Tackling 'That Time Of The Month' Breakouts

31 March
One of the fun things that comes with being a female is the wonderful inevitable hormonal breakouts and there is unfortunately not a lot we can do to prevent this. If you are someone that doesn't suffer that badly with 'that time of the month' spots then I majorly envy you. After years of dealing with these breakouts I can finally say I have a small set of products that I can count on to minimise or sometimes if i'm lucky completely avoid. I guess one good thing about hormonal breakouts each month is that we can track when our skin is due a break out - for example mine is always the week before my delightful 'time'.

As soon as I can feel a breakout coming on I switch my regular toner for the Pixi Glow Tonic as this gently exfoliates the skin and removes any dead skin cells to give an overall more radiant look to the skin. As you can see from the photographs in this blog post it is a well loved product and I can always count on it to not dry my skin but still leave it feeling super clean. I simply use it on a cotton pad straight after using my everyday cleanser and before my moisturiser. When I visited Pixi's website to link the exact one I have I noticed it has actually been awarded an 'acne award' so I'm not surprised this works such wonders for my hormonal breakouts.



Any excuse for a face mask right? I adore the L'oreal Blemish Rescue mask for when my skin is really suffering from the hormone build up as it leaves the skin visibly clearer and removes any bacteria to prevent future break outs. Again this is a product that works its magic without drying the skin and it does this with its main ingredient as Marine Algae Extract.



Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion - need I say more? For years I heard people talking about this product being a life saver when it comes to blemishes and I am so mad at myself for not trying it any sooner than I did. It is a real game changer! You only need a very small amount and it is important that you don't shake the product. If you leave it to sit you will notice there is a clear liquid and a pink powder that will settle at the bottom - the pink is what you want. I apply it by dipping a cotton bud all the way to the bottom of the bottle until the tip is coated in the pink powder and then dab it directly onto each individual blemish and leave it over night.



I hope you have found this post helpful and please feel free to leave any of your recommendations down in the comments.

Spend-Free Spa Treatment ¦ Aveda Free Facial

27 March
Yes you read that correctly - a facial that is entirely free. I think we can all agree that when it comes to spa treatments like facials a lot of the time they can be a little pricey, and we could all do with a pamper now and then - I mean i'd love one every day if I could. When I initially booked my appointment I had it in my mind that it would be quite rushed and not very informative. I envisioned them just splashing a little cleanser, toner and moisturiser on my skin and then expecting me to buy the products but I couldn't have been more wrong. I walked away with GLOWING skin, I felt completely relaxed and I wasn't pressured into buying anything at all.

Myself and my best friend both had appointments one after the other and the experience was far more in depth than either of us had been expecting considering we hadn't paid a penny. The Aveda adviser was really friendly and made us both feel comfortable even though the it's a stand in the middle of a very busy Liberty.


She started by sitting me down, clipping my hair out of my face and popping a robe over my shoulders to avoid any oil from the products getting onto my clothing. She then offered us a small glass of their tea - and me being the sucker I am for a herbal tea drank it within 5 seconds. Their tea is completely natural, caffeine free and made up from peppermint and liquorice root to help calm you.


Taking her time to go through my current skin care needs, concerns and also the products I am currently using - the treatment was entirely tailored to me and my skin. From the consultation she discovers which type of product you like using whether that's a thick moisturiser, a lotion, a foaming cleanser or a cream. She held up a small board with their 'Chakra' colours and asked me to pick which colour and word appealed to me the most. I chose Chakra 3 which was 'to feel intention' otherwise known as the power Chakra where you feel motivation according to the ancient healing art of India.


The treatment started with a soft exfoliation using a small soft brush in circular motions and by this point I was already relaxed. She then proceeded to use an oleation oil to nourish the skin and left it on for a few minutes so it could work it's magic on my skin before removing it with warm water on some cotton pads. I don't know why I've never incorporated this step into my own skin care routine - I've never really found a use for skin oils as I don't like to sleep in them and for me there isn't any other time I can use one, however after this facial I will 100% be adding this step as my skin really thanked Aveda. Whilst the oil was soaking into my skin I was asked to close my eyes whilst she spritzed a halo of the Chakra 3 over my head and read out a small card of information about it's benefits - we're now talking complete relaxation.



In order to get rid of all the excess oil and also any polution in my skin from the London air she applied a foaming cleanser twice using just two damp cotton pads - again something I have avoided because of the time they take up with needing a sink and washing it off in a bathroom. Following this she spritzed their Botanical Toning Mist onto some cotton pads and applied it all over my face so my skin would get maximum results from the next products.



During my consultation I mentioned that my skin could be a little sensitive if products are too harsh on the skin and she would always make sure I was still comfortable after each application. Due to my sensitivity she chose a pomegranate and raspberry serum to soothe my skin as well as restoring it.


Onto eyes... I am guilty of not applying eye cream purely because I haven't found one that has made a noticeably difference but this was my favourite part. She applied a small amount of eye cream all around my eyes and then lightly pressed it into the skin with cool fingers so it was really soothing before applying a relatively thick moisturiser to my skin, leaving it dewy and full of goodness.



After the treatment is finished she goes back over your products with you so you know exactly what has been put onto your skin. Overall the treatment is around 20 minutes but I can assure you it is heavenly whilst it lasts and such a good way to try new brands.

You can see the details and how to book here.

I hope you enjoy your free facial if you decide to try one.

PURPLE GLAM CUT CREASE ¦ MORPHE 35B PALETTE

24 March
It has been a while since I last sat with my laptop and wrote a blog post but it feels so good to be back at it. I thought what better way to make a comeback than to get creative with a much more vibrant look than i'm used to and just hope for the best.



Rather than me blabbering on with an intro to this post I'm going to go straight ahead and list of all the products I used to achieve this look.


Skin
Marc Jacobs RE(MARC)ABLE Foundation in 14 Ivory
Make Up Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer in C3
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Milani Baked Blush in 05 Luminoso
ABH x Amrezy Highlighter
Mac Fix +


Eyes
Morphe 35B Palette: using the brushes with the colours photographed - firstly I packed the dark purple into my crease making sure the colour was intense, then in circular motions I added the hot pink just above the purple blending as I go. I then used the peachier pink on a fluffy brush to blend out the edges. I cut the crease using the same concealer that I used on my under eyes and then set it in place with a mixture of the two palest pinks at the top of the palette.
NYX Glitter Primer
The Gypsy Shrine Biodegradable Glitter in Gold
Too Faced Black Liquid Art Eyeliner
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in extra black

Brows
Primark Skinny Brow Pencil in Dark Brown
Benefit Ready, Set, Brow


Lashes
Kiss Lashes in Little Black Dress
Duo Glue

Lips
HNB Cosmetics Lip Gloss in Yes Girl (I believe this is sold out but here is her Instagram in case you're interested in updates)