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Sunday, 30 June 2013

Monthly Round Up #1

As well as doing a monthly favourites every month, I'm also going to commit to something new. I'm going to a do a "monthly round-up" post just in case you missed any of my favourite blog posts I've published this month. So I've picked ten out of 30 blog posts that I have enjoyed writing to show to you. If you like this kind of post then please do let me know and if you have a monthly round-up post on your blog, send me your links!

I kicked this month off with my Westfield Derby haul. In case you didn't know, I was given a £100 - eeek - giftcard from Westfield to spend in any of their shopping centres so me and my mother trotted off to the Derby one. I managed to get a hell of a lot for my money and stuck to my "only buy clothes" rule pretty well. Although, there are a few cheeky Boots purchases on there too - if you show me a Boots, I can't resist.

Another favourite this month are my reviews of both the Stylfile S-Ped & Buffer. These two products are absolutely wonderful but the thing that made me the happiest about this review is that the winner of the Apprentice, Tom Pellereau tweeted me and told me that he loved my review (he's also the inventor of these products). As a massive fan of the Apprentice, this pretty much made my entire month life.

A few other products that I tried out this month were the Bumble and Bumble Surf range. I reviewed - aka gushed - about the products and told you all why I love them but hate them at the same time. The price of the products makes me want to cry because the products themselves are absolutely incredible - and completely deserving of the price - but are way too expensive for my tiny student budget. Sigh. It's a hard life.

This month I also wrote my first post for Trend Life Magazine. In this post I told you all my five must-have summer beauty products and when I first wrote this post, the sun was glaring outside. Unfortunately for us British people, the sun hasn't had its hat on these past few weeks - maybe I jinxed it, oops - but today has been a pleasant surprise weather wise.

I also posted a little eye make up look that I really loved creating with my Urban Decay Naked palette. It's a palette that has been a bit unloved since the arrival of the Naked 2 and Naked Basics palette but ever since that post, I've definitely rediscovered it and realised the reason why I fell in love with it in the first place. It's all I've been wearing on my eyes this month.

I have some new favourite lip products! And I wrote about them all in my not quite a lipstick post. The title of this post is a little bit weird but I'm someone that loves - but can't get on - with your usual bog-standard lipsticks. But luckily for me, technology has advanced and there are now some wonderful formulas out there so this post is about those glide lipsticks/lip crayons/lip markers etc. I also reviewed (and swatched!) the Models Own Lip-Stix's which I wish I could've included in the "not quite a lipstick" post but unfortunately, I "discovered" them too late.

I'm a fake tan addict and I wrote a review of my new favourite fake tan, Fake Bake's 60 Minutes Self Tan Liquid. This fake tan is foolproof - you couldn't streak it or make it look orange if you tried. It's also quick at developing and only takes 60 minutes to 3 hours which is great for those of you in a rush and those who want to apply and go. In this post, I did a before and after picture so if you're interested in pale people who magically turn brown in just 60 minutes, this is a post you can't miss.

This month, I discovered an Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess dupe for just £8.94. I couldn't believe it myself when I first smelt the perfume in question and I had to blog about it and let you all know. Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess is the god of summer fragrances but unfortunately, it's pretty pricey so I'm glad to have a found a cheaper alternative - with a cuter bottle too!

I also posted my day time and night time skin care routines which are posts that I loved writing. I'm a skincare addict and I'm really comfortable and happy with my current skincare routine - it's really kept my scarring in check. So I was happy and excited to share with you my favourite skincare products of the moment.

And finally, I asked the question which Real Techniques face brush do I need? There are so many out there and although I use them all on a daily basis - you don't need them all. So I took the three most popular Real Techniques face brushes and compared them to let you know which ones I believe would be most suitable for your needs.
Go Home
So there you have it! My favourite posts this month. I also thought I'd include a blogger favourite every month to share the love a little bit. Not only am I blogger myself, I'm an avid blog reader and I'm subscribed to over 200 blogs myself - all I pretty much do is refresh BlogLovin in my spare time. My monthly blog love "award" goes to the lovely Charl at Ginger Girl Says. Her blog has me in stitches - she's a wonderful writer and mixes beauty, fashion and lifestyle perfectly. So if you have a few spare minutes, go over and say hello! I promise you won't be disappointed.

What have been your favourite blog posts to write/read this month? Who's your "blogger of the month?"
xxx
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Saturday, 29 June 2013

eBay wishlist #1


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First and foremost, I just want to put it out there that I'm not copying anyone with eBay wishlist post. At least, not on purpose. You see, these are my favourite kind of posts to read. There's nothing like buying something on eBay, waiting for it in the post and then realising what a complete and utter bargain you've got. Through eBay wishlist posts, I've found some right gems and as an avid eBuyer myself, I thought I'd start writing them as well. 

I've been trawling through eBay these past few days and I've completely fallen in love with a few items off of the site. First of all, I'd like to mention the phone case. I'm a complete phone case addict and I already have a phone case off of this eBay seller so I know that the quality is outstanding. My favourite building in the whole world is the House of Parliament building and my favourite place is London so when I spotted this phone case, I had to have it. My sister bought it for me after completing my exams and it came housed in a pretty box and for the price - 99p! - the quality is better than some phone cases I've spent £10+ on. Because of this, I'm dying to get my hands on more and I need the Tower Bridge one.

As you can see from my wishlist, I've gone a bit dungaree crazy. I loved dungarees and pinafores when I was a little girl and it's great seeing them come back into fashion again. There are three above - all under £15  - and they're all pretty, affordable and I can see them being staples in every woman's wardrobe. The maxi dress is without a summer staple - if you're in the UK, I don't know if you can call what we have summer but hey ho - and this one is beautiful and simple. They also do them in a variety of different colours - one for every day of the week!

What are your favourite eBay finds recently?
xxx
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Meet my June advertisers

Hey lovelies! I don't know if you've noticed but this month I've had tree beautiful girlies gracing the side of my blog and taking over my #FF's on Twitter. I'm here to introduce them for you and to - hopefully - add a couple of wonderful blogs to your ever growing blog reading list. I hope you like - I think their blogs are gems!Knickers & Nail Polish

"Hi, I'm Sarah and this is my little blog. Knickers & Nailpolish is my little space on the internet to escape the reality of being a Primary School Teacher as well as living with the boy who doesn't get excited about nail polish. I tend to focus on all things girly but in recent months I've been moving into lots of different categories, from fitness and food to fashion and lifestyle. I hope you stop by and say hello."


"Welcome to my little corner of the internet :) My name is Kirsty and I love to blog about family life, stuff that I make, places I go, projects, running, studying a degree from home, parenting, relationships and everything in between. I word hard on my blog and set a post to run each weekday at 5am. In 2011 I launched an online shop and have since made and sold a number of different things including journals, mixed paper books, notebooks, prints, custom announcements and journaling kits. The plan is, as always, to continue to create and develop new and exciting products. I am also completely obsessed with anything to do with the countryside, pretty papers, setting goals, the beach, plants, journaling and taking photographs. The one piece of information I would like a reader to take away from my blog is that life is awesome and you can make it as beautiful and as inspiring as you want to. Have a goal? Write it down and make it happen. Thank you for reading :)"
Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook | GFC

                                           The Little Blush

"I'm Lucy, 20 and from the UK. I've been working in the beauty industry for five years, and I am a fully trained skin care specialist and make up artist. Over the last two years I've been making my way through the beauty journalism and social media industry - And have now decided to put all my knowledge I've picked up into one place and create my own blog that's a mix of beauty, fashion and lifestyle. I like to blog about good quality and affordable skin care and make up that's available on the high street. I've got a keen eye for a bargain, and love to share my top tips on looking good on a budget."

xxx
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Friday, 28 June 2013

REVIEW: L'Oreal Go Neon Pop Collection


The other day, I received one of the most exciting packages of my life. The postman rang my apartment alerting me that there was a parcel waiting for me. On arrival to his van of joy, I was greeted to a huge box and I couldn't for the life of me work out what it was. I returned to my apartment filled with curiosity and excitement and when I opened the box, out popped a beautiful balloon from Bubblegum Balloons* along with a note from L'Oreal and four of their newest Colour Riche nail polishes*.

The shades are from the Go Neon Pop collection and I do believe, without a doubt, that they're the most perfect summer shades. The  shades include Acid Watermelon (a bright, bubblegum pink), Wasabi Hint (a beautiful mint green - but brighter), Flashing Lilac (a deep purple) and finally, Banana Pop (aka the most perfect yellow you'll ever come across).

You can see from the swatches just how beautiful these polishes are. Although these polishes are branded as being neons, I've definitely seen shades that are more fluorescent however, I think that these are more wearable. As for their formula, it's lovely. Before receiving these polishes, I'd never tried any L'Oreal nail polishes before so I was completely oblivious to how great the formula actually is. They were all pretty much opaque in one coat and as for their longevity, they lasted me five days without one chip.

I've definitely fallen in love with these new nail polishes and L'Oreal nail polishes in general. They retail for £4.99 and Boots currently have a "buy one get the second half price" offer on at the moment so it's definitely the right time to stock up. 

What are your thoughts on these nail polishes?
xxx
*PR Sample
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Wednesday, 26 June 2013

MoneySupermarket’s Big Night In








Being a university student, I definitely enjoy going out at night. It's pretty much the law. But some of the best nights I've had during my two years at university - only one year left, eek - involved staying in. You see, when you stay in you have no limits. You can do virtually anything that you want to do as long as you're staying within the law. So when I was gifted £50* from Money Supermarket to have a big night in, I couldn't wait to get planning. University is over, exams are over and our student loans are quite frankly gone. So me, my sister and our friend decided to have a fun night in playing games, watching films and eating food - all on a £50 budget.

First of all, we decided to buy Monopoly City. Monopoly is a game from our childhood and it's certainly one that we all love. Monopoly City is new-ish to the franchise and to be honest, who doesn't want to imagine that they're owning a city for a night (or two as we later found out). Monopoly is a long game and investing in a game is something that I definitely believe to be money well spent. It was on offer for £14.95 and it's something that will last us forever and bring us a lot of joy - and arguments.

Of course, a girls night in wouldn't complete without a few films. The films on the agenda were the following: The Notebook, She's The Man, Dark Night Rising and All Good Things. One to cry at, one to laugh at, one to get excited at and one to hide under the pillows at. Once again, DVDs are a good investment as they can be reused and if they're a film you love, then well, they'll probably never leave your DVD player. Unfortunately, we didn't get to watch all of the DVDs in one night as we were already jam packed with Monopoly but we did manage to watch all four over a two night period - even better!

Another must-have on a girls night in is face masks. Yes, we look a little bit silly whilst trying to be "serious" during our very intense game of Monopoly but our skin felt lovely and soft afterwards. And of course, we had to get lots of nibbles and tipples to keep using going. Coca-Cola, energy drinks, crisps and lots and lots of chocolate. What girl could say no to that?! Everything you see above was purchased with the £50 - can you believe how much you can get with £50?! I definitely believe that staying in is the new going out, especially when you're on a student budget. We had a lot of fun for the two nights the Monopoly games and DVD's went on for and it's something we'll definitely do again when the next student year starts.

If you fancy it, you can enter this little competition yourself and be in with the chance of winning £500. You can find out more details on how to enter here.
xxx
*provided by Money Supermarket for this competition
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Tuesday, 25 June 2013

REVIEW: Baker Days



I'd be lying if I said that I didn't love cake. To be honest, who doesn't love a good cake? So I was absolutely delighted when I was asked if I'd be interested in featuring a Baker Days cake on my blog. Of course, I couldn't resist and after I'd chosen my design, I patiently sat around waiting for the little beauty that popped itself into my post box and I'll tell you now, it was delightful.

Baker Days is an incredible cake service that safely delivers celebration cakes everywhere in the UK the very next day. They have developed a versatile colour and decorating process that creates beautiful cakes that taste like you've made them yourself. Now, I don't know about that as this cake was absolutely delicious and if I'd have made it myself, I'd have probably given myself food poisoning - I'm great at eating cakes but baking them? Not so much.

My cake was a letterbox cake (which fit into my post box perfectly) in the design Little Birdie.* I decided to have my blog name on my cake as I thought it was a really cute thing to do - my blog's very own cake! It's safe to say, Bamboozle Beauty felt very special for a day. My cake was presented in a beautiful tin that made me feel even more special than I already did. It also came with candles, balloons and one of those horn things that you blow into and it makes a funny little noise. Me, my sister and our friend definitely had a night of celebrations when we ate this cake. And I can happily report that it was soon demolished and inside our bellies. It was delicious - very soft and moist and the icing was perfection too.

They also make larger cakes (8-60 portions) where you can personalise with your own message and upload your own photos too. They have over 500 designs and like I mentioned earlier, you can have it delivered the very next day. Best of all, if you don't see a cake design that you're looking for or particularly like, you can let them know and they'll design one especially for you at no extra charge.

You can view all of the Baker Days cakes here - they even make cup cakes! You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook. I love this website and it's already bookmarked in my browser for when my friend's birthdays come around. Yum. The cakes are delicious, affordable and stunning.
xxx
*PR Sample
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Monday, 24 June 2013

REVIEW: Macadamia Flawless


The other week I came across the most perfect hair product ever known to man kind. Over the past few months, I've seen lots of reviews on the brand Macadamia popping up all over the blogosphere so when I was given the chance to try a product of theirs for myself, I couldn't turn the offer down. The Macadamia Flawless* is an innovative hair care product as it combines cleansing and conditioning in one simple and easy to use step. It doesn't use any harsh chemicals and it's surfactant-free and paraben-free. Basically, it's pretty damn good for your hair.

To use this product all you have to do is pump a couple of pumps of the product into your hands and smooth it onto your hair. At first, it's a little bit weird as it's like applying a thick mousse into your hair and the consistency does take a little getting used to but once you've used it once, you'll never stop. I apply this before going into the shower and leave it on my hair for five minutes. Once I've washed this out, my hair feels beautifully soft instantly. After blow drying, my hair looks and feels even better. I've never had hair so soft before in my life and I even struggled to tie it up for work. The product claims to cut down blow drying time but it only usually takes me five or so minutes to blow dry my hair anyway. At first, I was a little bit worried about this product because I do have oily hair at the roots and my hair is always weighed down. However, this definitely didn't make my hair greasy and it seemed to add more volume to my hair. I use this once a week as a little treat for my hair and my hair absolutely adores it.

I definitely want to try out more products from Macadamia so if you have any recommendations, do let me know. This product is available to buy here for £25.75. Have you tried the Macadamia Flawless before?
xxx
*PR Sample
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Friday, 21 June 2013

eBay loving: imhappyuk


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In case you don't follow me on Twitter and you haven't heard me stressing out, I've been invited to a black tie event next month and for the past few weeks, I've been trawling every clothing website trying to find the perfect dress. In the end, I took to eBay and discovered an eBay store which has quickly become my favourite. A lot of their items are "Buy it Now" however, they do auction off their items as well which means that you're good with buying on eBay, you can get yourself a bargain.

I'm currently bidding on dress number 4 for more than its Buy It Now price. You see, their Buy It Now clothing is from China which means it takes a while to ship to the UK but some of their bidding clothing is from the UK which is why I'm willing to pay more. There's no point in me buying the dress for it not to be here in time for the event! For me, their clothes are perfect and exactly my style - cute, ditzy and girly. When I get paid at the end of the month, I'll definitely be placing an order so I will let you know what the quality is like. If I win dress number 4, I'll also let you know about their quality.

If you've already ordered from this store before, let me know if their quality is up to scratch. You can visit the store here. I'm also considering writing "eBay wishlist" posts as their definitely my favourite to read. So if you're interested, let me know.
xxx
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Farewell Google Reader

Just a little chit-chat post for you all today. As you may or may not know, Google have decided to sadly get rid of their Google Reader and although nothing has been confirmed yet, there has been a lot of speculation over what will happen with Google Friend Connect. 

When I first started blogging, there was no BlogLovin, there was no SheSaidBeauty, there was Google Friend Connect, RSS Feeds or email subscriptions. But as the blogging industry has grown, so has the available blogging following platforms. For me personally, I'm extremely sad about the (apparent) loss of Google Friend Connect. Although it's not as pretty and as easy to use as BlogLovin, it's where the majority of my readers are and it makes me gutted to know that I might be losing some of you after the hard work I've put into my blog.

So this post is just me letting you know other ways that you can keep up to date with Bamboozle Beauty if you do want to continue to be a part of my little community. There are many different ways that you can follow my blog and you find the majority of them here. My personal favourites are the following:

By following me on Twitter you won't receive a lovely list telling you when I've published a new blog post however, you will be able to keep in touch and up to date with me. Every time I publish a new post, I'll send the link to Twitter and inform you all what it's about. I'm also very active on Twitter, love a good old chat - especially about beauty products - and meeting new people so if you're up for a natter, follow me and I'll follow you back.


Whether you love it or hate it, Facebook is one of the biggest social networking sites on the web and it continues to grow on a daily basis. These days, it's great for keeping up to date with your favourite bloggers and YouTubers. Like Twitter, I post every newly published post onto my Facebook page and keep you updated with anything happening the world of Bamboozle Beauty.


This has quickly become my favourite way to keep up to date with my favourite bloggers. I follow a lot of blogs via this website and it makes reading posts much easier. First of all, they have their very own app which means no matter what I'm doing, I can read blogs which for me, is wonderful. Also, they give you the opportunity to "like" a blog post and my heart beats a little bit faster whenever I receive a new like on my post - they always make me happy! Thirdly, you can import the blogs you currently follow on Google Friend Connect into your BlogLovin account by clicking here - they couldn't have made it easier if they tried. And finally, they have "popular pages" and "up and coming pages" which means finding new blogs to follow is an absolute doddle.

Like I mentioned earlier, there are many other ways to be kept updated with me and my blog including Instagram, She Said Beauty, Bloggersdotcom, Google+, Pinterest and Baobella. You can find more of my social media links here. It'd be great to keep you all aboard on my blogging journey - I'd hate to lose any of you.
xxx
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Thursday, 20 June 2013

Which Real Techniques face brush do I need?

























First of all, I'd like to apologise for the state of my brushes in this post. I promise that I do wash them weekly - I'm pretty religious when it comes to that - but unfortunately, I always forget to photograph them after they'd been washed. So after months of forgetting, I decided to photograph them in their dirty state while I remembered. 

I personally don't know how I lived my life before the Real Techniques brushes hit the scene. The line - by YouTuber Samantha Chapman - is very extensive, pretty and highly doted on in the blogosphere. Before the Real Techniques invention, I used to rely on my trusty Body Shop Foundation Brush. It was one of those bog standard, flat brushes and don't get me wrong, it was good and it did the job but I'm definitely a stippling and buffing girl these days. There are three main foundation brushes in the Real Techniques line and one question I always get asked at work is; "which one is the best?" So I thought I'd compile a mini guide to help you all in your decision making.

I should have photographed these the opposite way round and saved the best until last but unfortunately, I wasn't clever enough to think about that. So like I said, this is without a doubt my favourite face brush and surprisingly, it's the cheapest out of the lot! You can stipple and buff with this foundation brush and essentially, it does the job of the Stippling and Buffing brush in one. It allows products to be applied to the fullest of coverage and it's great for not only foundation but concealer, blush and bronzer too. If you like this brush then I'd highly recommend getting a few to save you on washing.
Best for: full coverage foundation, buffing, stippling, cream blush, bronzer, concealer

This was the first Real Techniques brush that I purchased and at the time, I was in love with it. After years of using my trusty Body Shop Foundation Brush, I was a complete convert. I loved the stippling motion and to me, it was completely new and covered the majority of my imperfections. Don't get me wrong, this is still a great brush - it's very well made, dries quickly and does the job - but I do prefer my Expert Face Brush for the majority of my face needs. I tend to use this on nights out when I want a flawless finish for my concealer - the stippling motion means that you get the fullest coverage out of your concealer - and for cream brush as it helps to apply a lovely flush of colour.
Best for: low coverage foundation, stippling, concealer, cream blush

This is the brush that I hear an awful lot about and when I managed to get my hands on the Core Collection, I was extremely excited. But for me, I'm not the biggest fan of the Buffing Brush and it's my least favourite out of the three. I'm definitely a full coverage girl and although this does a great job at applying foundation flawlessly and streak-free, the Expert Face Brush gives me the most coverage a product can give. I tend to use this after I've applied my foundation, concealer and powder to blend all of the products together and give me a steak-free finish. Don't get me wrong, it's a great brush and I'd definitely recommend buying the Core Collection purely for the Contour Brush.
Best for: medium coverage foundation, buffing, blending

I don't believe that you need all three and if I was to go for just one it'd have to be the Expert Face Brush - as far as brushes go, it's perfection. I do use all three of them on a daily basis though but if I was going away and was forced to pack light, the Expert Face Brush would be the one to go on my travels with me. Which Real Techniques face brush is your favourite? Do you own all three?
xxx
*PR Sample
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Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Favourite sun protectants



When it comes to sun protection, I use it religiously. I'm one of those people that will always - without fail - use SPF on my face. It doesn't matter if it's snowing or if the sun is blaring through the sky, it's something that I always use. You see, my theory is that there's no point in me spending money and time on all of these wonderful skin care products if I'm not going to protect myself from the biggest anti-ager of all time: the sun. The sun is deadly and I'm someone who has pretty fair skin - I basically burn and then go white again - so protecting myself is very important. I also use a lot of acids and brightening products in my skin care routine which makes protecting my skin from the sun even more important.

This is the SPF that I use all over my body. I used to be one of those children who hated having sun cream applied to them. It was sticky, heavy and it just didn't feel nice on the skin at all. Luckily for us, technology has advanced meaning that applying SPF is no longer a chore and wearing it on the skin feels as beautiful as wearing your favourite moisturiser. This sun protectant is waterproof and it has an innovative nourishing oil texture. It glides easily onto the skin, moisturises it, sinks into the skin easily and quickly and leaves behind a subtle and pleasant fragrance. I also love the fact that this is SPF 50+ as it means you're going to get the highest protection available. One question I get a lot working at Boots is; "will I still tan if I use SPF 50?" The answer is yes, you just won't burn and it might take a little bit longer.

I think finding the perfect facial suncream can take some time. I don't have sensitive skin but I am prone to breakouts and sometimes that one extra SPF step can really take its toll on my skin. I do have sun protection in my daily moisturiser but for me, that's not enough and I like applying more protection "just in case." This face cream by Korres is a real pleasure to use. It contains organic yoghurt, proteins, minerals and vitamins which means not only is it good and soothing for your skin, it's also going to protect you pretty well. The texture of this is very light - lighter than my moisturiser and so far, I've seen no signs of breakouts. It smells absolutely delicious which is always a bonus and it's water and sweat resistant. When it comes to facial SPFs, I always look for water/sweat resistant because facial SPF isn't something that you want to be reapply daily - especially in England - as the chances are, you're going to have make up on. This is a real pleasure to use and my skin laps it up. I would recommend using no less than SPF30 on your face - especially if you're using acid exfoliants.

This is a product that I was a little bit apprehensive about. As I say in most of my blog posts - sorry if it annoys you! - I do have badly scarred skin so I'm not one of those people who can apply SPF on holiday, no make up and be good to go. I like having the extra bit of coverage to give me confidence. This product is genius for us blemished skin beauties. Essentially, this is a make up product but it protects the skin in the exact same way as a suncream does. I didn't think that this would have a lot of coverage in it - if any - but it does. I'd say it's medium coverage and it covers up any spots and some of my scarring. Although it's a cream foundation, it mattifies the skin like a powder so you don't have to worry about shiny skin. For me - whilst I'm in England - this is the perfect primer when the sun is scorching hot. I don't have to add any unneccesary steps to my skin care routine and I can cut my usual foundation out completely as with concealer, this provides enough coverage for me. When I'm abroad, this is going to become my best friend as it's something that I can wear around the pool to protect my skin while still feeling confident knowing that my scarring has virtually disappeared. An absolute genius of a product and I can't believe it hasn't been thought of sooner.

So these are my sun care summer picks - or just my all year round SPF favourites. What are yours? Have you tried any of the products I've mentioned above? Are you like me when it comes to sun protection - do you wear it all year round?
xxx
*PR Sample
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Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Night time skin care routine























So here it is ladies and gentlemen, my night time skin care routine. Yesterday I posted my day time skin routine and so I could write bigger mini reviews, I decided to split them up into two separate parts. I do use quite a lot of products in my skin care routine but all of them work really well with my skin type. I did mention yesterday the kind of skin that I have but here it is again for reference: I have combination skin that is pretty oily in the t-zone but can get quite dry around any blemishes. I am prone to blemishes and I get the odd spot every now and then. I used to have really bad skin which has left me with awful scarring and hyperpigmentation on my skin (which you can see here). I also sometimes get blackheads on my nose and my pores are quite large.

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm - £9.00
This is my night time make up remover. It's really kind and gentle on the skin and removes make up quickly and efficiently. I apply the product to my palms and massage it into dry skin until all of my make up has been dissolved. After this, I remove with water and flannel and my skin is left looking very clean. I find that it's great to use on waterproof make up and lifts any dirt and grim from the skin leaving the it feeling soft and supple. I've done a full review of this product here.

FaceB4 Daily Cleansing Foam - £14.95
You can quite easily use the Cleansing Balm alone but I'm a big believer in double cleansing so I use this Cleansing Foam afterwards. I mentioned this yesterday but before "discovering" this, I hated cleansing foams; I thought that they were useless and a waste of time. But this is absolutely incredible. I haven't had a breakout since using it and my skin feels beautifully soft after I've washed it away. It's quick and easy to use and it smells clean too. I can't find a fault in this at all and it's perfect at washing away any left over Cleansing Balm.

I've done a full review of this product here and I also mentioned them in my day time skin care routine. I use these twice a day because in the mornings, they instantly brighten my complexion and at night, they get to work on my scarring. When I wake up, my skin feels beautifully soft. As I mentioned yesterday, these are safe enough for every day use and they don't dry the skin out or make it any oilier. I definitely want to try out other forms of acid exfoliation but for now, these are perfect.


Eucerin Even Brighter Spot Corrector - £14.50
I use this twice a day - in the mornings and at night - to help fade my spots quicker. It feels light on the skin and despite its chemical smell, it's a pleasure to use. I can't emphasise enough how important it is to use extra SPF on your face when you're using brightening products (I have an SPF post coming tomorrow) so make sure you do. Like I've said before, I've not seen any major reduction in my scarring as my scars are pretty deep but I can definitely notice a minor difference.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo* - £13.00
Like I mentioned yesterday, I love this product because it clears out my pores and helps stop breakouts. It's lovely to use in the day as it's very light but it's also great at night time as it's refreshing. I use this twice a day to ensure that spots don't reappear and to keep them at bay. It's a great all round product and does exactly what it claims to do. I've done a full review of this product here.

 b.liv shrink and tighten+ large pores diminishing night complex* - $49.00
This isn't something that will completely eliminate my pores for good but it does help to tighten them overnight. I apply this all over my skin before going to sleep and when I wake up, my pores look visibly reduced and more refined. This has been formulated with L-ascorbic acid and it stimulates collagen production at night which helps to tighten pores. I've been enjoying using this product and I definitely think I will repurchase however unfortunately it's quite hard to get a hold of in the UK. It's a must have if you dislike the appearance of your pores.

 Eucerin Even Brighter Night Cream - £23.50
Unlike the Day Cream from this range, this is very light on the skin and feels like a hybrid of a cream and a gel. But don't be fooled by its texture - it's very nourishing and moisturising and replenishes your skin overnight. I love the light texture of this cream as it's refreshing on the skin and a pleasure to apply. As I've mentioned before with this range, I haven't seen a massive difference in my scarring - wow I'm like a broken record with that one - but I've noticed a difference in the appearance of my skin, the way it feels and hopefully in time, my scarring will fade dramatically.

And there you have it! My night time skin care routine. As I also mentioned in this post, tomorrow's blog post will be about my favourite SPF's for the body and the face and for me, SPF is the most important skin care product that I use. There's no point in using all of these products to help fade my scarring if I don't help prevent further hyperpigmentation from forming. Do you use any of the same night time products as me? What are your favourite night time products to use on your skin?
xxx
*PR Sample
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Monday, 17 June 2013

Daytime skin care routine




I've been asked a few times whether or not I'll do a post on my skin care routine and considering I know a lot of you suffer with the same skin problems I do, I thought I would. My skin care routine is something that I change up quite a lot - I blame being a beauty addict for that - but this is one that I've stuck with for quite a while. I've noticed a reduction in blemishes, oilyness, blackheads and even my scarring so it's something that is definitely working for me. I've decided to split my skin care routine up into two separate posts - day and night so that I could go into further detail about the products so tomorrow's post will be my night time skin routine. For reference, here is a little bit of background information about my skin: I have combination skin that is pretty oily in the t-zone but can get quite dry around any blemishes. I am prone to blemishes and I get the odd spot every now and then. I used to have really bad skin which has left me with awful scarring and hyperpigmentation on my skin (which you can see here). I also sometimes get blackheads on my nose and my pores are quite large.

FaceB4 Daily Cleansing Foam - £14.95
Before finding this Cleansing Foam, I hated any kind of foaming face wash. I thought that they were absolutely useless and just stripped the skin of its natural moisture. But this Cleansing Foam is face wash perfection. Granted it's not the best at removing make up but I don't use it as a make up remover - just a face wash. It removes dirt and grime from the skin and once washed off, leaves the skin feeling beautifully soft and looking clearer and brighter. I haven't had a break out since using this Cleansing Foam and it does a wonderful job at keeping my oil at bay throughout the day. Overall, it's a wonderful face wash that I can see being in my routine for an awfully long time. I've seen a lot of people complaining about its price but £14.95 for clear skin - and two products in one - isn't a lot for me at all. It's definitely worth the money.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads - £12.99
After cleansing my skin, I use these Exfoliating Facial Pads all over my skin to exfoliate and tone it. I've done a full review of this product here and since then, I've repurchased them. They're quick and easy to use and also gentle enough to use daily. After I've sweeped one of these over my skin, it looks brighter, clearer and it's almost perfectly prepped for make up. These haven't dried my skin out nor have they made it oiler but they balance my skin nicely and since using them, I've noticed a minor improvement on my scarring.

Eucerin Even Brighter Spot Corrector - £14.50
I've been using this product for a little while now and it's something that I think I'll always repurchase. I haven't noticed a major difference in my scarring but it definitely has settled down any redness. I apply this twice a day to my most prominent scars and leave it for a couple of seconds to sink into my skin. The smell of this is pretty chemical but it feels light on the skin and it's something that you don't notice is there. When using this you do have to use a high sun protectant and be careful where you apply it because essentially it is bleaching the skin.

b.liv off with those heads* - $49.00
When it comes to blackheads, I'm not something who is willing to squeeze them out of my skin. It doesn't look pretty and it sounds painful so instead, I tend to use a face scrub in the hope that they'll eventually disappear. However, this gel makes it much easier. It's very light and cooling on the skin and I've been applying it once a day in the morning on my t-zone where I'm prone to blackheads. The product claims to remove blackheads and whiteheads in 14 days of daily application however I found that after five days, mine had completely disappeared. I've also noticed that my t-zone hasn't been as oily since I've been using this which means I no longer have to powder throughout the day.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo* - £13.00
This has to be one of the most loved products in the blogosphere. I do believe that literally everyone has tried this product and I can definitely see why. If you haven't heard of the Effaclar Duo then basically it's a complete skin care solution that aims to purify pores and reduce the appearance of imperfections. The thing that I love the most about this product is how light it is - if you're someone who suffers with breakouts then you'll know that spot treatments tend to be drying and quite heavy but this one isn't at all. I use it like a serum and it leaves my skin feeling soft to the teach. It's definitely cleared out my pores and it's rare that I get a breakout these days. I've done a full review of this product here.

Eucerin Even Brighter Day Cream - £22.50
This day cream is lovely. It sinks into the skin beautifully and preps the skin for make up very well. I've really enjoyed using this and so far, I've barely made a dint in my tub as you only need a tiny amount. It smells really pleasant and since using Eucerin in my skin care routine, my skin tone has definitely improved and make up is starting to apply better. I will be continuing to use the Eucerin Even Brighter range and hopefully, I'll report back to you my thoughts as scarring reduction definitely takes time.

So there you have it! My daytime skin care routine. Tomorrow's post will be my nighttime skin care routine and I'll just give you a little warning now - a few of the products will be the same. What's your everyday skin care routine? Do you use any of the products I've mentioned? Or do you want to try any? Let me know!
xxx
*PR Sample
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