really only asking because I just used this product for the first time, and honestly it felt really nice

snail mucin

okay, the more i think about it it seems extremely unlikely for so many people on picky to actually win these giveaways, is there like a secret to winning or something?

How to win giveaways?

Hi, I've recently been using the Klairs unscented toner, which is good but I'm looking to find a new toner that I prefer better. Any recommendations?

Hydrating toners

Now for the reason I removed a star.

I really do like this cleansing balm, but I feel the manufacturing can be quite inconsistent. Sometimes, it&#39;s so thick that it&#39;s almost impossible to squeeze out of the tube, and other times when I squeezed the tube I got a straight jet of oil shot at me. I was rather disappointed with how much each bottle varies, as the first tube I got made me feel this could really be a holy grail product for me.

I would like to note that I have also seen others have similar complaints about inconsistencies with the product.

A great multipurpose balm

I remember being desperate to get my hands on this cleanser for ages but it was sold out everywhere, but I eventually managed to get it and found that it was worth the wait.

I&#39;ve never been too fond of the inkey list&#39;s packaging, however I&#39;m willing to overlook that as the quality of the product is more important, and you do get a decent amount of product for a very fair price with this one.

This cleansing balm is a great option for a first step cleanse - for those who wish to remove makeup and SPF before going in with another cleanser to remove dirt and impurities - or as a standalone product for those with sensitive or extremely dry skin. 

This product has a short but effective ingredients list, the main selling point ingredients being colloidal oatmeal and oat kernel oil, both soothing, hydrating and repairing ingredients. This is a very gentle cleansing balm that won&#39;t disrupt the skin&#39;s barrier.

For my personal experience, I really enjoyed it for the most part. I found it was very effective at removing my waterproof mascara, eyeliner and SPF. This balm was soothing to use and my skin always felt softer after use. I personally prefer to use a gel cleanser after the cleansing balm, because I have oily skin but I think it would be okay to use it as is if you have dryer skin. One thing to note is it has a bit of a grainy texture, which I don&#39;t mind but those with sensory issues should be wary of.

The inkey list states this cleansing balm can be left on for ten minutes as a hydrating face mask, but I did not find this beneficial to my skin personally.

Some negatives to note :(

It&#39;s very difficult, almost impossible to find any information on whether or not the brand is cruelty free, which is something that is very important to my personal morals when considering whether or not to purchase a product. Because of this, it&#39;s unlikely that I will repurchase this product until the brand makes their stance on animal testing more clear.

People who dislike silicone in skincare should avoid this product, as dimethicone is very high up on the ingredient list. I have never really understood why people do not like this ingredient as I find it nice and smoothing but to each their own.

People with extremely dry skin may not find this moisturising enough, especially in colder weather so they should probably look elsewhere.

Also, it can be quite pricey depending on your budget and is extremely difficult to get your hands on internationally, which is understandable as this is a smaller brand, so I can only hope that they can find success that allows them to make their brand more accessible to other countries.

I recieved this product through a picky giveaway :)
Usually I am a little skeptical of gel cream moisturisers as through past experiences I feel like they can sometimes not be moisturising enough for me despite my oily skin, but this product has proved me wrong.

INGREDIENTS - 
Soothing allantoin, oat extract and ceramides
hydrating algae extract, hyaluronic acid and glycerin
the superstar ingredient niacinimide, which soothes, brightens and helps fight acne.

PACKAGING - I love the packaging for this ! the pump mechanism is hygienic and effective - I&#39;ve used this twice a day everyday for a few weeks and still have almost all of the product left, I&#39;m glad this cream will last me a long time ! I also love the colour of the packaging and the way it looks.

EXPERIENCE - I wasn&#39;t expecting to like this product as much as I did, but wow ! within a week my skin looked and felt significantly smoother and softer. This is a lightweight, yet intensely hydrating and silky smooth formula. I love using this in the morning now that the weather is getting hotter, as it&#39;s lightweight and non-greasy while still being hydrating and a great base for my sunscreen. (my favourite is the isntree hyaluronic watery sun gel and they pair perfectly)  I&#39;ve also noticed my dark spots clear up significantly faster now, most likely due to the niacinimide. One ingredient that I was particularly interested in is the hydrolyzed algae extract, as I&#39;ve wanted to try it for a while but it usually comes with a steep price tag - for example la mer - so I was happy to be able to try it through the picky giveaway, it is hydrating and soothing as well as being completely packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Overall a powerhouse ingredient that I have noticed a huge difference in the quality of my skin, and I am so happy with how it&#39;s performed. Overall, I really enjoy using this moisturiser and I will seriously consider repurchasing after I&#39;ve used up the giveaway product.

Something else to note about the brand itself is that they put proceeds of their bakuchiol serum to planting trees, and have been working with environmental groups to aid customers in recycling the packaging of their products, so it can be seen that the brand is doing their part to help our environment, which is very important.

This product has quite a few essential oils, which sensitise my skin personally. I found, despite the green pigment which is in there to offset redness, the formula made my skin red and inflamed

I saw this product all over the internet and got the product as a free sample from a cult beauty order.
The star ingredient is tiger grass, which is a very soothing popular ingredient in K-beauty skincare products.
I wanted to like this, but I will explain in the negatives why I wasn&#39;t a fan.
Obviously, everyone&#39;s skin is different and what didnt work for me may work for you, so take this review lightly

Genuinely one of my all-time favourites

I received this moisturiser as a christmas gift, and honestly wasn&#39;t expecting to like it all that much as it is said to be suited to dryer skin types, and I have oily skin. I was entirely blown away with how well this worked for my skin.

The product is incredibly moisturising and soothing, so I do believe it would be good for dry skin types. 

I personally found that after using the product my skin was so much smoother, and had far less textural irregularities. I even noticed that my eye bags had smoothed out slightly, making them far less noticeable. I find this product performs best when used while my face is still damp from toner, I like to use the klairs supple unscented.

The packaging is simple yet such a pretty colour, reminds me of a breezy, clear spring sky. The pump does not dispense much product though, so multiple pumps may be necessary.

Highly recommend !!

Very expensive for how simple it is, I like this product but I dont think I will be repurchasing

Nice and hydrating, I really enjoy using this as my first step after cleansing. It has many soothing ingredients that my skin benefits from.

Saoirse