Thursday 29 March 2012

Spring FOTD: feat Revlon Lip Butter Raspberry Pie

Spring FOTD Revlon Lip Butter

As I mentioned in a previous post I bought Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation and have been loving it. It’s light coverage, and looks really naturally flawless on the skin. It really is a gorgeous foundation for spring, but I’ll stop gushing now and tell you what else I’m wearing!

Most of the products used in this are from Boots/Superdrug and I’m really falling back in love with my more inexpensive make up lately.

FACE

Borujois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation in 51

Vichy Dermablend Coverstick in Porcelain

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer in Vanilla

MAC Blot Powder

No7 Highlighter

Fashionista Blush in Glowing

EYES

Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo On and On Bronze

MUA Glam Days Palette

Inglot Gel Eyeliner

Maxfactor False Lash Effect Mascara

Vivo Brow Kit

Lips

Revlon Lip Butter Raspberry Pie

Tuesday 27 March 2012

French Pharmacy Skincare: Micellar Solutions

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Skincare has become a bit of an obsession lately. I have discovered a lot of  new products and brands that I had never tried.  I didn’t really know anything about French pharmacy brands, that was until I started watching Lisa Eldridge’s and A Model Recommends videos. That combined with the current 1/3 off at www.escentual.com/ and the 3 for 2 at Boots (finished on Tuesday) has meant I have now found my self with quite a stash of French Skincare.

Micellar Solutions are make up removers/cleansers, and in the bottle they jus look like water. Micellars are an oil in water formula which make make up removal really quick and easy. The most famous Micellar is the Bioderma Crealine H20, which I haven’t tried as it is very hard to get hold of in the UK.

I am currently using two Micellars; La Roche Posay Physiological Micellar Solution and Vichy Normaderm Micellar Solution (For Imperfection Prone Skin). They both remove make up really quickly and leave my skin feeling clean and fresh. I use three cotton pads; one for my face and one each for my eyes. I leave the ones on my eyes on for as long as possible, so they can really break down the make up, and I then don’t have to rub my eyes at all.

Unlike face wipes (which I despise) they don’t just rub the make up and grime around your face, they seem to just hoover up all the product from my face! Although these are very good at removing make up, they are very gentle and suitable for all skin types.

I have sensitive oily skin that is also very reactive. If my skin doesn’t like something, I will know about it the next morning! I haven’t had any bad reactions to either of these, but I do feel the Vichy one suits me better. There isn’t a massive difference between the two but the Vichy Normaderm makes me less oily than I usually would be.

I usually use these before doing a second cleanse with whatever cleanser I am using (currently Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser) but if I’m so tired all I want to do is go to bed I will just use one of these. I have also used them for cleansing in the morning, when my skin is too sensitive to use water.

I will be doing a couple more of these posts about other types/brands of French Skincare I am loving, which at the minute is a lot as it all seems to work for my sensitive skin.

If you are interested in French Pharmacy Brand you should definitely check out this video from A Model Recommends (link) and this one from Lisa Eldridge (link)

Do you use any French Pharmacy Brands? Let me know in the comments!

Monday 26 March 2012

Revlon Lip Butters: Candy Apple, Crème Brulee and Raspberry Pie

Revlon Lip Butters New UK US Release Boots

Well after a long and over hyped wait Revlon Lip Butters have finally landed in the UK. The lip balm/lipstick hybrids come in 14 different shades here (as opposed to the 20 that were released in the US) and range from nudes to reds to bright pink. I picked up 3 shades from Boots, and made use of the current 3 for 2 across all cosmetics. They cost £7.99 each so I got all three for £15.98.

Revlon Lip Butters Balms New Swatches Boots

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Crème Brulee

Revlon Lip Butters Candy Apple

Candy Apple

Revlon Lip Butter Raspberry Pie

Raspberry Pie

The shade range is good, there are few too many baby pink shades for my liking but other than that every skin tone should find a shade that should suit them! These have quite a thick consistency and although the shades I have are very pigmented they still manage to be slightly translucent, making the brighter shades a lot easier to wear.

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Crème Brulee ~ Raspberry Pie ~ Candy Apple

These look really pretty on the lips, they don’t have an over the top shine, or look thick like a traditional lipstick. They do fade, and after about 2 – 3 hours I need to reapply, but they don't look patchy when they fade, they leave more of a stained effect.

For me these live up to the hype. Not because they are amazing, do it all wonder products, but because they are easy to wear, they are convenient to put in your hand bag,  they’re more pigmented than a lip balm but more comfortable to wear than a lipstick. Chances are I’ll be picking up a few more of these, I had wanted to get Pink Truffle but my nearest Boots had sold out, I also quite fancy getting Lollipop.

Have you tried any Revlon Lip Butters? Do you believe the hype?

Revlon Lip Butters are available at Boots and Superdrug and cost £7.99

Saturday 24 March 2012

Elemis Fresh Skin Super Boost Moisturising Serum

Elemis Fresh Skin SUper Boost Moisturising Serum

Elemis Fresh Skin SUper Boost Moisturising Serum Good Moisturiser Young Skin

Elemis is a brand I have always been intrigued but they are definitely a luxury brand, and they are just a little bit out of my price range! The Elemis Fresh Skin line is aimed at young skin (they say 16 to 25) and is much more affordable than the regular line, it’s still by no means cheap but it’s comparable to Clinique or Liz Earle’s pricing.

The Fresh Skin range will soon be launched at Superdrug, making it an easy to find and affordable option, for most. I was sent the Fresh Skin Super Boost Moisturising Serum to try.

The packaging is simple, functional but still nice enough to have on your dressing table. As with all Elemis products, the box carries the Elemis promise; all their products are free from Parabens, SLS, SLES, DEA, Mineral Oil, Artificial Colours and Silicones. Elemis focus on high performance natural ingredients and the lack of nasties in them make them a good option for all skin types.

This has a gorgeous texture, it’s really light and sinks in quickly, but still manages to be really moisturising. I have been using this morning and night, and I find it moisturising enough for my oily/sensitive skin, but if your skin needs more moisture you could follow it with a moisturiser.

I have loved using this product and I will definitely be buying it when it runs out, and will be checking out the moisturisers when they launch in store. If you don’t like heavy night creams or need an extra kick of moisture in your routine, this product is well worth a look.

Elemis Fresh Skin Super Boost Serum costs £18, and will be available at Superdrug.

Have you tried any products from Elemis?

Disclosure – Product sent by PR for consideration.

Friday 23 March 2012

FOTD: Current Favourites

Current Favourite FOTD

I have been buying way too much stuff lately. I have used quite a lot of stuff up, I was going to do an empties post but I have chucked most of it away (d’oh!) alas some products are refusing to die. I haven’t been getting on with MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish lately but it seems like its never going to run out!

I have been loving the L’Oreal Lumi Magique foundation lately (reviewed here) which I used here, but I have just picked up the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation to try! I’m slowly very quickly becoming a foundation addict, craving a medium coverage and a healthy glow. I’ve also got my eye on the new Bourjois Flower Perfection foundation, and the 123 foundation that’s launching soon. The current 3 for 2 at Boots doesn’t help!

Face

L’Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation (C1)

Vichy Dermablend Foundation (Porcelain)

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (Light)

MAC Harmony Blush

Fashionista Rose Glow Blush

No7 Vital Enlightening Highlighter

Eyes

Maybelline On and On Bronze Colour Tattoo

Naked Palette

L’Oreal Black Lacquer Liner

Maxfactor False Lash Effect Mascara

Vivo Brow Kit

Lips

MAC Kinda Sexy

I picked up a few Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters today so look out for a review on those soon!

Wednesday 21 March 2012

No7 Vital Enlightening Highlight Powder

No7 Vital Brights Highlighter

No7 Vital Brights Highlighter Swatches Review Blog

Wearing No7 Vital Brights Highlighter Swatches Review Blog

Wearing No7 Vital Enlightening Highlight Powder ~ £13.00 ~ Boots

My latest purchase from the No7 Vital Brights Spring Collection. I love a good highlighter, and they can be the perfect thing to wake up your face and add some dimension. This is the most inexpensive highlighter I own (even without the £5 off voucher) and it’s texture definitely competes with my others from Stila and Dior.

It’s got a really soft, buttery texture that makes it a dream to blend. The colour is quite neutral, not being too pink or peach toned, so it should suit most skin tones. It looks fairly sparkly in the pan but on the skin it is a gorgeous subtle highlight that can be worn for day time or built up for night time wear.

The packaging is lovely, the same floral design as the Cream Blushes (review here) and it’s sturdy enough without being clunky. The floral design of the highlighter is really pretty and remind me of the much more expensive Guerlain highlighter.

If you’re scared of highlighters, or don’t want to spend a lot of money on a high-end brand, this is a great one to start with. I’ve found myself wanting most of the new No7 collection, aside from maybe the eyeshadow palette, and think it is one of the better spring colour ranges on the high-street. If your not a fan of bright pastels but want to switch up your make up for spring, the vital Brights collection is one to check out!

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Rituals Foaming Shower Gels

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I own way to many shower gels, so much so I often find myself overwhelmed with choice when it actually comes to choosing one to use! Some that I have really been enjoying using are the Rituals Foaming Shower Gels,which come in about 6 scents! 3 of which I have tried. I received the Yogi Flow (Indian Rose and Sweet Almond Oil)in my December Glossybox, and was immediately reminded of the Imperial Leather Shower Foams, except for the scent, which is a lot more luxurious.

It wasn't much longer before I had had to try another, and picked up the Sunrise (Sweet Orange and Cedar)and Zensation (Rice Milk and Cherry Blossom)and all of them are GORGEOUS. The texture instantly foams up, and they smell amazing, and they don't have a cloying artificial scent (unlike the Imperial Leather ones)

These retail at £6.50 so they are fairly pricey, but I love them so much, I will definitely be repurchasing. I also would recommend anyone near a rituals store to go in and look at the products, the stores are beautiful and they always have testers and sinks for you to demo the products. You can also find them at John Lewis and House of Fraser.

Monday 19 March 2012

Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoo Swatches

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Maybelline Color Tattoo Colour Swatches

Endless Purple ~ On and On Bronze ~ Permanent Taupe

As promised here are some swatches of the three Maybelline Color Tattoos that I picked up on Friday. I’m unsure how many shades have been released in the UK, the Superdrug in Leicester (which is one of the bigger Superdrug’s) has five shades, where as my local one only has three. So it looks like we are only getting five shades, but I might be wrong!

I was a bit let down by the purple shade, it is quite patchy, and the pigmentation isn’t as good as the others, it’s also harder than the others to build up, so I’ll be saving it as a base. I should say most ranges seem to struggle with purple shades, they always seem to be less pigmented than any other shade.

The bronze and taupe shades are gorgeous, both on their own or as bases. They blend really easily, and without a primer they wear all day. I have had Permanent Taupe on since 5am and still no creasing! If I liked the other shades that were available to me  I would definitely be picking them up, but I can’t see myself reaching for gold or turquoise shades that often, so I will be passing on those.

I’m still disappointed that we haven’t got the full range. I really wanted the orange and red shades that are available in the US, and if I see them in Superdrug I will be no doubt seen running toward the till clutching them!

The Maybelline Color Tattoos are available at Superdrug (and I assume Boots in some time) and cost £4.99

Blistex MedPlus For Lips

DSC_0862A product I have been loving this past week is Blistex MedPlus for Lips. It's been a while since I've bought a product from Blistex, I always looked over that section of Boots, it always seems to remind me of being about 14 and buying every type of Carmex available.
But after hearing Essie Button rave about this, in so many of her videos I had to try it. I was not disappointed, it smells amazing, it's got a really menthol kick. It is quite strong so if you don't really like scented lip products, I would avoid. One of its main ingredients is Lanolin, and it really makes my lips feel soft and conditioned.

It's completely transparent so won't affect the shade of your lipstick, and works well under a lipstick or a gloss.
For just under £3 you can't go wrong with this, I love it and I'll definitely be buying a second for my handbag!

Sunday 18 March 2012

Dealing With Acne: Vichy Dermablend

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Make Up

I couldn't resist picking this up when the current skincare 3 for 2 at Boots started. Vichy are a French pharmacy brand and the Dermablend line is a range of high coverage foundations, and a setting powder. I got the stick foundation in shade 11 Porcelain. Vichy say these have double the pigment of a normal foundation with 40% pigments (the liquid version has 35%. I have mainly been using this as a concealer but it works well if used lightly as a foundation, and asti is a pan stick it blends really quickly when used with a buffing or kabuki brush.

It has a quite dry texture, but as lot as I use a moisturiser or primer before I use this it doesn't cling to dry patches. The coverage of this really is amazing, one application covers the worst of my scarring. So long as it is used correctly it doesn't feel heavy on the skin or look cakey. I find it is applied best with fingers and then buffed into the skin with either an Elf Powder Brush, Real Techniques Buffing Brush or Sigma F80. You don't want to use a paddle brush with this, it won't blend it properly.

I haven't had any issues with break outs from this, and as Vichy are a skincare brand, I do feel more confident that it isn't going to block my pores. The main downside with this is the shade range. If your any lighter than NC/W15 you will struggle to find a match, as for darker shades, they aren't really there. The range only really caters to fair - medium skins, but does have both warm and cool undertones. It seems fairly pricey at around £19, but you do get 12 grams of product, and I doubt I will need to repurchase this for a very long time!

Saturday 17 March 2012

Maybelline Color Tattoos: A Closer Look.

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So as I mentioned yesterday I picked up three of the new Maybelline Color Tattoos. The shades I got were On and On Bronze, Permanent Taupe and Endless Purple. They all cost £4.99 each and are currently on 3 for 2 at Superdrug.

I am wearing Permanent Taupe as a base for a grey and green look today, and so far so good! I’m wearing it without primer so I can really test the wear. The colour of Permanent Taupe, really reminds me of MAC Copperplate, and its definitely my favourite!

I’ll be back later with swatches and a review later in the week!

I’m off for lunch with Nik and my sister and a few tipples as it St Patricks! What are you doing with your Saturday?

Friday 16 March 2012

A Small Haul : Maybelline Color Tattos, No7 & Avene

haul maybelline color tattoos

Just a few things I picked up at Boots and Superdrug today. Maybelline is currently on 3 for 2 at Superdrug, so I had to pick out a few 24hr Color Tattoos, so glad the Taupe shade got released here! I also found this Gosh Fan Brush for 10p! Definitely worth checking out for that price!

I used my No7 voucher to get the Beautiful Skin Moisturiser for Oily skin, it has SPF 15 and 5* UVA Protection, which is great as I forget my SPF quite a lot! I also got the Avene Cleanance K to try, a chemical exfoliator with AHAs and BHA’s.

I will try to get some swatches of the Maybelline Color Tattoos up tomorrow!

What have you been hauling lately?

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Arora Shower Nectar: Pomegranate Passion

Arora Shower Nectar Pomegranate Passion

Arora is a new brand that is launching at Superdrug in April, the range consists of Shower Nectars, Bath Shimmers, Body Butters and Body Scrubs. Available in six delicious sounding scents, the whole range will be priced at a very purse friendly £3.99. I was sent the Shower Nectar in Pomegranate Passion, to try and have been using it for a couple of weeks.

I love shower gels, and when it comes to choosing scents I’m all about the foodie or fruity scents. Pomegranate Passion smells amazing and really brightens my shower. It is a strong fragrance and I do find it lingers on my skin, so if you prefer a lighter scent these may not be for you.

Compared to other shower gels in this price range (and indeed some more expensive ones) the texture of this is gorgeous, really thick and almost jelly like. It creates a really rich luxurious feeling lather, but still rinses away easily. You get a whopping 400ml of product for your money, that combined with the thick texture means these will last a good amount of time.

I am really looking forward to getting my mitts on more of this range, the Coconut Creme sounds right up my street…as does the Sweet Vanilla, and at £3.99 it would be rude not to. Right?

The whole range of Arora products will be available exclusively at Superdrug from April.

Disclosure: This was sent to me for consideration by PR, as always this does not affect my opinion.

Tuesday 13 March 2012

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation

L'oreal Lumi Magique Foundation

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L'Oreal Lumi Magique is a new foundation and promises the ever elusive ‘Lit from Within’ look. I fancied trying a new drug store foundation, and I know L'Oreal generally have shades pale enough for me.  Not all the stands have the full shade range, so you may need to find a bigger stand, if you are not one of their more popular shades, it comes in shades with cool and warm undertones. Ignore how warm toned it looks in the images, my shade C1 leans a lot more cool.

Luckily I found my shade (C1)  in my local Tesco, where it is currently on offer (along with some other L'Oreal products) for £7.99.

This foundation has quite a thick consistency, is very easy to blend and gives medium coverage. The finish of this is gorgeous, as someone with a more oily skin I was worried about looking shiny, but it gives a lovely natural glow. I’ve found myself reaching for this quite a lot lately, its just so quick to use and blends really easily with either a Real Techniques Buffing Brush or ELF Powder Brush.

I haven’t had any issues with this foundation sinking into pores, or clinging to dry patches, so it should work for dry skin as well. It doesn’t claim to be long lasting and I definitely do need to touch up through the day with a bit of powder, but I’m yet to find a lighter foundation that I don’t have to do this with. That said it does fade nicely, which I’m starting to think is the way forward with foundation for me, I mean there’s no point wearing a long lasting foundation if it starts looking awful midway through the day!

This is becoming my favourite inexpensive foundation, I haven’t really liked a high street foundation (not including the BB Creams which I love)  this much for a very long time, and I really cant fault this. I have ignored L’Oreal for quite a while, but after looking at their shade range they seem like a great option if you struggle finding a match at Boots or Superdrug, especially if you can get to a bigger stand.

I got this from Tesco where it is currently priced at £7.99, you can also find it at Boots where it costs £10.99 (but is also on 3 for 2).

Saturday 10 March 2012

No7 Vital Brights Lipstick in Blossoming Pink

No7 Vital Brights Blossoming Pink Lipstick

No7 Vital Brights Blossoming Pink Lipstick 2

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There’s something about No7’s Spring collections, they always seem to get me. So when I found I had No7 vouchers coming out of my ears, I felt like I needed to pick something up. The lipstick in Blossoming Pink is a sheer pinky nude. This is my type of nude, anything paler than this scares the bejesus out of me and tends to make me look a bit corpse like. I love the pale lipped look on some, but on me? I have quite pigmented lips and  it just doesn’t work.

This has a really easy to wear creamy texture, and because it is quite sheer it should suit a wide range of skin tones. I really love this shade, and will definitely be pairing it with the Blossoming Pink Blush (reviewed here).

I love No7’s lipsticks, and they’re one of the first things I go for when I get a voucher. I have tried a couple of the forumlas and I’m yet to find a bad one!

I still have about 4 No7 vouchers left so do I be good and get some sponges for free, or more lipstick?

You can find No7’s Vital Brights lipsticks at Boots where they retail at £10 (£5 with a voucher)

Friday 9 March 2012

Naked Scrub Up: Bargain of the Day!

Naked Scrub Up Body Scrub

Naked Scrub Up - £1.49

Found this at Savers today, so if you’re in the market for a salt scrub I suggest you check your local store! For £1.49 you get a massive tub (450g) and to me it seems pretty similar to the Sanctuary Salt Scrub which retails at about £10!

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Caudalie Beaute Elixir Facial Spray Beauty Spray

I picked this up after Gemsmaquillage mentioned it a video and said it was good for acne prone skin. It’s a facial spray boasting extracts of grape, rosemary essential oil, orange blossom and rose extracts, benzoin, myrrh essential oils of organic balm mint in it’s ingredients. Caudalie is a French skincare brand that ‘formulate ultra effective and natural’ products inspired by the humble grape, this is the first product I have tried from them, and I am desperate to try some more!

Now the weather is getting a bit warmer, I love having a product like this with me to spray on the go when my face is feeling hot, or I just need something to perk me up a bit! I can really smell the mint when I spray this, and it really is a gorgeous, luxurious scent, it a great instant pick me up.

The packaging is feels very expensive and a more of a luxury than say MAC’s Fix +. I haven’t noticed any dramatic skincare benefits, but I will definitely be repurchasing this as it is so easy to use, and so refreshing.

I ordered my 30ml size from Feel Unique (link) where it costs £9.35. It is also available in a 100ml bottle.

Thursday 8 March 2012

NOTD: MUA & Love Hearts I Want You

MUA Make Up Academy I Want You Love Hearts Nail Polish

MUA Make Up Academy I Want YOu Love Hearts Nail Polish Orange

Another product from the MUA & Love Hearts Collaboration for you today. I Want You is a bright orange peach shade. It’s a gorgeous shade for spring, bright without being neon, and unlike most orange polishes actually suits my skin tone. The formula is a little thick, so it takes a little work, but the colour is worth it so I’ll forgive it that!

You can find the Love Hearts Nail Varnish’s at Superdrug where they cost just £2

Disclosure: This was sent for consideration by PR.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

MUA & Love Hearts Great Lips Lip Balm

MUA Make Up Academy Great Lips Love Heart Lip Balm

I think it’s safe to say every girl loves a good lip balm. At the minute I have 3 in my handbag and a good few more stashed away. MUA Great Lips is part of they’re latest collaboration with Love Hearts, its a sheer, warm toned nude. It isn’t very pigmented but it definitely stops my lips looking so blue-toned. It also works great over darker lipsticks that you want to tone down. I love it over my current favourite lipstick MAC Amorous, it makes it easier to wear, and a bit more work friendly!

These aren’t as moisturizing as some more targeted lip balms but when applied through the day, it keeps my lips feeling soft, and stops any more  matte/drying lipsticks turning my lips into a dry flaky mess!

There are five shades in the range, and I’ll definitely be picking up a couple of the beautiful pink shades!

The MUA Love Heart Lip Balms are available in Superdrug and cost just £2.

 

Disclosure: I was sent this for consideration by PR.

Monday 5 March 2012

Dealing with Acne: Exfoliation

Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed

Exfoliation as a big part of my skincare routine, and if you suffer with acne it can be something that really helps. For a long time I didn’t exfoliate at all, as I didn’t really know what to use. I had used Clinique’s 7 Day Scrub, and it was an okay product but for me it did nothing. I found it too rough, and my skin just ended up more aggravated than it did previously.

There are a few ways you can exfoliate starting with the more traditional scrub, something that is easily available on the high street, from more reasonably priced brands. One I used to love using, when I was younger and first getting into skincare was the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Scrub (£4.69), it’s not a miracle worker, but it does the job and is very reasonably priced. I no longer use it as is not my preferred way of exfoliating.

Another method of exfoliation is microdermabrasion, and this is the method I use. Microdermabrasion products are inspired by the popular salon treatments. And I find that the scrubbing particles in microdermabrasion products are a lot finer and more effective than scrubs. There are more particles in the formula so for me is exfoliates more evenly. My favourite microdermabrasion products are The Body Shops Vitamin C Microdermabrasion (£12.00)  and Soap and Glory’s No Clogs Allowed(£11.00) which can be used as a scrub or a mask. Microdermabrasion products are generally more expensive, but I find them much more effective, and if your savvy you can get brands like Soap and Glory and The Body Shop in deals (like the current 3 for 2 at Boots).

Scrubs and Microdermabrasion are both mechanical exfoliants, the third way of exfoliating is chemical. Chemical Exfoliation works by using acids such as Glycolic and Salicylic to exfoliate the skin, they seem to be growing in popularity and although I haven’t tried any I am desperate to try Alpha H’s Liquid Gold (£28.50) and Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant (£32.30).

Exfoliation can be a great way to get rid of dead skin cells and blocked pores, and in my experience it definitely helps with acne.  My skin seems to be quite lazy and if I don’t exfoliate it looks dull, and I get more congested skin.

I should note that you don’t want to exfoliate too often. I’ve known the temptation of just wanting to scrub my skin endlessly to get rid of that oily, clogged feeling, but don’t do it! About 2 or 3 times a week is enough, any more and your skin will be left feeling raw and it won’t help with your breakouts.

You can read my review of The Body Shop’s Microdermabrasion here and Soap and Glory’s No Clogs Allowed here.

Do you exfoliate? What’s your favourite product?

Sunday 4 March 2012

New Additions to my Skincare Routine

La Roche Posay Effclar Duo Acne Oily Skin care Micellar Solution

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La Roche Posay Micellar Solution

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

Elemis Fresh Skin Super Boost Moisturising Serum*

Just a few thing’s I am going to be slotting into my skincare routine. My skin has been behaving a bit weirdly lately, I’ve been having a few breakouts, along with some dry patches, and some odd reaction to something. A very lovely sight!

I bought the Miccellar Solution as I have heard a lot about Bioderma, and as it’s so hard to get here, I thought this would make a good alternative. I used it to remove my make – up last night and was amaed at how quickly and gently it got rid of it all! A brilliant alternative for people who are addicted to face wipes! It costs £11.50 for 200ml.

The Effaclar Duo is a hard one to describe, I will be using it implace of moisturiser in the morning, and it contains AHA/BHA’s to help clear pores, and calm breakouts. I’ve got high hopes for this and hopefully I will see some good results! It costs £13.50 for 40ml.

I was sent the Elemis Super  Boost Serum* and will be using it at night under my moisturiser, I have used it a couple of times so far and it feels gorgeous on the skin. Really moisturising, but not greasy and sinks in quickly. A great moisture boost for younger women with dehydrated skin.

I’ll be doing an updated skin care routine in a few weeks, when  I have had a really chance to test these products and settle into a real routine! In the mean time look out for a few more ‘Dealing with Acne’ posts, as I will be posting one on Exfoliating and Cleansing very soon!

 

Disclosure: The Elemis Serum was sent for my consideration by PR.

Thursday 1 March 2012

Dealing with Acne: MAC Studio Finish Concealer

MAC Studio Finish Concealer

As I have mentioned many times, I have suffered with acne and bad skin for a good few years now. My breakouts haven’t been as bad lately, but I still have the odd breakout, and a whole bunch of scars from old ones that I want to cover up. This series of posts will be about how I deal with acne, acne can really knock your confidence, and I know what it’s like to not want to leave the house because of it, or have breakouts so painful that I can’t sleep. I hope you find these posts useful.

Now if your suffering from acne or the pigmentation it often leaves behind, the chances are your a big fan of concealer. I have tried a lot of different concealers, from cheap to quite pricey and both solid and liquid formulas.

MAC Studio Finish is a solid concealer which is full coverage, and will cover pretty much anything. As with all MAC concealers it comes in a great range of shades and undertones, it also has an SPF of 35 – great if you suffer with pigmentation.

I’ve recently switched to using lighter coverage foundations – namely Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, so I really need my concealer to work hard and stay put all day. I find with Studio Finish so long as it has been set properly with powder it won’t budge, smudge or fade.

I apply this with my Real Techniques Detailer Brush, and pat it on to the skin, and then buff the edges with a Sigma P80 (the flat top mini kabuki) and then pat some powder on top using a powder puff. When using concealer I find it is a lot better to use a Powder Puff with your powder, rather than a brush, as a brush will move the concealer. I pat a generous amount of powder on the areas I have concealed and the get rid of any excess using a Japonesque Powder Brush.

I really like this concealer, it never feels heavy on my skin, and it hasn’t broke me out. I find it really reliable, and know it will cover whatever I throw at it!

Do you suffer with acne? How do you cope with it?

MAC Studio Finish Concealer is available in store or online and costs £13.50