Spots! Spots! Spots!

Over the past couple of weeks I have been battling with a blasted blemish! It seems that when I eventually get rid of one, another one is on standby ready and raring to go! I feel that I am getting to be very experienced in treating them and covering them up so I thought I would share with you what I do to beat them!

Firstly, I have learnt that there are several excellent spot treatments out there. Most of them work by drying out until they are no more! I use the Clinique spot treatment gel (which is really powerful!) (Click here to buy!) and the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo (Click here to buy!).

I think that they are effective but I find that:
1. It makes them look more gross
2. It makes them harder to cover
3. It makes them more tempting to pick at!
So I use the spot treatments in conjunction with an oil-based cleanser to keep them hydrated and nourished to avoid the above happening.

I am really enjoying using the Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (Click here to buy!) and the Neal's Yard Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (Click here to buy!) as they are really nourishing and hydrating to my skin. I have also recently purchased the No.7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser which also helps to prevent dryness. I found that by using these cleansers with my spot treatments made them go gracefully and I found that they were easier to cover.

I also think that it is really important to use a moisturising primer before attempting to cover the spot to avoid any caking around the spot which will draw attention to it.

I have really been enjoying using the Garnier Moisture Match Light Softening Cream for Normal to Dry Skin (Click here to buy!). I bought it on offer and it is still at a discounted price of just £2.99! I would describe it as a hybrid between a moisturiser and a primer; it is really hydrating and makes the skin really soft which makes foundation and concealer sit really smoothly on top. Alternatively, the Rimmel Fix & Protect Pro Primer (Click here to buy!). This one also is great for giving the skin a hit of moisture to prep the skin before foundation and concealer.
  
I got very tempted just to use a really heavy coverage foundation all over my face because I thought that it would make me feel better about my spots. I found that it just drew attention to my spots and made the rest of my skin look horrible and cakey. So I use a lighter foundation and a heavy duty concealer. I find it really hard to find concealers on the highstreet; I feel like the brands need to pick up their game when it comes to concealers for covering blemishes! I find that the drugstore concealers are either too creamy and go streaky when you blend them and disappear. Or they are really drying, cling to the break-out and are really hard to blend evenly. I use the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (Click here to buy!), which I find to be really excellent coverage but too drying. I am also in between colours in this concealer but I do believe that they have bought out new shades. I mix that with the 17 Stay Time Concealer (Click here to buy!), which I find to be too creamy.

Left to right: Collection Lasting Perfection in 'Fair', Collection Lasting Perfection in 'Light', 17 Stay Time in 'Fair'

I start by using a green corrector stick from Natural Collection (Click here to buy!) to cancel out the redness of the spot

I dot it on with the applicator and then use any fluffy brush to tap it into the blemish. I use an Eco Tools brush which I think its meant to be used to highlight the brow bone. I used to use a brush which had stiffer bristles, but I find that a fluffy brush it much more effective for blending evenly.

I then lightly dust the area with a little powder with a small brush. I use the Maybelline Fit Me (Click here to buy!) which is not too heavy but adds just the right amount of extra coverage. It makes the concealer stay really well and also lets the skin breathe instead of suffocating it in product.

I am no expert at skincare or make-up by any means but these techniques work for me. I am still looking to improve this method and I am going on a trip to London with my mum after my exams and may treat myself to a high-end holy grail concealer from Harvey Nicks!

I hope this has helped!
Thanks you so much for reading!     



Lips For Every Occasion!

Since starting my blog, I have been desperate to do swatches! They photograph amazingly and also look really fun to do! So I thought that I would show you five lipsticks/lip glosses/lip combinations that I reach for for certain occasions.


Left to right in order of mention

Make an effort for school days

 

 

I couldn't wait to buy the Maybelline Baby Lips (Click here to buy!) as I had read so many good things about them. Even my Mum was telling me that she had read about these amazing tinted lip balms that were launching in the UK soon (although it took me a long time to understand what she was talking about because she said that they were Bourjois!). I have the colour 'Cherry Me' and it doesn't look much straight after you have applied it, but it does develop into a lovely light berry pink colour. They are sheer so perfect for school and It also feel like they form a protective layer of moisture for your lips throughout the day. However I find that it draws attention to the slightest bit of flakiness on my lips so a couple of minutes before I apply it, I use the Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (Click here to buy!) to combat this. It tingles and soothes sore lips and quickly and effectively repairs them. It smells yummy but there is no real flavour.

 

Weekend out-and-about days

 

 

One day a few years ago I decided that I wanted to start to wear make-up and so my mum and I went to our local Boots and Superdrug to pick up the essentials. The Natural Collection stand attracted me because everything is £1.99 and it is always on 3 for £5. One of the items I bought on that trip was their Juicy Lips Lip Gloss in 'Caramel Shortcake' (I can't seem to find the colour on the Boots website, I hope they haven't discontinued it!). It is the most beautiful deep dusty rose colour that is very close to the actual colour of my lips. The formula is not sticky and it is really lovely to apply. It is beautiful on its own but to give it that little bit extra I put the Vaseline 'Rosy Lips' on underneath (Click here to buy!) It makes it a little more glossy and I think makes your lips look amazing! This lip combination is my go-to lip look as it is my perfect your-lips-but-better combo!

A little bit extra days

 

 

This lipstick by MUA is for those days where I might be doing something a little bit special like a birthday lunch or an outing with my friends. It is shade 6 and is a shimmery purple toned coral (Click here to buy!). I am not very daring with my lipstick colour choices so wanted to try colours that were a little outside my comfort zone from a cheap brand. These lipsticks are creamy to apply and last well. I love that there is the option to apply them with a brush by using the little pot of product on the end which you can unscrew although I tend to just use the stick. I'm not normally drawn to colours that have a pearlescent sheen to them but I really like this one.

Daring Days/Evenings

 

 

I found this lipstick by Maybelline discounted to £1 at my local Boots (I think that they have discontinued the colour but I have found it on Amazon). It is one of their Colour Sensational lipsticks in '280 Purple Glam'. it is a medium hot pink colour with a hint of purple in it. I really like the formula because it is very glossy and applies evenly. It has a tiny bit of glitter in it which isn't obvious on the lips but just makes it catch the light nicely. I wear this lipstick when I am feeling a bit bold and perhaps I am going out for dinner.

 Want to be trendy days

 



 

Last Autumn I loved the vampy lips trend and became addicted to the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in 'Raplumsel' (Click here to buy!). It is the perfect deep berry/plum shade. I know that it is nearly summer but I think that I will wear this colour all year round. It is a thick, soft texture that looks super glossy. It smells yummy and sweet but has no great flavour. Underneath I wear the Natural Collection lip pencil in 'Mulberry'. The colour really complements the gloss stick and makes it look richer and sharper. If I want to turn it into a real statement lip, I colour in the lip with the pencil, which makes the colour deeper and bolder. Also, if I am not feeling that brave, I blot it out with a tissue which makes it into a subtle lip stain.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post!

New Skincare Saviours + Make-up Storage Update!

My last post (which was a little while ago, oops sorry about that!) was my evening skincare routine and one of the reasons that I decided to do that post was because my skin was getting me down (i.e. stubbornly spotty!)and I wanted to evaluate my routine to see what I could change to help it. I also had recently gone to a Clinique skin consultation and was told my skin type (dry combination) and that my skin was quite dehydrated. This came to quite a shock to me because I always thought that I was more on the oily side of combination because of my frequent breakouts. I had always looked for products that were oil balancing and spot preventing which is probably why my skin got to be so de-hydrated. So, I came across some AMAZING products that have done my skin wonders!!! Some I stumbled across by accident and some I researched on YouTube and other blogs!

Here they are...

Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask



Oh my goodness, this is so good! I had been looking for a clay mask for absolutely ages. I knew that they were good at clarifying, purifying and drawing out impurities. When I saw that 'Good Things' new Manuka Honey range had one, I just had to have it. I love the 'Good Things' range (See my brand review post!) and I was super excited to try something new from them.

First of all it smells really good; it is not sickly but a subtly sweet and relaxing. It is really lovely and cooling and pleasantly tingles for a few seconds after you apply it. I am absolutely addicted to this stuff, I can't really describe it but I really think that it helped clear up my skin and make it look healthier. It is also an excellent price and doesn't have any horrid ingredients. (Click here to buy!)

 

Here, I have just applied the mask
 

Here, I have left the mask on for about 10 minutes and cannot move my face!

 

And here, my skin is all clean and re-vitalised and radiant! Yay!



It also claims to 'boost hydration' which just put the cherry on the cake! I also pretend that it is Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask because of the orange packaging and the vaguely similar name which satisfies me greatly (he he!). I knew however, that mud masks weren't known for their hydration helping properties so I started to use my beloved Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm (Click here to buy!) more often. But knowing how expensive it is, I decided to keep a look out on the web for an alternative. I did not feel that the hot cloth cleansers that I tested in my previous posts would do the job in terms of hydration and therefore I researched cleansing oils. I found recommendations for the 'Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil' from The Body Shop (Click here to buy!)

I went straight out to get a sample. As a side note, the people at The Body Shop are really lovely and are happy to give you a sample of anything that you would like to try before buying the full version. So, I tried the sample and absolutely loved it and had to go and buy the full size. It removed every little scrap of make-up (including eye make-up) as well as deeply nourishing and hydrating my skin. I spend a couple of minutes massaging it into my skin and then use a hot muslin cloth to take it off. I am completely converted and I really feel that my skin has more moisture and is conditioned. It is £10, which put me off slightly because I thought that it would run out quite quickly. But you only need one pump for the whole face. I do feel that it is quite rich and luxurious and therefore I don't feel that I need to use it every night. That brings me on to my final skincare saviour product...!

A new Neal's Yard shop has recently opened in my local town and the interior is a thing of beauty. I was gutted to find out that I had missed the opening day and more importantly the free samples that they gave out. So, I went in one day after work to pine over the Rose Beauty Balm that everyone is going crazy for on the internet. But its £37 for a 50g tub and I wasn't brave enough to buy it. I had been wanting to try coconut oil for while as I had heard about all the amazing beauty benefits it gives. I remembered Caroline Hirons (Click here to view the post!) writing a post about coconut cleansing and mentioning this Organic Virgin Coconut Oil in particular (Click here to buy!). Its £9 for a 300g jar and a little goes a long way! I use it just like my Emma Hardie as a cleansing balm and you just scoop out a lump and rub it in between your fingers and it melts into an oil. It smells divine (if you like coconut that is!) and I use it on alternate nights when I'm not using the Body Shop oil. It is uber nourishing and makes your skin feel so smooth and thirst quenched! I have also had an eye infection for a few weeks and my eye has been really sore. Because this product is 100% natural, its ok to use over the eyes and I found that it was really healing and soothing on my sore eyes. There are many other uses that I am yet to discover but I am really enjoying using it as a cleanser and even leaving it on over night as a mask to give my skin a surge of moisture.
I am currently testing some hydrating moisturisers/serums to help dehydrated skin and will report back with my favourites!

 

I also just wanted to mention a small update to my make-up storage (Click here to view 'My Make-up Storage' post!). I found this cute little orange cinnamon ceramic pot at a charity shop. Orange is my favourite colour and cinnamon is my favourite spice and smell so I just had to buy it. I don't currently have a use for it but I am thinking that I am going to put hair clips and/or bands in it as I am always loosing them! I found this spring onions ceramic pot at a car boot sale to go with my celery one. It is a little bit smaller so I thought that it would be perfect for my smaller make-up brushes!

Thank you so much for reading! I will try to make my posts more regular but I start my AS level exams next week (ahh!)