The Eye Care Edit

Eye products are a funny old thing. With other types of skincare products you can normally tell within a few weeks if something is making your skin better or worse. Eye creams are more of a guessing game. How do you know whether something will stop you from getting wrinkles in the future when time travel isn't an option? I think that's why so many people don't actually bother with them. It's an easy step to miss out when doing your skincare routine but it only takes two seconds & can make all the difference when you do get older. Genetics & your overall health will dictate the natural appearance of your eye area but using a separate eye product can help to reduce puffiness, dryness, irritation, dark circles & fine lines. This product roundup is aimed towards us young'uns. We might not have huge puffy bags & crows feet just yet but it's so important to start looking after your eyes in your twenties. The eyes are one of the first places to show signs of ageing & prevention is always better than cure.



THE GELS: Personally I greatly prefer eye gels over eye creams. If dark circles & puffiness concern you then I would recommend using a gel. My eyes get easily irritated especially during the Summer so a calming eye gel is exactly what I need. Organic Surge Eye Gel* is the one I always reach for when my eyes feel really sore. It contains aloe vera, green tea, witch hazel & menthol which can help to naturally reduce inflammation, puffiness, sagging & dehydration. I think gels work best with a pump otherwise you can end up with far too much product on your finger. If the Arran Aromatics Feel Good Formulas Green Tea Eye Gel* came with a pump it would be much better. This gel has a really thick texture so you only need a tiny bit. It has an amazing scent & feels so cooling, especially if you pop it in the fridge first. As it's so thick I like to layer it on as a refreshing eye mask, leave it for five minutes & then blot off the excess product with a tissue. It's a great pick me up after a day of hayfever hell. I also like the REN Active 7 Eye Gel. The texture is very lightweight, almost watery but I find it takes a while to absorb properly. When it does absorb it effectively smooths away any fine lines & really tightens the skin. It's not so great at hydrating the area though which is why gels containing hyaluronic acid, like the next two, are more worthy of an investment.

HealGel Eye* is my current product of choice. If you can afford it then you should definitely buy this one. It sinks in immediately & firms up the skin. The problem with most other eye products is that you can't tell if it's making a difference or not. HealGel Eye has had a visible impact upon my under eye area and has actually reduced the discolouration of my dark circles. The effects are cumulative rather than just being a temporary fix. Arnica is a wonderful thing. Like I mentioned previously, it also contains hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture to the area & plump up any fine lines. Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex is very similar to HealGel Eye but it's dark shadow correcting properties don't quite match up. Otherwise, it's pretty damn good.



THE CREAMS: Creams are the better choice if you need something really hydrating. I don't find them as effective for dark circles unless you want something that works as a temporary solution. Origins GinZing Eye Cream is brilliant at perking up tired eyes. It contains caffeine to tighten & depuff the area. I love the shimmery light reflecting particles. They help to brighten up dark circles meaning that you don't need to use as much concealer. Some of the best eye creams I've come across are from Lierac. They're a French pharmacy brand so their products are tricky to get hold of but I found mine in TK Maxx. Lierac Diopticalm is an instantly refreshing eye balm. It is incredibly soothing & gets rid of any dryness. You can use this as an eye mask too. Lierac Diopticerne is one of the few creams that works well on dark circles whilst also adding plenty of moisture. The only good thing about Clinique All About Eyes is it's moisturising properties. It does nothing for fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness or dark circles. However it does keep the eye contours well hydrated & gives the area a smooth base for makeup.



THE TREATMENTS: There's loads of home remedies out there for eye problems such as teabags, cucumbers & backs of spoons so you don't have to spend a lot for an effective treatment. One of the cheapest but most helpful things to carry around with you is a bottle of eye drops. I'm using Optrex Refreshing Eyes Drops to wash out any dirt & calm irritation. I get really bad hayfever so eye drops & baths are a must have for me come Summertime. I want to give one of their eye sprays a go as they claim to not smudge your makeup but they are a lot pricier. Something I cannot live without is Liz Earle Eyebright. It is my favourite ever Liz Earle product & it is a miracle worker on tired eyes. If I'm struggling to get out of bed in the morning I pop some on a couple of cotton pads and leave them on my eyes for a few minutes. I instantly feel more awake & ready to face the day. I've also used this to clear a mild eye infection when I couldn't get to a pharmacy. It's so cooling & refreshing - perfect for hayfever season too.

I first discovered Talika when I tried their amazing Lipocils which is brilliant at growing back eyelashes & eyebrows. They have loads of amazing eye products including these unique Eye Decompress masks. You simply pop the white tablet into the blue fluid. The tablet absorbs the liquid so that you can then unfold it into a soothing eye mask. It really helps to reduce swelling & detox the eye area. It'd be great to take on a plane for some inflight pampering. I also like the Jamela 24k Gold Under Eye Masks*. They use pure gold leaf, hyaluronic acid and plant collagen to brighten & tighten the skin. They feel a bit weird & make you look a bit crazy. You have to leave them on for half an hour so I would suggest lying down in bed with them on so they don't slip off. Despite the weirdness, they do actually work quite well. Save these for a special occasion when you need to look your best.

What's your favourite eye product?

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Moisturiser Medley

Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ / Clarins HydraQuench Lotion SPF 15
HealGel Face* / Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins

The key to a good skincare routine is consistency. However it is still important to make sure you're using the right products for the right occasion. I'm quite content to use the same cleanser & toner everyday but something I always switch up is my moisturiser. My skin needs something different during the day, during the night & in different seasons. With my combination skin type it can be tricky to find something that will balance everything out & still give me all the hydration I need. Here's a roundup of four tried & tested products that my skin really loves:

I'm sure everyone knows the virtues of using AHAs & BHAs by now but they also make your skin more sensitive to sun. I use lactic acid, glycolic acid & retinol on a regular basis so I always make sure I wear some sun protection during the day. I've yet to find a separate SPF product that doesn't smell, give me a white cast, feel greasy or break me out so I prefer to use a moisturiser that already contains SPF. My favourite one has to be the Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+. I mainly wear this one during the Summer. It's quite a thick white cream but it absorbs very quickly & feels very light on the skin. It hydrates my face perfectly & sits nicely under makeup. The high SPF is ideal for my pale skin & it lacks all the things I hate about other sun protection products. It is also a UVA/UVB broad spectrum sunscreen so with this you can be sure that your skin is fully protected.

During the Winter I don't feel the need to wear such a high sun protection factor so I switch to the Clarins HydraQuench Lotion SPF 15. I think the HydraQuench range is intended to be used in countries with high temperatures but SPF 15 isn't enough for me when I'm spending hours in the sun. It's other intended use is for people with dehydrated skin. People tend to think they need to use something really rich when the weather turns colder but this stuff contains hyaluronic acid so you get lots of hydration packed into a light lotion. The moisturiser I have is for anyone with normal to combination skin but there's a different HydraQuench product available for every skin type. I'd highly recommend checking them out if you have dehydrated skin.

HealGel Face is an all-rounder moisturiser. You can use it during the day or at night & I often do both. Like the HydraQuench Lotion this moisturiser contains hyaluronic acid so if you use one of those you no longer need to buy Hydraluron. I tend to use this during the day if I don't need to leave the house. I use my Hourglass primer on top if I end up going out to add some sun protection. This always makes my skin feel incredible & gives it a nice matte appearance. This is another really light lotion that absorbs instantly but it also deeply hydrates & nourishes my skin. HealGel Face smooths & plumps up my face beautifully due to it's many anti-ageing properties. It also helps to reduce redness, scarring & irritation. Magic in a bottle basically!

My favourite ever night cream is Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins. It has the most amazing consistency & it really melts into your skin. As the name suggests it's packed full of vitamins & minerals to feed your skin with. It works to slough away dead skin cells overnight so you wake up looking refreshed & ready to start the day. I like to mix it with some Trilogy Rosehip Oil for an even more intense hit of hydration. Massaging that combo onto my face at night ensures I wake up with brighter, softer, healthier looking skin. What could be better?

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The SPF Quartet

Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ / Nivea Sun Invisible Protection Transparent Spray SPF 50
Soltan Head & Hair Dry-Touch Transparent Suncare Spray SPF 30 / Balmi Mint Lip Balm SPF 15

Something I am very passionate about is the use of sun protection products. I don't think I've ever shared this with you before but in November 2005 my dad was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, more commonly known as skin cancer. He never wore sun tan lotion even when we went on holiday and would often sit in his room with a little tanning lamp. One day he noticed a tiny lump on the top of his head which he stupidly kept picking at. It developed into a huge scab and continued sun exposure only made it worse. After years and years of suffering he finally went to the doctors and soon after his diagnosis he started receiving treatment. He has been in remission for several years now but it still affects his life every day. The doctors treated him with too much radiation so his head has never properly healed. He still has to visit the doctor three times a week to get the dressing on his head changed and he has to wear a hat pretty much everywhere he goes. He travels to work every day in a suit and a baseball cap. So sadly this is something he will have to deal with for the rest of his life. Sorry for the horrid start to this post but I wanted to demonstrate what a horrible disease skin cancer is and how life altering it can be. I think it's pretty clear why I'm such a big advocate of products with SPF.

Skin cancer is obviously the most important reason to protect yourself from the sun but seeing as this is a beauty blog let's talk about how the sun can affect your looks. It is one of the main causes of premature ageing as it can give you liver spots and wrinkles. Too much sun exposure will give your skin a dry, leathery appearance and it increases sagging. The sun also causes the appearance of tiny blood vessels on your face. Once Summer finally rears it's head I never leave the house without slathering on the high SPF products. Don't get me wrong, I love going to the beach and sitting in the sun as much as the next person but I don't care if I never get a tan because I'd much rather be pale, look youthful and have healthy skin. There are four products that I know I can rely on to keep myself fully protected.

I first came across Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ when I started using Liquid Gold. AHAs found in chemical exfoliants increase your sensitivity to the sun so I decided look for face products with SPF 50. A lot of the ones I tried left my face feeling greasy, broke me out, smelled gross and gave me a white cast. I figured since Alpha-H invented Liquid Gold that their SPF moisturiser might be the perfect accompaniment to it. Luckily I was right and now I use this moisturiser every day, even during the Winter. It feels really nice on the skin, gives me the right amount of hydration and doesn't come with any of the problems of the other SPF products I've tried. The best sun protection product I've ever found for my body is the Nivea Sun Invisible Protection Transparent Spray SPF 50. I got so fed up of using messy lotions that stained all my clothes and were annoying to apply. I first heard about this product last year from a goth YouTuber called Synthetic Doll. If it's good enough for a goth, it's good enough for me! You just spray this all over and rub it in. It is quickly absorbed, non-greasy and water resistant. It's so easy to re-apply when you're out and about too. Due to my dad's problems I'm very conscious of protecting my head. If I'm not wearing a hat I use the Soltan Head & Hair Dry-Touch Transparent Suncare Spray SPF 30. I spray this liberally all over my scalp and hair. It doesn't make my hair greasy and it contains conditioner so it helps to protect my bleached hair. Finally I whack on a bit of my Balmi lip balm because it contains SPF 15 and feels fresh & minty on a hot day. These products never let me down and it's reassuring to know that I can enjoy the sun safely.

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February Favourites

Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine
Bleaching my hair for so many years has pretty much damaged it beyond repair so I'm forever trying out new products to stop it from looking quite so dead. My latest discovery is Bumble & Bumble's Brilliantine. This versatile cream can be used on wet or dry hair. When used on wet hair it leaves your hair looking ever so sleek and shiny. But I normally just use it on my dry hair to add a bit of definition and polish to my hair. It smooths down my frizz and weightlessly gives the perfect amount of hold to my style. Its great for adding some soft texture to your hair too. This is also the only product I've found that can sort out the birds nest on top of Chloe's head without making her fine baby hairs look super greasy.

Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex
I got this full size tube for free when I repurchased my beloved Liquid Gold and I'm really enjoying using it. Its a very light gel yet somehow it seems to hydrate my undereye area so much better than any cream eye product ever did. I guess its due to the presence of hyaluronic acid in it which, as all other Hydraluron fans will know, is brilliant at locking moisture into your skin. I found that cream products were often too rich for me resulting in unsightly milia. Luckily Absolute Eye Complex also helps to reduce those. Its really cooling so feels especially nice to apply first thing in the morning and it helps to tighten up that whole area which is bound to keep any fine lines & wrinkles at bay. My dark circles seem a teeny bit brighter but theres not really been any noticeable difference in that department. Only time will tell if it can live up to it's claims. I would say that my eyes certainly look less baggy & puffy since I started using it so its doing a great job so far.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer
This product has always had a lot of hype in the beauty world but it wasn't until Peaches Geldof started singing its praises as her favourite concealer & foundation that I paid any attention to it. Its basically a thick and creamy tiny pot of colour. You can't really use it straight unless cake face is the look you're going for. But I love that you can mix it with so many different products such as BB creams & primers to custom make a foundation that delivers the level of coverage and finish that you desire. You only need a really small dot of this stuff every time you use it so despite its miniature package, it'll last for ages. Expect a full review of this soon but for now lets just say I'm completely loving it!

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse
When I had a mini makeover in Space.NK & purchased the aforementioned Sensual Skin Enhancer, the MUA mixed it with a really lovely By Terry dry oil. Knowing the redonkulous price of By Terry products I asked if there were any other dry oils I could mix it with. She mentioned that the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse was also really good and I happened to have a couple of sample bottles laying around the house. So when I got home I tried it out and they are such a lovely combo. This is currently my favourite thing to mix the Sensual Skin Enhancer with. It sheers out the colour nicely without overloading your face with excess oil and delivers a gorgeously glowing finish. You're left with a flawless base and your skin is getting all the nourishing benefits of this wonder oil.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins
This is probably the best night cream I have ever used. I only wish I had purchased it sooner. It really packs a wallop when it comes to hydration! When I apply this my skin immediately feels smoother, softer & plumper. I love how luxurious it feels on my skin and it smells incredible too. Despite being quite a thick cream it manages to sink deeply into your skin so those vitamins can really get to work. The morning after I've applied this product to my skin, my complexion is left looking a whole lot brighter. It helps to even out my skintone and reduce redness as well as leaving my skin feeling perfectly moisturised. Great stuff!

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Skincare Haul

Sometimes everything seems to run out all at once. That's exactly what happened to me last week so I did a bit of a restock of some of my most essential skincare products. Me being me, I couldn't resist adding in a couple of new things as well. Here's what I purchased:

Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturiser / Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins

I was using the Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment but that product is more targeted towards people with combination/oily skin. My skin isn't really oily, more blemish-prone so I sometimes felt like my skin needed something more moisturising even after layering it up with some Hydraluron. But I did really enjoy using it & after applying it day and night for four months it finally ran out. I figured this was the perfect time to try out the proper moisturiser version of this product which is better for combination/dry skin. Its a bit thicker but sinks in just as nicely & really hydrates my skin. I'm using this as my day moisturiser when I don't want any SPF. To make it last longer than my old pot I decided to buy a separate dedicated night cream from Origins. I went for the High-Potency Night-A-Mins which is a really thick & luxurious feeling cream. This stuff is really amazing & leaves my skin feeling softer & looking brighter when I wake up in the morning.

REN Micro Polish Cleanser / Caudalie Beauty Elixir

I repurchased my regular REN cleanser last month and one of the samples I received with the product was their Micro Polish exfoliating cleanser. I loved it so much I decided to order a big tube of it. This makes my skin feel much smoother & helps to reduce the appearance of pores. It also brightens skin tone & makes my skin feel really clean. I'm not normally too fond of physical exfoliating products as they can be too harsh & I often find little grains left in my hair line, annoying! This stuff is just right & I like to use this a couple of times a week when my skins feeling a bit rough. Caudalie's Beauty Elixir is still a staple product for me and I'm addicted to how refreshed it makes my skin feel. This must be my fourth or fifth full size bottle.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold / Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex / Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+

My favourite ever skincare product, Alpha-H's Liquid Gold, finally ran out after first purchasing my bottle back in May last year! I only use it once a week now so that's probably why it's lasted so long. This stuff is really potent and has worked wonders on my blemishes & scarring. I couldn't not repurchase it. Another Alpha-H product I've heard a lot about is their Absolute Eye Complex which is a really cooling eye gel. It has had brilliant results when it comes to reducing dark circles, puffiness & wrinkles as well as milia. I'd wanted to buy this for ages and got the best deal! Salon Skincare have an offer on where you can buy full size bottles of Liquid Gold & Absolute Eye Complex for just £30! Together you'd normally have to pay about £65 for both of those products so its basically a BOGOF offer. I think its because Alpha-H have recently updated their packaging so they want to get rid of older stock but the products are exactly the same. I'm not particularly fussed about having nice looking products on my dressing table so this deal was perfect for me. I also got another bottle of their Daily Essential Moisturiser. This is my day moisturiser for when I want some SPF as it has factor 50+. It's great for my pale skin & doesn't have any of the unpleasantness that normally comes with sun protection products. It's an ideal partner for Liquid Gold as the glycolic acid in it can make your skin more susceptible to the sun. This bottle has lasted me about six months so it's well worth the money.

A ton of gift with purchase samples from Gatineau, Origins, Bliss & Caudalie

I also got a few samples with my orders from Origins & Salon Skincare. I've never really heard of Gatineau before so I'm interested to see how good their products are. I got a cute wash bag & headband with them too. I love Bliss products so I really like this little tube of their Snow Wonder hand cream. It's very moisturising! Origins currently have free delivery & two sample products when you spend £30. I got little tubes of Checks & Balances face wash & Modern Friction exfoliator. I've never tried these before either so I'm excited to see if they're any good.

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Favourite Products Of 2012

My monthly favourite posts are probably the ones I enjoy writing the most. Lots of you have told me that they're the ones you enjoy reading the most too. So today I bring you my yearly roundup of the products that I've loved using. It was really difficult to narrow the list down this year. There were so many new things that I tried & that have quickly become an essential part of my beauty regime. I'm surprised to see what things have changed & whats stayed the same from my last yearly favourites post. One thing's for sure, 2012 was a very expensive year in beauty!

Skincare
Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift & Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm / Alpha-H Liquid Gold
REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask / Hydraluron / Caudalie Beauty Elixir / Bioderma Créaline H2O

I definitely spent the most amount of money on new skincare products. I fell in love with this Emma Hardie cleanser from the moment I tried it. It removes makeup like nothing else & leaves your skin feeling so soft. I'm sure you could tell that Liquid Gold would be on my list. This glycolic acid based chemical exfoliant is something of a miracle potion for me. It resurfaces your skin getting rid of blemishes, fine lines & reducing scarring. Hands down, it is my favourite product of the year. The REN Invisible Pores is such a wonderful clay face mask. It draws out all the impurities in my skin & tightens every pore. Hydraluron is my favourite product for injecting a quick hit of moisture to the skin as its basically a super power up serum for your moisturiser. It rehydrates skin & helps keep spots at bay. I still love the Caudalie Beauty Elixir and spray it on my face twice a day. Its just so refreshing on the skin & I couldn't go without it now. Bioderma is the best thing you can use if you're feeling too lazy to actually wash your face. It just dissolves makeup so well & doesn't irritate my skin or eyes whatsoever.

Haircare
Moroccanoil / Percy & Reed Finishing Polish / Kerastase Ciment Thermique / Redken Real Control Overnight Treat
Bumble & Bumble Texture Hair (Un) Dressing Creme / Denman Dressing Out Hairbrush

I use Moroccanoil every time I wash my hair & it has definitely helped with its overall condition. I really like the Percy & Reed Finishing Polish as it gives my hairstyle great hold & successfully tames my frizz without weighing down my hair. Nothing beats Ciment Thermique when it comes to heat protection. It also makes your hair softer & has a lovely grapefruit scent. The Redken Overnight Treat is my favourite leave in product as you really do wake up with better looking hair. Bumble & Bumble products are amazing, I only wish they weren't quite so expensive. One thing from them that you should definitely splurge on is this Hair (Un) Dressing Creme. A tiny blob of this stuff ran through your roots before blow drying will give you just the right amount of texture & volume. To give my roots even more volume I use this Dressing Out brush. It is the best backcombing brush ever & can even be used to brush through wigs & hair extensions.

Base
Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer / Bobbi Brown Corrector / Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray / theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer / Laura Mercier Mineral Powder
Illamasqua Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Clarins Instant Smooth is my new favourite primer. It gives you such a flawless base & basically airbrushes out your pores. Nothing manages to cover my hideous dark circles quite like my Bobbi Brown Corrector. It really brightens up the under eye area and makes you look a lot more awake. For most of 2012 I stuck with Estee Lauder Double Wear because I do love the coverage & staying power. Then Estee Lauder did something stupid & got rid of their palest shade. Enter Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation. Soft Ivory is such a perfect colour for me. You only need the tiniest blob for flawless skin and I find I don't need to use concealer on my blemishes when I use this foundation. I love the Urban Decay Setting Spray as it keeps your face in place all day & stops powder from looking powdery. I have a ridiculous obsession with highlighters and I couldn't stop myself from buying new ones in my search for the perfect glow. Look no further, theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer is the ultimate highlighter! I bought this back in May and haven't used or purchased another one since. I use this every single day as nothing else can deliver such a powerful shine. For days when I'm running late I go for a quick bit of concealer under my eyes and a good dusting of this Laura Mercier Mineral Powder. It has great coverage & gives a natural glow. I'd recommend this one over the pressed mineral powder as the pressed ones give a more matte finish. My favourite product for setting my makeup & taking away shine from my t-zone is this Illamasqua powder. I'm paranoid about my mascara running & concealer creasing under my eyes. This powder sets them perfectly & doesn't look cakey at all.

Eyes
Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara / L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Superliner / Anastasia Granite Tinted Brow Gel
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara / Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette / MAC NC15/NW20 Pencil
Maybelline On And On Bronze Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow / MAC Omega Eyeshadow

My mascara & eyeliner choices are the same as last year. I just love this combo for long, thick, voluminous lashes & that perfect black flick. Anastasia are a brand I've been excited to try for a while & their Tinted Brow Gel certainly didn't disappoint. This is such a great product for when you need your brows done fast. Something I've used for a long time is the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara. The tiny brush is fab for getting all those little bottom lashes & as it is a tubing mascara you don't have to worry about it running. The Naked 2 palette really is the best eyeshadow palette I own with shades & textures for all occasions. My eyes don't look right if I forget to use my MAC NC15/NW20 eye pencil. It really opens them up and takes away any redness. I've bought quite a few cream eyeshadows this year but Maybelline's On And On Bronze tops the list. Its such a nice colour & works well on its own as well as under other eye shadows without any creasing. At the beginning of last year I was using the HD Brows palette but I found the shades were just too dark & it was easy to overdo it. Omega is the perfect eyebrow colour. Its dark enough to match my eyebrow hairs & cool enough to look right with my blonde hair.

Blusher
Stila Petunia Convertible Colour / Illamasqua Sophie / NARS Deep Throat

I adore the Stila Convertible Colours! I used to be quite wary of cream blushers but the formula of these is just spot on. All the colours are gorgeous but Petunia is the one I reach for most. Its a bright rosy pink & looks fab on both cheeks & lips. I love love love Illamasqua's blushers & this is one of their newer shimmer blushers. Sophie is such a gorgeous bright golden coral colour and adds a nice bit of warmth to my complexion. NARS Deep Throat is a colour I reach for on an everyday basis. Its just the perfect colour for me & I can't get enough of it. This is actually the only NARS blusher I own, I'd love to get my hands on Douceur next.

Lip Products
NUXE Reve De Miel Lip Balm / Revlon Strawberry Shortcake Lip Butter
Revlon Rendezvous Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain / Look Beauty Citrus Kick Double Hit Lip
MAC Subculture Lip Pencil

The only lip balm capable of saving my lips from death this year has been this lovely NUXE one. I really like the pot & the stick but the pot definitely wins when you need an intense hit of moisture as its a bit thicker. I'd never tried any Revlon products before this year & I truly loved their two very hyped products - the Lip Butters & Balm Stains. Strawberry Shortcake is a lovely everyday pink whereas Rendezvous is sexy orange number. I also really like the Look Beauty Double Hit Lips. One end is a lipstick & the other is a lipgloss. Citrus Kick is another orange but it turns into a very pretty coral when it combines with the natural pink of my lips. The scent is absolutely delicious too. MAC's Subculture lip pencil is great nudey pink shade for emphasising the shape of your lips. It works well under a variety of lip colours & gives you super pouty lips.

Nail Polishes
Essie Cute As A Button / Essie Lilacism / Essie Fiji / Models Own Disco Inferno / Louise Gray For Topshop Junk Yard

I've been loving Essie polishes this year. The new brush makes them so easy to apply & they dry fairly quickly. They don't chip much either with a good coat of Seche Vite on top. Lilacism is probably my favourite one as I just love purple colours! I've also gotten into glitter polishes this year. The whole Models Own Mirrorball collection was amazing but as a gold lover Disco Inferno is the one I reach for most often. This Louise Gray for Topshop glitter nail polish is so stunning & I can't stop staring at my nails whenever I wear it.

Tools
Real Techniques Brushes / Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers / Tweezerman Tweezers

Most of my makeup brush collection has been replaced with Real Techniques brushes since they launched in the UK. I think they're amazing quality with super soft bristles that dry quickly after washing & don't shed at all. My makeup looks so much better since I invested in some of these. I use these three on a daily basis. I apply my foundation using the Buffing Brush, my blusher using the Contour Brush and loose powder with the setting brush. I can't recommend these enough and wish these were around before I wasted loads of money on overhyped MAC brushes which used to just shed all over my face. I use these Shu Uemura eyelash curlers every day without fail. They make my lashes look so much better & open up my eyes. They make such a difference. I've used these tweezers for years as you can pluck out the tiniest hairs with them. They last forever so they're definitely worth the investment.

Beauty Sleep

We all know that in order to look & feel our best we need on average 8 hours of sleep each night. But how many of us actually get that amount? Personally I tend to get about 6 hours because I often stay up past 1am reading my Kindle, browsing blogs or catching up on my favourite American TV shows. Its a bad habit I need to break because it leaves me feeling completely knackered the next day. Not only that but I look tired too & it takes an industrial amount of concealer to hide my dark circles. There are however several beauty products that work overnight to stop you from looking quite so awful. Heres a few of my favourite night time treats for teeth, skin & hair.

Pearl Drops Beauty Sleep
In the past I've used Crest White Strips to whiten my teeth with great success but I have heard some horror stories about the long term effects they've had on some people's gums. Beauty Sleep is a new serum for teeth that claims to gently whiten your teeth whilst also strengthening them & nourishing your gums. You just rub some onto your teeth using your finger after brushing. Its very very minty tasting & definitely leaves my smile looking brighter. I had a scale & polish the other day and my hygienist did comment on how healthy my teeth & gums were. This is something you'd have to use for a long time to see proper results but anything cheap that can whiten your teeth safely without the use of harsh chemicals is a must in my bathroom cabinet.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
I've tried quite a few facial serums now but the one I've seen the best results by far from has to be the classic Advanced Night Repair by Estee Lauder. Just a few drops of this golden liquid turns any basic moisturiser into a luxurious night cream that instantly makes your skin feel beautifully soft. Over time it makes your skin look brighter and reduces the appearance of fine lines as well as blemishes. It may seem pricey but it does last a long time as you only need to use a little bit.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask
If my skin is in desperate need of a moisture hit I often reach for this super hydrating mask. Its so thick yet it sinks right into the skin and works overnight to plump up your face. It doesn't make a mess on your pillow even though it doesn't really set like you'd think a mask would. This is another product you need to use a few times before seeing great results but your skin will definitely thank you for it. A special trick is to layer this up with some Hydraluron, goodbye dry & dehydrated Winter skin!

Alpha-H Liquid Gold
If I'm having a bad skin day I know I can always rely on this little bottle of magic to sort me out. I've waxed lyrical about this product but nothing makes my skin look quite so amazing. Liquid Gold is a mixture of 5% glycolic acid, licorice extract & silk proteins which have the power to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, hyper-pigmentation, sun damage, acne, scarring and breakouts. Its worked wonders on the bumps under my skin and keeps my blemishes under control. Every time I use it (probably once a week now) I wake up with brighter, tighter, clearer looking skin. This is a chemical exfoliant which may sound scary but using chemicals is far less abrasive than traditional exfoliants, reducing the risk of broken capillaries on your face. If I'd discovered this sooner I probably wouldn't have purchased a Clarisonic.

Redken Real Control Overnight Treat
This thick white cream transforms your hair overnight so you wake up with gorgeous silky ends. It makes your hair feel so soft in the morning and stops it from looking frizzy & damaged. Other overnight hair products can feel too greasy or make a complete mess of your bed sheets. This stuff stays in your hair and just feels nice when you brush it out in the morning. You can even use it as a pre-shampoo treatment by using it at night then washing your hair in the morning.

What are your overnight essentials?

Daily Skincare Routine

Following a bad experience from trying the new YSL foundation I've had a bit of a skincare shakeup to cure my heavily blemished skin. The result is that I'm currently really happy with my skin's texture and appearance. I thought I'd share the products that I've recently been using and loving. For reference my skin type is combination with an oily t-zone & dryer cheeks, prone to blemishes and slightly dehydrated.

Morning
REN Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel, Caudalie Beauty Elixir,
Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum, Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+

In the mornings I try to keep the products down to a minimum. Partly because I don't have much time to get ready and partly because I'm gonna pile a ton of makeup on top of my face anyway. A good cleanser is probably the most important step and at the moment I adore this gel cleanser from REN. Its meant for combination to oily skin types and does a brilliant job of balancing out your skin without stripping it. It helps to unclog my pores and leaves my skin looking clearer and brighter. It foams up just the right amount. I sometimes use this with my Clarisonic but it works just as well without it. I then give my face a generous spritz of Caudalie Beauty Elixir. I'm sure everyone has heard about what a fab skin refresher this is and I love how it works on my skin. I've gone through three big bottles of this now and its something I couldn't live without. A recent addition is the Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching serum. I tried a sample of this in a Glossybox and really liked it. When I went for my facial last month I was told that my skin was a bit dehydrated so I decided to purchase the full size one and its definitely helped to replenish my skin. I finish off with two small pumps of my Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+. Its perfect for my skin type and gives me the high sun protection that my skin so desperately needed.

Makeup Removal
Bioderma Créaline H2O, Boots Botanics Face Soothing Cleansing Balm

What I use to remove my makeup depends on how lazy I'm feeling. If I want something quick and easy then Bioderma is the way to go. A few cotton pads full of this will remove every trace of makeup on my face with ease, even when I've piled on the mascara. Sometimes I feel like my face needs a more thorough clean so I remove a bit of my eye makeup with Bioderma and then I use this Botanics cleansing balm. I really like this balm as massaging this into my face feels wonderful. I use a Liz Earle muslin cloth to remove it from my face and it leaves my skin feeling really smooth and does a fab job of cleaning out my congested areas. Sadly Boots have just relaunched their Botanics range and the ingredient list of this product has now changed. I have no idea if the new cleansing balm is as good as this one but I sure hope so. I fell out of love with Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish as I felt it wasn't really doing anything for my skin anymore. This balm was better, cheaper and made my skin so much nicer. Perhaps because this is more akin to the Eve Lom cleansing balm that Liz Earle tried to emulate long ago.

Night
REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser, Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré,
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil, Alpha-H Liquid Gold

At night is when your skin your skin repairs itself so this is when its most important to provide it with some TLC. I begin with another REN cleanser in the form of the ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser. This range of REN products is meant for blemish prone skin so it helps to clean out any impurities in your skin, shrink pores and clear up blemishes. Its really creamy and relaxing to massage in. It definitely helps to soften and calm my skin. Its so refreshing to find a skincare range for blemished skin that doesn't strip your skin or leave your face feeling tight. I either remove it using my Clarisonic or a Liz Earle muslin cloth. I then treat my face to some more Caudalie Beauty Elixir. I rotate the next few products throughout the week. Most nights I use some of my Embryolisse moisturiser with a few drops of Advanced Night Repair mixed in. I tend to use the Clarins Lotus Oil once or twice a week to give my skin an extra boost of moisture. This oil is suitable for combination or oily skin so you don't have to worry about this product breaking you out at all. Twice a week I use my holy grail skin product - Alpha-H Liquid Gold. I've raved about this product enough but this is just so good at clearing up any spots you have (including those that lie deep under the skin such as closed comedones), brightening your complexion and reducing scarring.

Theres some other bits and bobs I use once a week such as masks & spot treatments but those will be coming up soon in separate posts. I hope this helps some of you with combination skin as it can be difficult to find the right products for this skintype.

July Favourites

Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+
Alpha-H's Liquid Gold is my ultimate skincare product. But when you use glycolic acid on your skin you need to wear SPF on a daily basis which is something I've always struggled to find good products for. I really wanted a moisturiser with a high SPF built in to save piling on SPF and moisturiser separately. The team at BuyaPowa very kindly used my suggestion of this moisturiser as one of their 'blue skies' co-buys and I immediately snapped it up. I'm so glad I did because its the best product with SPF I've ever used. It doesn't smell, it doesn't leave a white cast, it doesn't make my skin look greasy, it hydrates my skin perfectly and it sits well underneath my makeup. Its pretty much a dream product.

REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask
This has been a bit of a life saver this month! I was so eager to try out that new YSL Touché Éclat foundation and I was totally loving my little sample bottle because it looks so beautiful on the skin. But it gave me one of the worst breakouts I've had in my entire life! The entire bottom half of my face was just covered in spots and it looked horrible. This mask really helped to save my skin. Its a fab clay based mask and its so good at clearing up spots. When it dries you can see where all your pores are around your face which is kinda freaky and cool at the same time. It tightens large pores and leaves my face feeling so clean and smooth. My breakout from hell was gone within a couple of days and I really think that this was the reason why they went away so quickly.

REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser
I've become a bit of a REN convert this month. I got fed up of buying cheap crappy cleansers that were doing nothing for my skin and purchased two REN ones instead. This cleanser is different to any others I've tried in that it contains clay so its almost as if you're getting the effects of applying a clay mask but in a gentle daily dose. Its so calming on the skin and effective at getting rid of spots without drying out your skin whatsoever. Perfect for combination blemish prone skin like mine.

V05 Hot Oil Moisture Soak Elixir
I go swimming with my daughter every week and my heavily bleached barnet is not a big fan of chlorine. It started to take it toll and was really drying out my hair. I saw this recommended on a few blogs and decided to purchase a tube. This really helps to restore the condition of my hair and apparently it helps to get rid of 75% more chlorine than shampooing alone. Its so much easier to use than the hot oil tubes that you have to warm up before applying but with just as good effects. It only lasts me three shampoos though. I've already repurchased this twice because I love it so much.

Illamasqua Naked Rose Blusher
I've not actually been buying much makeup lately, shock horror! My focus is definitely on skincare at the moment because I feel like yet another pink lipstick isn't really what I need or want to spend money on. The only new collection that I've actually been excited by was Illamasqua Naked Strangers. The colours in this collection are all gorgeous nudes and I was instantly drawn to this beautiful blusher. Its a lovely beigey pink colour that is super flattering and unlike any other blusher I own. Like all Illamasqua blushers it is soft, easily blendable, highly pigmented and long lasting. Its pretty much all I've worn on my cheeks this month.

Breaking Bad
This is a show that for some reason I ignored for years. I'd always heard good things about it but it was only a few weeks ago that I decided to watch it for the first time. I'm so glad I did because it is one of the best television shows I've ever seen. The show revolves around the life of Walter White, a middle aged chemistry teacher turned meth cook/general badass upon discovering that he has lung cancer. He wants to raise money for his family before he kicks the bucket but, of course, the world of drug dealing is pretty crazy so its a bit of a bumpy ride. We've been marathoning the whole show and have just started watching season 4 now. Walter becomes more badass as each season passes and its insane watching the lengths he'll go to provide for his kids. Definitely check this out if you haven't already, you won't regret it!

May Favourites

Alpha-H Liquid Gold
This stuff has been working absolute wonders on my face. I did a full review of this the other day and despite the high price this is something I can see myself using for years to come. The effects are practically immediate which really sets it apart from most skincare products. It has certainly helped to keep my blemishes at bay and leaves the rest of my face feeling soft and smooth. My face also looks positively radiant. If like me you suffer from closed comedones (those annoying little bumps under the skin that no blemish treatment seems to shift) then this product is a bit of a godsend. I can't sing its praises highly enough!

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
I recently ran out of my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish as well as my Philosophy Purity Cleanser and to purchase either of these I have to order them online or hop on a train. So I had a look through my local Boots to see if there were any cleansers I liked the look of. I actually found this in the pharmacy section rather than the skin care section but I'm glad I spotted it as its something I've always wanted to try. Cetaphil is a cleanser that you hear a lot about mainly because its so basic & gentle on the skin. Since I've started using my Alpha-H Liquid Gold I've not really felt the need for a fancy cleanser as that product seems to be doing all of the hard work for me. I wouldn't say that Cetaphil is brilliant at taking off makeup but I use this in the morning and after using my Bioderma at night so thats not really a great concern of mine. A lot of acne sufferers use this product because its really good for sensitive skin. Theres no fragrance in it at all. Its a kind of gel formula that you can either just apply to your face and tissue off or wash off. Like all cleansers you should actually use this on your face while its still dry. It doesn't foam up at all but I still think it works nicely with the Clarisonic Mia (I just wet the brush head after massaging the product into my skin). Whichever way you use this it leaves your skin simply feeling clean, fresh & supple. It does contain parabens which isn't brilliant but for the price I really quite like this cleanser.

Origins GinZing Eye Cream
This eye cream is the best one I've ever used. It contains light reflecting particles that help to brighten the under eye area. A lot of eye creams claim to reduce dark circles but this is the only one I've found that actually lives up to the claim. The effects are not really a solution to the dark circle problem but it works more as a temporary pick me up for your eyes. Its especially great to use in the morning because it brightens your eye before you apply your concealer meaning that you don't need to use as much makeup in that area. I have pretty bad dark circles so its really nice being able to just use a light concealer rather than a full coverage one. Its brilliant at keeping your eye area hydrated so I use this morning and night. It also de-puffs your eyes and feels very cooling on that area. My hayfever has just started playing up and I've found that this does help to stop your eyes feeling quite so dreadful.

Clarins Lotus Treatment Oil
I bought this mainly because I needed to buy a second Clarins item to get a ton of gift with purchase samples & 1000 Boots points but I am absolutely loving this facial oil. I know a lot of people can be funny about putting more oil on their face especially if they already have oily skin but this oil is specially formulated for oily or combination skin. Therefore it actually works to balance the amount of oil that your skin will naturally produce and help to stop spots. They also do two other facial oils for dehydrated and dry skin but I have combination skin so I went for this one. It contains Clarins exclusive blend of rosewood, geranium & lotus oils which smell incredible. Its really calming to massage this into your skin before bed and whenever I wake up after using this my skin feels beautifully plump & smooth, not greasy at all.

Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Cream For Face SPF50+
I spent a couple of weeks last month researching facial sunscreens because this summer I am determined to keep my freckly face under control. The moisturiser I've been using lately (Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré) doesn't contain any SPF so I bought this to use on top of it to protect my pale skin. Theres a lot of moisturisers out there that already contain SPF but they tend to only go up to factor 30 and I need a lot more protection. This is a really nice sunscreen because it doesn't leave any white cast to your skin and actually smells quite nice. I was tempted by the La Roche Posay and No.7 facial sunscreens but they smelled horrible. The lady at the Clarins counter told me that if you're using this as an everyday sun protection product you should wear your normal moisturiser underneath but I found that my face felt a bit too greasy after that. So I've just been using this product instead and used alone it does a great job of hydrating your face without making it super greasy. It might not be ideal for someone with really oily skin but I've found that as soon as you apply your foundation the greasiness goes away anyway. Since discovering the wondrousness of Alpha-H products I'm tempted to buy their Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ when this runs out because thats two products I want in one. Plus its important to wear sun protection all year round which is something I've failed to do in the past & its doubly important if like me you've been fiddling about with glycolic acid products recently!




MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl
Since we've had this recent heatwave I've been trying to wear less eye makeup because it does tend to melt onto my face. My hayfever has also been flaring up a bit so if I do rub my itchy eyes, my black liquid liner and mascara go absolutely everywhere. So I've been wearing this golden bronzey eyeliner smudged over my top and bottom lashes to give them some definition without looking too harsh. The good thing about smudged eyeliner is that if it does get a bit messed up as the day goes on, it looks intentional haha. I'm not too keen on loads of black kohl liner on my waterline because it does make my piggy eyes look even smaller than usual. This colour is a gorgeous alternative that also highlights the green in my hazel eyes.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer
Another month, another highlighter it seems! I just can't get enough of this champagne coloured powder highlighter. The shimmer in this is comparable to that of MAC Soft & Gentle MSF but its perhaps a touch more metallic. The colour is more golden than the peachyness of Soft & Gentle and I think it looks really nice on my skintone. I know that Christine of Temptalia is a big fan of this product and if its good enough for her, then its good enough for me!



Alpro Almond Milk
I've never really been too fond of cows milk. I don't put milk in my tea or eat loads of cheese or yoghurt but I have it on my cereal every morning. When I do buy cows milk I always go for Cravendale because they filter it loads so it contains less bacteria. In the past I've tried soy milk (vom!) as well as rice milk & oat milk but recently I saw that Alpro have started selling almond milk. This seems to be the healthiest out of all the faux milk products as it contains less calories, less fat, more vitamins and more fibre. I know a lot of people have been wanting to go dairy-free after watching Barbara's video about how it has helped her skin so this is a good milk alternative to buy. It tastes amazing and even though its more expensive than normal milk (at about £1.50 a carton!) I'm definitely going to be buying this from now on. My new addiction is having this warm with golden syrup flavour Weetabix, nom!

Alpha-H Liquid Gold

I have suffered with various forms of blemishes for years now and subsequently have tried an absolute ton of different masks and blemish treatments in an attempt to get rid of them. Investing in the Clarisonic Mia was one of the best things I've done for my skin and although it managed to get rid of the closed comedones I had on my cheeks, nothing has ever managed to properly shift the ones of my forehead. If you don't know what they are, closed comedones are those annoying little bumps under your skin. They aren't really spots in the traditional sense of the word as they never come to a head or look red or anything like that but they're bloody annoying and look terrible under your makeup. I've heard that one of the main causes of this type of spot is the amount of makeup you use so its a vicious cycle, especially as I don't think I'll ever give up wearing makeup. Even if I had perfect skin I'd probably still wear a light foundation or mineral powder. I recently heard that glycolic acid is the best thing to use to get rid of closed comedones for good. Mario Badescu's Glycolic Foaming Cleanser is something I reviewed a long time ago and I recently dug this out in attempt to clear up my skin but I found that this cleanser strips my skin a bit too much. Thats one of the reasons I wanted to try Liquid Gold instead.

Liquid Gold is a clear lotion that contains a mixture of 5% glycolic acid, licorice extract & silk proteins that you pour onto a cotton pad and sweep over your face after cleansing at night. It claims to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, hyper-pigmentation, sun damage, acne, scarring and breakouts. In order to reap the benefits of this product you should use it straight without applying any serums or moisturiser afterwards. It essentially resurfaces your skin overnight and you can feel it working right away, but in a nice way. I normally apply it as soon as I take off my makeup at about 9pm and by the time I go to bed at midnight my skin already looks and feels plump and smooth. It has tightened my pores and shrunk any active blemishes I had as well as reducing the amount of blemishes I get overall. Its great on blackheads and keeps my chin & nose really clear. Its also brilliant at getting rid of the scarring that previous breakouts have left on my chin. Best of all is that it did exactly what I was hoping it would do - it got rid of the closed comedones on my forehead. I've had that problem for years and this product cleared them up in less than a week! For me that makes Liquid Gold nothing short of miraculous and I'm ridiculously happy to finally have a clear forehead.

There are some things to note if you're thinking about trying this product. Using glycolic acid on your skin is a form of chemical exfoliation so its important that you don't use any other exfoliants on the same day that you use Liquid Gold. Otherwise it might be too much for your skin to take. I still use my Clarisonic but on alternative days so that I'm not overdoing it. The main plus point of using a chemical exfoliant is that it removes all the dead skin cells on your face without being abrasive so its not actually traumatic to your skin at all. I know the thought of using pure acid on your face sounds super scary but its actually one of the gentlest yet effective exfoliants I've ever used. I've been applying Liquid Gold every other night and on the other days I've either used my Clarins Lotus Facial Oil or Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair mixed with my normal moisturiser. I think that the combination of all of these products is really helping my skin to look more glowing & radiant as well as feeling beautifully soft & smooth. My face has never felt quite so balanced and its like its actually becoming 'good' skin. Another important thing to remember is to wear sun protection even on cloudy days as using chemical exfoliants can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage. This product does help to get rid of previous sun damage but you don't want to make it worse by not wearing sunscreen afterwards.

Liquid Gold definitely lives up to its name and its fast become a product that I couldn't be without. Most products take a while to show their effects on your skin but the effects of this product were instantaneous and my skin keeps on getting better every time I use it. I normally wouldn't review skincare products so soon after purchasing them but you get results from this so quickly that I just had to wax lyrical about it. Since trying this I have become eager to try some of the other Alpha-H products. I think I might order one of the sets off QVC as they are really good value for money. I ordered my 100ml bottle from Amazon because it was cheapest there. This product is suitable for normal, oily, dry, mature and combination skin so I'd highly recommend trying this product out. It has worked wonders for my skin already even though I've only been using it for the past month so I'm excited to see how much more it will improve my skin after a few more months of use.