Skincare Right Now (aka The Skincare Tag)

L-R: SkinTruth Toner, Boots No.7 Eye Make Up Remover, Estee Lauder Daywear Plus, Antipodes Divine Oil, Purity 3-1 Cleanser and Dermalogica Micro Exfoliator.

Describe your skincare routine in 5 words..

Whatever works right now
(with a word to spare)

What's your skin type?

At the moment erratic - with my hormones dipping up and down, it show more on my skin. On Monday it was so clear and glowing, I wore no base but the next day I had to put on a full base on to cover the blotchy redness. It also can be sensitive, the routine I have now is a result of a lot of misses and it's the first time in a while that my skin has reacted positive to products for a while.

What's your favourite skincare product?

Antipodes Divine Avocado and Rosehip Facial Oil has been the biggest revelation to my skin, it has been soothing and noursing to my erratic skin. I love the scent of this, I like to breath it's relaxing scent in before I massage it in. It is now an essential part of my skincare routine.

Top blemish zapper

Witch Blemish Stick - had it since I was a teenager and I haven't found anything since that really comes close and is cost effective. The formula has never changed all the time its been available, if its not broke, why fix it? (A PS - the anti-blemish primer is also a brilliant high street product, I will be reviewing this in the next coming weeks)

Face wipes - yay or nay?

They are a huge nay - I never feel fully 'cleansed' after using one, it more feels like I'm moving the dirt/grime around my face rather than cleaning. They are however better than not taking make up off at all (very useful when I used to go out in the evening and return in the morning).

Toner - yay or nay?

I used to be very anti toner, even when working for Estee Lauder. This hugely changed as I got older, I underestimated how much of a cleansing bonus they are to routine and this was merely was I found 'The one' in Etat Pur. That has now run out and I am now finishing the one I had in my stock pile.

High End Skincare or High End Makeup?

Skincare without a doubt, look after your skin and it'll glow needing less make up. I have first no make up that comes close to that glowing fresh skinned look. I would also invest in more high end foundation just because of pigments and tones (As you know I am really pale), the rest the high street does perfect.

What's the most unusual facial product you've tried?

Nothing would you believe, if I wasn't pregnant I would of offered to be a trail person for my workplace as they just launched Vampire facial there. It involves taking blood from your arm, separating the layer that’s filled with platelets and then injecting it through tiny needles into your face. It suppose to smooth and rejuvenate the face.

You're in a French Pharmacy and can only pick one item - what would it be?

I wouldn't know to be honest, I would probably in my GCSE French ask for recommendations. I do like a little hidden gem.

Tell us your skincare tip

Review your skincare with every season, skin is constantly changing (remember you get new skin cells come to the surface every 28 days). Anything can affect it: stress, seasons and as I well know at the moment, pregnancy.

Many Thanks to the awesome Lisahh-Jayne for tagging me and I open it up to anyone who wants to give it go. Stick your link in comments, I'm nosey and want to read them!








 

Unevenlemming's Beauty Box

After British Beauty Blog's Beauty Box (there is a lot of B's there), it got me thinking, "If created my own beauty box, what would be my picks?" Now as normal these thoughts were swimming round my head on a late 1am evening, where either cramp, my bladder, or husbands snoring were keeping me awake.

First of all, what to pack it all into. I used to work for Fossil watches a few years ago and my favourite things about them was the tins that the watches came in. They were all limited edtion and was changed once a month, we also has them on display so customers could chose what tin they have. There was even some really rare ones that could be turned into birdhouses. The tin I have in mind is one you could use after for storing baking in (like I do with the old Roses tins), I do like the style of this one, and it is very much my humour.

So what to put into the tin?

Antipodes Divine Oil

 

I have reviewed this oil in a previous post here - Main summary is that it is a light notorious oil that hasn't broke me out in spots, smoothed and soothed my sensitive skin. The combination of essentials are also evoke relaxation and soothes rattled nerves. One of my facial must haves.

OPI Makes Men Blush

 

This has a special place in my nail collection, this is the colour I wore when I got married. It's a delicate pink/peach with a faint pink shimmer, which I use two coats on but goes opaque in three. I am a huge fan of OPI and even through I now own more Essie, my favourite colours have come from OPI collection.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle

 

I have used Ojon, Aveda, and a few others that I cannot remember as there has been a few. I do have a sensitive scalp, one that if it doesn't like a product will itch constantly and flake everywhere. I took a gamble many years ago and brought this for when my hair was slightly drier. It was perfect, smooth, glossy and no allergy symptoms. I have tried other things but have always come back to Aussie every time. I've even converted my high end, fussy product mum to it, after she 'borrowed' it one day when hers ran out.

 

Glamglow Youth mud

 

 

OK, let's address the big elephant in the room - It is just under £50.00 a pot (please shop around, I have found it cheaper) and the most expensive thing in the tin. For me I loved how it felt after I took off, fresher, brighter skin that looked smoothed out with no sensitive redness. I have stated my case for it here

 

 Now I throw it out to you guys, what would you put into YOUR beauty box (because I'm noisy!)

Early Pregnancy Beauty

More know as "Before you get the glow"

I need to put a little disclaimer here before I start, this is what has worked for me, I cannot guarantee that it work for other women. Early pregnancy is really tough, whatever people have told you - treble it. I've been sick, signed off from work two weeks with an infection that I had to have rest for (which I also fainted in a shop with), and could challenge a dormouse to a sleep off and win. To everyone who is suffering in silence until the 3 months is over, hang on in there and you're doing great. It shall pass.

I noticed the first thing to suffer was my skin - it looked pale apart from the break out of spots that the hormones were causing. I also found my skin had also become more sensitive to products, and I had to throw out most of the pre-pregnancy skin care (apart from Antipodes Divine Oil, which survived. I have reviewed it here previously).

After raiding my sample bag I found Avene's Cleaning Gel (£11.50 Boots) delicate clean/powder scent, that cleans everything off including eye make up. I like this because I found a didn't need a large amount, the sample bottle has lasted well at over a week, but most of it didn't inflame my skin. I also been reaching for Dermlogica Microexfoliant (£40 for 200ml), it's gentle that it leaves the skin softer by using Rice-based enzyme powder that you mix with water to the consistency you would like.

To then brighten and smooth out I used Estee Lauder Idealist (Starts at £40 for 30ml) resurfaces the skin and illuminates. It's worn under moisturser during the day (I've been using Estee Lauder Daywear plus) and I have noticed that any make up I've been wearing has been wearing longer and smoother.

A quick note about dental care (as in my other work I am a dentist receptionist) - I found my breath smelt even worse than normal because your mouth waters more. It is more important to look after your oral hygiene as your gums will bleed more which can lead to infection. I switched to a softer brush, sanative mouthwash (no drying alcohol which can make bad breath worse) and flossing more. I noticed an improvement after a few days. You are also entitled to free dental care when pregnant (and 12 months after the child is born).

Preparation done, time to cover and conceal - I converted over to my slightly higher coverage foundation just because it made my skin tone even out and covered blemishes better. For this I went back to my old faithful Estee Lauder Double Wear in Ivory (£27.50). I used YSL's Touche Eclait (£25)  to brighten my dark circles around my eyes (you will be getting up in the middle of the night for bathroom breaks) and MeMeMe Beat The Blues (£5.50 Superdrug), a neutral illuminator that you can put on the areas you would like or mix it in with foundation for an all over glow.

I did keep most of my look simple, a slick of mascara and the new Bourjois cream blush in Healthy Glow (£6.99), a peach toned blush that goes on creamy but then goes to powder. It an also be built up so tailor how much glow you want.

Antipodes Organic Avocado Oil & Rosehip

After trying the Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ and falling in love with it, I was determined to try and investigate facial oils more. I had always dismissed them as I think, like others, that if you add oil to oily skin it would make it oiler. I was very wrong, after trying Trilogy out for a week it improved my skin without adding any other oil to it.

How did I come to Antipodes? That would be the influence of other beauty bloggers, there are bevy of them who adore good skin care and this product came up time and time again.

I took to Google and searched out the product online, the first thing I was impressed with was the price £19 compared to Triogy's £29 for the same amount, and second was the ingredients list that got my aromatherapy side twitching. Base oils of Avocado, Macadamia Nut, Jojoba and Rosehip oil - all filled with fatty acids (great for scar healing), vitamin A, B1, B2, C and D as well as Omegas 3 and 9. These will help skin healing, neutralize free radicals that lead to aging, and helps skin look less stressed. Essentials oils of Ylang-Ylang, Sandalwood and Jasmine give a delicate fragrance but contribute to the psychological effect of feeling less stressed and soothes rattled nerves.

I got my bottle when I went to the London Bloggers Meet Up in April from Selfridges, and every blogger that saw in my bag said it was the best purchase I could of made that day. I got this just as the right time because my normal moisturiser has just ran out, I patted 3 drops over my face with the option of putting a cream over the top if you feel you need a bit more moisture to the skin. After a week the redness I have on my sensitive cheeks has reduced, my skin did look a lot smoother and more refreshed. When my skin started to get more blemishes (which I didn't realise at the time where the result of my pregnancy), it even helped with the healing of these.

Do I love this? A whole hearted yes, and I recommend it to everyone who wants a good value facial oil that still delivers the results of the higher value. I am already eyeing the skin masks in the range, which is great timing as one of my favourite natural websites Nature's Healthbox have announced they are stocking it so I do not have to wait for my next Selfridges trip.