Beauty | Fighting Tired & Blemish Prone Skin

For the past few weeks I've been having major skin issues. I was incredibly tired, I was stressed and pushed to my limit, and it was reflecting on my skin. I have spots breaking out everywhere, dry patches galore and it just looked incredibly dull. Thankfully I have a ridiculous amount of skincare products in storage and I found just the products to sort me out.

The Top 5 | Blemish Combating Products

I've always been one of these people that suffer with blemishes and acne, so finding the right products has always been a mission for me. I'm not going to lie, it's been a struggle so when I find something I like to hold onto it with everything I have. I know there are a lot of people out there like me who suffer from blemishes and find it hard to find something. This week I am focusing on blemishes and skin care. You may have seen hundreds of no make up selfies the past few days which I think is such an amazing cause. So I thought this weeks blog posts will be all about making your skin look the best it can possibly look - face, body and all! So today's post is about me sharing my top five blemish solving products...

1) ORIGINS SUPER SPOT REMOVER GEL

I use this in conjuncture with the Lush Tea Tree Water Toner Water for a targeted treatment. After cleaning the area with toner I pop this gel on the little bugger to help dry it out, reduce redness and swelling and generally just calm the area. A little goes a long way (which is good because it's a tiny bottle) but is well worth the pennies.

2) ORIGINS MAKE A DIFFERENCE+ REJUVENATING TREATMENT 

I use this before bed every night, after I cleanse and tone. I use it as my moisturiser and a treatment. It's so nourishing but also amazing at keeping your skin nice and clean. It's not too thick which is perfect for my oily skin, definitely feels more like a gel, but it's great. After I started using this my skin did a complete 180. It's not been the same since and honestly, I do still get some blemishes, but this keeps the majority of my skin nice and clear.

3) LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR DUO+

A new offering, I loved the original, but I love this even more. I use it in the morning after I cleanse and tone, before my make up, as a moisturiser and primer. It smooths the skin and keeps the oil at bay all through the day (hellp rhyme!). It keeps all marks away and helps combat blemishes.

4) LUSH TEA TREE WATER TONER WATER 

This stuff has turned into my absolute holy grail. It has anti bacterial properties which keep my skin so squeaky clean it's never looked cleaner or clearer. I spray this onto a large cotton pad and wipe all over my face after double cleansing to remove any excess dirt or cleanser left behind. I do this morning and night, and also for targeted relief. I spray some on a cotton bud and swab the area to clean, then apply my Super Spot Remover Gel. It's the perfect combination.

5) REN CLEARCALM3 CLARIFYING CLAY CLEANSER 

I will be doing a full review on this this week as part of my skin care series, but really this is just perfect for blemish prone skin. It's lovely and creamy, gentle on the skin but hard on spots. It cleans like no other cleanser I've tried whilst staying gentle - I get dry skin but this doesn't upset it in the slightest. 

I would just like to point out - skincare is completely subjective. My advice would be to find a blogger who is your skincare type - for me I always look to Kate at gh0stparties for any skincare advice as she has very similar skin to me. What might work for me however, may not work for you - all skin is completely different, these are just the products that work for me.

What's your blemish fighting products?

The How To | Morning Skincare Routine

I've had a few of you guys asking me for my new updated skincare regime - basically I got lazy last year and my skin paid the price so I've had to really step it up this year and commit to sorting it out. I've already popped a couple of little bits up such as Blemish control (see here) but I thought I'd pop my full routines for you all, and let's start with the morning!

Now, the morning I don't tend to do too much. As far as I'm concerned the more time I can spend in bed in the morning the better - I'm not exactly a morning person! So where do I start...

First up is removing any excess dirt, so I use a mild micellar water just to get rid of any excess dirt from the nights sleep. At the moment my morning micellar is L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. It's really mild and perfect for a quick clear up. My next step really depends on how my skin is behaving at that moment in time. If it's feeling a bit naughty I feel the need to add another cleanser. At the moment I'm loving Ren Clarimatte T Zone Control Cleansing Gel. Basically this really controls my oiliness throughout the day (hence the morning cleanse). No oily t-zone for me. Once I'm all clean and cleansed it's time to tone. I spray the Lush Tea Tree Toner Water over my face, just a mist. If I have any large blemishes I use my blemish control routine - Tea Tree Toner Water and Origins Super Spot Remover Gel. Afterwards it's time to moisturise and prime my face ready for make up and the day ahead. I like to use Nivea Express Hydration Primer, I like using this as it's very lightweight and helps to prime the skin. Then I throw La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo (+) over the top, a really affective treatment for blemish prone skin and again, a really great way to prime the skin. 

I realise I said I didn't do too much, it really doesn't seem like it at the time, but having done these posts I realise there is a lot of products here. Whoops. Anywho, this really seems to be working in terms of preparing my skin for the day and keeping it clean and healthy. My evening routine will be coming up very soon!

My skin type: My skin is all over the place at the moment, but basically I have oily and blemish prone skin. At certain times it can go quite dry but that's usually if I neglect to moisturise. 

What's your skin care morning routine?

The Comparison | Effaclar Duo v Effaclar Duo +

EFFACLAR DUO + £11.62* AND EFFACLAR DUO £13.00

As promised I thought I would pop together a review of these two products. I've been using the original Effaclar Duo for a good 18months plus now and have been trialling the new + version for the past few weeks. The main difference between the two is that the new + version is a new formula that no only combats all the original issues as the first - corrective, unclogging and anti-imperfection care - but also adds on anti marks. This isn't the extent of the changes I have to say...

The original I always found to be quite drying and I know a lot of others did as well. When I used it I always had to pop on moisturiser afterwards, another step it was. The new one I don't find drying or harsh at all. I think this has to do with the new formula/consistency. The original was more of a gel, it was quite transluscent in colour and as I said, very gel like. Whereas the new formula is an opaque white and much more creamy and easier to apply.

It terms of the job it does, I do find that it doesn't quite get rid of my acne or breakouts as well as the original - who knows, I'm not a scientist, but maybe whatever made it harsher also made the difference with break outs. There are so many good things about the new version, however if you want it to sort your breakouts I would stick with the original. If you're after something less harsh that will sort out your scarring, go for the new one. I must admit I prefer the application of the new one to the original.

I hope this has cleared up any questions you may have - I've had a couple people asking if it's worth getting the new offering to replace the old one, however it really would depend on what you want it for.

Have you tried the new offering? Which would you pick?

The Review | Effaclar Duo (+)

Effaclar Duo (+) £11.62*

When this landed on my doorstep to review I think I must have squealed in my head slightly. I LOVE the original and use it religiously in my skin care routine, if I don't have time (ie too lazy) to go through the entire skincare routine this gets slapped on. I am going to do a comparison post as well next week so you can take a peek at the differences in action but basically...

The idea behind this beauty is that it has one up on the original Effaclar Duo, it get rid of any marks or scarring from previous breakouts or acne. For me personally I thankfully don't have too much, I do have a touch but not an awful lot. Since using this the appearance of these has gone down drastically. I'm not sure what it would be like on those with a lot of scarring, but for me with subtle scarring it's brilliant. It still has all of the magic of the Effaclar Duo, but as the name suggests, that little something extra.

I use this in the morning before I pop my make up on, as a pre treatment and a primer if you will. It smooths my skin and helps with any trouble areas. I would definitely pick this up if you need a bit of help with break outs. I've only been using this a couple of weeks and so far I love it. I will definitely be giving you guys an update as I use it more and I'm sure it will feature in a skin care routine very soon!

Will you be trying this new launch?

Skin Care | Spot Busting Treatments

I am one of those people that is highly sceptical of anything that promises to get rid of your spots. From experience very little actually delivers on that promise and I've spend so much money trying different things with little success. However, there are two products I've discovered that I always go to when my skin decides to play up. What rebellious skin I have!

Both of these are treatments, so an addition to your cleanse, tone and moisturise routine. I use either one of these, depending on my mood, after toning and before moisturising. La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo is the first of the two that I tried. Very gel like in consistency I've found this is really good at calming redness and spots down, reducing them. It's quite drying so tends to dehydrate the spots so I guess that's why they shrink. The second of the two is the Origins Make a Difference Plus + which is amazing when you're having just really bad skin weeks. It just clears the skin up and keeps them at bay. Whereas the Effaclar Duo is good at diffusing them once they are here, the Make A Difference Plus + is good at keeping them away. I use this most days and then the Effaclar Duo for days when the Origins is losing it's battle against my naughty skin.

Either of these two is definitely worth getting. Effaclar Duo I would recommend if you're one a bit of a budget, however if you want to dish out a bit more then grab the Make a Difference Plus+ as it's definitely worth it.

What spot busters work for you?

Trends | Battle of BB

This summer I have literally lived in BB creams. Compared to a foundation they are just that tad lighter, so it doesn't feel like your face is melting. I am a huge fan of BB creams and have tried a vast number of them (a scary amount really)... So today I wanted to show you guys the five I've currently got sitting in my cupboard waiting to be used...

Revlon Photoready BB Cream in Light Pale

One of my newer ones, this is part of Revlons Photoready range, a range that is meant to make your face look perfect and snap ready (as the name suggests). This cream is quite thick and looks scary pale when it comes out, but it blends it really nicely to go with your face colour and is very natural and matte looking. 

Longevity wise, it isn't brilliant I have to say - I wore it a few times to work and had to stop as by the time I got home there was nothing left, but in small doses this is beautiful.

No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream for Normal/Oily Skin

The newest of the five, I bought this just before I went on my holibobs to wear in the hot weather. Again, it's a thicker cream as opposed to a liquid foundation and actually is a bit hotter than my liquid foundations so didn't really do the job i wanted of not melting my face. However, it did keep the sun off my face and I came away with no burn for the whole holiday. This is very natural looking when on, but very dewy which I find unusual for an oily skinned product - but still nice looking. Longevity wise it's great, and seemingly waterproof in the pool. However - this broke me out now end, I came home with spots in places I never had them before so this has unfortunately stayed in the cupboard ever since landing.

La Roche Posay Hydreane BB Cream in Light*

I was kindly gifted this and when I first started using it I fell in love. It has a lovely soft creamy texture that just melts into the skin, no weight at all and so comfortable to wear. It was the perfect colour choice as well, stayed for hourrss and kept the sun off of my face. All in all the perfect BB cream! However, in the end it didn't sit well with my oily skin and eventually I did have to stop using it as it excelled spots - lovely I know! If you don't have oily skin you have to get this though as it is lovely. I still wear it every now and then, but I can't wear it continually *sad face*

Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream (travel version)

I found this on a blog sale and snapped it up immediately as I'd heard amazing things and was definitely intrigued, but didn't want to settle with the price tag of the full size. Well, I should have done and I will because this is solid gold. It's lighter than a liquid foundation, even though it's a cream, blends to your skin tone naturally and applies like a dream. Longevity is impressive and no sun rays through this little barrier. My skin also feels ridiculously soft when this is on. This is definitely my favourite by far and I would recommend all of you pop out to buy it.

The Body Shop All in One BB Cream

Last but not least in the offering from The Body Shop. I got this as I was intrigued, it comes out like a white cream, but has pigments that burst when you rub into the skin, adapting itself to your tone. It's a little dark for me, and I've heard a lot of others as well, and I have the lightest version. It's a lovely base, very moisturising and long lasting, but like I said - tone is all wrong for me really and my real bug bear is that it doesn't contain SPF - how is it a BB cream without SPF?!

 

Overall, Dr Jart wins it for me - I have to be so careful with bases so they don't aggitate my oily skin and this just does wonders for me. Definitely be buying the full size when my mini one runs out!

 

What's your favourite BB cream?

Skincare | Moisturisers

For a long time I shyed away from moisturisers for fear of adding to the oiliness in my skin, however I read somewhere (I forget where) that oily skin is dehydrated, more than overly hydrated. If that makes sense. Plus, parts of my face get quite dry so I want to balance it. Kate from gh0stparties said that the two key things you need to get right to improve your skin is a good cleanser (sorted here) and a good moisturising routine. Well, that is now sorted - eek!

Okay, so there are three different moisturisers that I could use in the morning. Most of the time I use La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat, a mattifying moisturiser that I think it the perfect moisturiser for oily skin. it takes away any excess shine and helps to keep oil at bay all day. However, when my skin is feeling dry I turn to Vichy Aqualia Thermal Riche, a light moisturiser that's incredibly hydrating and makes my face look plump and fresh. It stays like this for hours and hours. A definite favourite for me. The third (yep, third) is Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer. It's rare that I use this, but I tend to use it before putting my make up on for nights outs, or heavy make up days as it helps keep it in place as well as moisturising.

In the evening there is one cream that I always turn to - that is Superdrug Vitamin E Nourising Night Cream - living proof that you don't need a high end cream to make a difference. This goes on before sleep, after cleansing. It's a thicker cream, but absorbs quickly, smells amazing and really hydrates my skin. This has made a big difference in the quality of my skin as well. The corners of my nose and the bridge can get quite dry, so sometimes I enlist the help of Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil, again proving sometimes the cheaper products can make a huge difference.

Since moisturising properly I have noticed a difference with the quality of my skin. Sorting out my cleansing and moisturising routine has actually done wonders - why did I not do this sooner?! O well, it is done now... Can't wait to see what's next on my overhaul, let me know of any requests!!

What moisturisers help with your skin?

Skin Care | La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat

LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR MAT £14.00*

I have been coveting this product for months. Everytime I go into Boots it's been sold out, and I don't know about you but when I'm told I can't have something it makes me want it even more. So when I was offered my choice of product I went straight for this one.

So, from my understanding, the idea behind this product is that it is a mattifying moisturiser, so while moisturising oily skin it helps to control shine all day. Sounds great to me! So how did I get on...

So I've been using this as my "day" moisturiser, so popping it on in the morning before my primer and make up. It doesn't affect the application of these at all, which is a definte plus for me as I've used some that make it impossible for foundation to stick. Also, I noticed straight away that my skin looked less shiny. Around the bridge of my nose and the apples of my cheeks tend to be my oiliest spots, and my shiniest, and this dulled them completely - in a nice way, not an "eugh dull skin" kinda way. Not only that but it did keep shine away for a good few hours. I won't say all day, because it wasn't, but it was definitely a good few hours and honestly I can't ask for more than that.

Overall, this was everything I wanted it to be. It kept my skin smooth, without being oily, and kept my oil and shine at bay. It wasn't too heavy, it had more of a balm feel to it, which I prefer as thick creams feel heavy on my skin and tend to blog up my pores. So yeah, I am really pleased with this and it was definitely worth the wait. I did look all over the Boots website for this and it was no where to be found, so I'm not sure if they still do it (?) but I have linked it above and is (at time of posting this) 15% off through this link - so enjoy! Take it from me, if you have oily skin this is the moisturiser for you!

What moisturisers do you use with your oily skin?

Make Up | Hydreane BB Cream

LA ROCHE POSAY HYDREANE BB CREAM IN LIGHT £15.00*

I'm definitely a lover of BB creams. Those days where you don't want anything too heavy on your skin - look no where else, BB creams are the thing you need. Especially in summer. So when this little beauty landed on my doorstep I was incredibly excited and started testing straight away. I love their Effaclar Duo, it's the one constant spot buster in my life so anything from La Roche Posay was always going to excite me.

So, hello BB cream. The consistency of this is heavier than other BB creams I've tried, yet it feels incredibly light on the skin. It's easily applied with my Real Techniques and absorbs quickly and easily. It feels as light as BB cream should on your skin, not heavy like a foundation. The tone is perfect for my skin, it's basically spot on which I love.

I've been using it on its own mostly and it works well that way - I've had a couple of people compliment me on my foundation and then are shocked when I've said it's a BB cream - a real testament to it I think as other BB creams I've tried have very little coverage.

So are there any downsides? Just one I think, I've found that it can be a tad oily - and with my own oily skin it means that sometimes it can make my skin look very shiny/oily and a couple of spots have popped out. But when this is only when my skin is having a particually oily day. I have found that using La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat* (review coming soon) that this does combat this so it's not actually too much of an issue.
This BB cream will definitely be coming with me on holiday, it contains SPF so I don't have to worry about that and it just looks really natural. So far, probably the best BB cream I've ever used. It is at the higher end of my budget, but it's definitely worth it. Also, I love that you get 40ml of this product. Foundations and BB creams are usually 30ml, so you get that extra 10.. Definite plus! It does everything I would want a BB cream to do - definitely on the top of the list for me!

Have you tried La Roche Posay BB cream? What's your favourite?

The How To | Five Item Face

So, the other day I moved in with my boyfriend for 5 days. Why 5 days? Well, because his parents went away so we had to house sit. Everything was going well (well, okayish - when told to get chicken he got turkey and was promptly sent to Sainsburys) on the first night. All was good. Wake up the next day, go to get ready for work and here comes my issue - I forgot my make up.

No, how a beauty blogger FORGETS to pack her beauty items is beyond me. So, I had to drive home quickly put on a very quick face of make up and head to work - making it with about 30 seconds to spare. This gave me the idea to do a post on quick make up - and then I saw others named the "5 item face" so I thought I would combine to two...

So, first of all is your base. For me the idea before the five item face is that i won't be using moisturiser or primer, so on goes the BB cream - in this case it is La Roche Posay Hydreane BB Cream in Light. It's thick enough to be mistaken for foundation, but light to wear so it's a win all round. Next up is my 17 Glow Shimmer Brick - this is a highlighter/bronzer in one and I cannot live without this, and in this case it takes care of two areas in one product. Next I go to the eyes... Some sort of eyeliner is a must for me, and recently I've been reaching for Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Crayon in Black. I use it as a liner on my waterline and with a quick smudge you have some colour (well, black). Then I pop on the mascara - I do not leave the house without this on, it's just a golden rule for me. Lately I've been loving L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara in black. It's long lasting and lengthens fantastically. Then I finish off the look with my lips. Here I've used Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Shade 4. Long lasting, moisturising and the perfecct everyday colour.

This is pretty much my everyday work face - just minus the primer, moisturiser, blusher, eyeshadow, concealer, lip scrub and gloss... So actually quite a lot. But I have to say, this five item face doesn't do too badly!

What's you five item face?