clearing up breakouts and preventing problem skin

Life being life, I have all of a sudden developed the skin of a teenager whilst in my twenties. All throughout my teens, I rarely suffered with breakouts and more often than not my skin was pretty decent. Fast forward a few years and I've developed clusters of acne around my chin area. Since a particularly bad breakout a couple of weeks ago, I stepped up my skincare routine and noticed my skin clearing up in lightening speed. It's also super important to mention that good nutrition (limiting dairy and increasing healthy fats) along with an exercise routine and keeping hydrated daily are all absolutely essential in attaining great skin. I'll probably write up a whole post on this aspect too. 

My Clarisonic Aria (£155) is my best friend when it comes to giving my skin a deep and thorough clean. I always notice a huge difference in my skin when using it and now wouldn't ever be without it. I've discovered that using my Clarisonic in combination with Vichy Normaderm (£8.25) is a match made in heaven, the gel froths up into a silky lather that's ideal for the vibrating brush head of the Clarisonic to work with. If there are just two things to consider investing in from this blog post, make it these. Talking of Vichy, if I ever get a particularly pesky spot I dab it with the Normaderm Hyaluspot (£7.87) before bed and in the morning notice it has calmed right down.

I'm a big believer in face masks too, and have found both Lush Cup O' Coffee (£6.75) and Origins Out of Trouble (£23) to be superb on problem skin. I tend to use the Lush coffee scrub on days that my skin is looking a little dull and is in need of revival, and the Origins clay version whenever I'm in the midst of an angry breakout.

If your skin is red and irritated, ditch any exfoliator with beads or grains in and instead try a liquid version. It's alternate between La Roche-Posay Clarifying Lotion (£11) and Pixi Glow Tonic (£10), both of which help to prevent breakouts by ensuring my skin is left squeaky clean and free of dead skin cells.

The last thing I ever feel like doing when my skin is misbehaving is applying a thick layer of heavy feeling moisturiser or oil. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (£13) is my knight in shining armour and deals well with my skin no matter what state it's in. It's super hydrating yet sinks in instantly so can be worn under foundation too. If you don't want to fuss with foundation though, try out La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ Unifiant (£16.50) as its ingredients will not only combat blemishes but leave your skin looking radiant and allow it to breathe.

the best of: pixi skincare

Nourishing Cleansing Balm (£18): Most days, I'm a slob when it comes to removing my make-up and dive into bed after a long day without deep cleansing. Bad behaviour, I know. On the special occasion that I give my skin the treatment it deserves, I opt for this cleansing balm to whisk away all dirt and excess oil. The balm feels super luxurious, and melts into a silky oil between your fingertips which easily deals with stubborn make-up and general impurities. With ingredients such as Almond Oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E, I need say no more.

Makeup Fixing Mist (£16): I absolutely cannot bare the thought of cakey looking or worn foundation, so always make sure to spritz my face with this genius mist before leaving the house. I find that not only does it set my make-up for longer wear but also gives my skin a fresh, dewy glow. 

Glow Tonic (£18): I tend to have a combination skin type, with dry patches around my forehead and nose area and a breakout prone chin/jawline, lovely I know. After years of reading the hype surrounding glow tonic, I can completely understand as to why many claim to not be able to live without it. The tonic soaks up a surprising amount of grime whilst leaving skin perfectly prepped to soak in an oil or moisturiser. I'm a big fan of the ready soaked pads too as they make my nighttime routine just that bit faster. Get it or regret it! 

Rose Oil Blend (£26): Roughly every couple of days I use an oil in my skincare routine to plump up my skin and bring it back to life. A current favourite of mine is Sunday Riley Luna Oil but if you can't justify the price tag I'd highly recommend giving this Pixi version a shot as it does just as much of a great job at leaving skin looking perky the next morning.  

Hydrating Milky Serum (£26): If you aren't a fan of the feel of oils yet are still after the hydration they give to the skin, this serum is a great shout. On days that my skin is playing me up with breakouts and I want a lighter feeling product I will always reach for this. It does a wonderful job at soaking straight into the skin and is completely fuss free. 

skincare sunday | 03

First off, please excuse the mildly deathly looking cacti, they are in need of some loving. It seems like FOREVER since I last put together a post on my current favourite skincare products, so here we are once again. I still have some staple products that I absolutely adore and have no reason to ever switch from, and also have a few new finds too. 

To remove make up and cleanse my skin, I go for DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (£21.50) for everyday use and Pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm (£18) when my skin is in need of a deeper cleanse and nourish. The DHC version is absolutely unbeatable as a make up removal oil and is the perfect option for my typically dry skin, and the Pixi balm is ideal to let soak into the skin for a couple of minutes whilst in a bubble bath.

february favourites

For the first time ever I have my act together enough to put together a monthly favourites post. I keep reminding myself that there are so many products that I love but just simply don't get round to talking about, and I've now put myself on the mission to type away about my favourites on a much more regular basis. A girl can only but try hey.

I seem to have finally cracked the perfect dewy yet decent coverage base. I use Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer to start off with, which gives my skin a beautiful glow and really does make my foundation last much longer throughout the day. Next up I conceal my terrible dark circles with Bobbi Brown Corrector and Creamy Concealer, the combination of these two works like nothing else as they are both long-lasting and full coverage. I then apply Illamasqua Skin Base to wherever needs the most coverage and finish off with Chanel Vitalumiere to ensure I'm left with a radiant looking complexion. 

If you can't already tell, I'm wild about the glowing skin look, which is why I've been loving using Mac Strobe Cream on my cheekbones and then setting it in place with the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz. If you want strong highlight game too then seriously check these out. 

No surprises that Maybelline Lash Sensational is my current favourite mascara being that everyone seems to be mentioning it as of late. It gives my lashes such a great curl, along with thickness and a deep black colour that stays around all day. Staying on the lashes theme, I've recently got back into wearing falsies for special events and nights out and have been a big fan of the Huda Beauty versions. They are so well made and are far superior to any that I've tried from less expensive brands, very similar to Mac lashes but with added drama. 

Perhaps my favourite discovery this month has been the Stila Liquid Lipstick in Ricco. I'd never used a liquid lipstick before up until a few weeks ago (madness!) and it's safe to say that I'm now absolutely converted. I adore the deep red shade of this and even more so how it stays put for hours and hours. 

the christmas gift guide: purse friendly

Lush Merry and Bright (£14.95) | For pre-wrapped gifts, Lush simply cannot be beaten. Each year they outdo themselves with bright and sparkly packaging, and I would be absolutely thrilled to receive any of their bath treats this Christmas. This set contains the Beautiful Shower Gel, Rub Rub Rub Body Scrub and Celebrate Body Lotion. 

John Frieda Frizz Ease Gift Set (£10) | Although fun and quirky gifts are always wonderful, sometimes it's equally as nice to receive something that will just come in handy such as a couple of travel sized haircare products. I'm obviously getting old now that I'm asking for useful gifts this year round. 

Dermalogica Clear Start Set (£14) | This would make the perfect gift for a teen with troublesome skin who's yet to discover the world of high-end skincare products. I always find Dermalogica products to be truly effective and the Clear Start range is just what I'd recommend to someone of a younger age. 

  

China Glaze Mini Mixers (£9.89) | These minis are all such wonderful shades for around Christmas and are an ideal way to add lots of new shades to a collection. I'm a big fan of sets like this as I think it's such a great way to be able to give lots of colours a go for the same price as just one regular sized polish. 

Beauticology Home of Beauty Snowman Tin (£19.99) | As far as Christmas themed sets goes, this has to be one of my absolute favourites. It includes a Plum Pudding Shower Creme, Spice Orange Body Wash and a Toasted Marshmallow Body Lotion all inside a tin with a happy little snowman on the front. 

Pixi Natural Contour Kit (£22) & Eye Pen Quartette (£16.50) | These are definitely towards the high end of purse friendly and perhaps more leaning towards luxury but I thought that considering what you get within each set they are brilliant value for money. Both are limited edition though, so get your hands on them whilst you still can!  

Beauty Kitchen Create Your Own Lip Balms (£15) | I've always loved crafty gifts to get stuck into around Christmas time and I adore the Beauty Kitchen range as an idea for something a little different. Why just buy someone lip balms when you can give them a gift to make their very own?

Orla Kiely Fig Tree Gift Set (£16) | This sweet set includes not only a fragrance diffuser but a candle too, both with a woody fig scent and is of course within ultra chic packaging too. If you're a fan of the Jo Malone Wild Fig & Cassis candle then this is a great inexpensive alternative.

current make-up #15

Long time no see. I think I've finally come to the realisation that I will never be an organised blogger. That being said, I've got loads of exciting posts in the pipeline for around Christmas time and some even more exciting giveaways planned. I attempted to film a tutorial of this make-up look but failed miserably and then dropped my camera on the floor. I think by the next time I give it a go I should be able to come up with something, however bad the outcome. 

For my make-up here, I went for glowy foundation, contoured cheeks, strong brows, flicked liner, taupe shadow and a brownish lip. You could say it's slightly Kylie Jenner-esque, but lets not. I will give her something though, and that is she knows how to pick a good lip shade. I recently invested in Whirl Lip Pencil (£12.50) and Twig Lipstick (£15) in a copycat move and have been in love with both ever since. If you have olive undertones in your skin, I'm more than sure that both will suit you really well. Talking of Mac, I've also been loving their Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set (£15) as of late, and have been using it in light strokes more towards the ends of my brows, after using Anastasia DipBrow Pomade (£15). Get your brows right and the rest of your make-up will fall into place, that's my motto. 

My base make-up is Lancome Teint Miracle (£29.50) mixed with Pixi Glowtion Day Dew (£24), which just gives the most dewy and natural looking skin you could wish for. I also use Clarins Instant Concealer (£21.50) to cover my dark circles which has been my favourite for months and months. 

I've always been absolutely useless at contouring, even after watching a trillion of those mesmerising tutorial videos, I could just never get the hang of it. That was until Clinqiue Sculpting Contour Chubby Stick (£19) came into my life, and honestly now I find it such a breeze. You just draw it on at your cheekbones and then blend with a brush, easy peasy. For my eyes, I used taupe and grey shades of shadow on the outer corner of the eye and underneath the lash line, and went heavy on the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (£7.99). All finished off with lashings of Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara (£17.50). 

My hair is currently dyed black but as my roots are starting to come through I'm thinking of going back to brown with lighter ends. I usually just go for black as it's fairly easy to maintain and is always a safe bet, plus I find it looks quite striking, but it can tend to look a little too goth. Let me know what you think I should go for!

pixi tinkerbell/disney event

Last night I attended the launch event for the Pixi and Disney/Tinkerbell collaboration with lots of other lovely bloggers. I've been a fan of Pixi ever since they were the first brand that ever worked with me properly a few years ago by sending me some products to try out for my blog, so it was lovely to be invited along to the event. The Pixi boutique shop just off Carnaby street in central London is a mini make up heaven and stocks anything from foundations to glitter nail polishes. My favourite part of the event had to be the gorgeous cupcakes and vintage looking lemonade, yumm. I'm definitely a fan of their new Tinkerbell range as the packaging is really girl and cute looking but also the products work really well. The range is already available on Asos and in select Boots stores.

In the gift bag -

 

I will be reviewing these products soon xox