Sun Damage Saviours - Murad Environmental Shield

I know I've already shared my views on most of this range before, but the Environmental Shield has done wonders over the warmer months to prevent and reverse the effects of sun damage. It was only this year that I took a close look at my skin and learnt the difference between sun spots (which originate at the surface) and acne scarring which occurs on a much deeper level. These products contain a stable form of potent Vitamin C to perk up the complexion and defend against free radicals. These items come in a starter kit complete with an eye cream, which you can now get for £29.50. 

The Essential-C Cleanser is a firm favourite of mine and I always break it out during the summer as a quick morning cleanse. The orange beads contain antioxidants to perk up the complexion and is completely non-drying despite having to work the gel into a foam. It has been a godsend for my dehydrated skin and is excellent for getting rid of pollutants and city grime as a second cleanse.

Despite its anti-aging properties (have you read my thoughts on that yet?) I am finding it pretty hard to find fault with the Advanced Active Radiance Serum. I use it every morning in conjunction with the cleanser and my skin has become brighter within 3 months of use. A lot of dark spots have been cleared because of this serum! It uses AHA's to refine the skin and imparts an effective hit of Vitamin C to help correct any sun damage. I tend to use AHA's during my night-time routine, so this only gets used once daily to avoid overloading my skin. It is mighty expensive (the full price is £100) but it has been so effective that I might just cave. BeautyBay are selling it for £60 here. 

Lastly, if you do use exfoliating acids or want to protect against sun damage, a high performance SPF is a must. Especially in summer. I was originally using another Murad oil free formulated SPF15 from the Pore refiner range, but then again I didn't want to undo all the good things that happened to my face. So as spring turned to summer, I made the switch to the Essential C- Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 and never looked back. It protects against UVA and UVB rays and still manages to be non-greasy and natural looking i.e. no white cast for those with darker skins. I have fallen for it, it has a rich texture and my purse is weeping as I will have to replace it shortly. It is £57 here.

I know that the range is pricey, but there is a difference between falling for hyped products and investing in your skin. These starter kits are a great entry point into the brand and if you have to get one item from the range I would suggest the serum, which as also been spotted in TK Maxx in recent months. If you have any experiences or solutions for sun damage, I would love to hear them.

Candice xx

Views on Anti-Ageing in the Beauty Industry

Just to warn you, this is a bit of a long rant but it also explains why I haven't been blogging as much lately.

Despite spending the last few months working for a well-known beauty brand, one thing has managed to rub me the wrong way - the industry's (and society's) response to ageing and perpetual youth. I'll never be able to sum it up as well as this Refinery29 article does, but I thought I'd at least share my own experiences along with the wisdom shared by Gabrielle Korn here.

"But, if older women are treated like the aging process makes them imperfect and younger women are treated like they don't know anything, what age are we supposed to be if we want the respect we deserve? Is there any "right age," or are we just forever jumping through hoops?"

As a baby-faced woman about to turn 25, this deeply resonated with me. I feel on a regular basis that my looks stop people from taking me seriously - I often had to correct colleagues that thought I was still at school. How is that flattering? It implies a lack of life experience; and is something that has constantly undermined my confidence during my working life. Before this article, I never even realised how much this paradox was limiting my growth as a person. I could play up to my youth & miss out on opportunities, or try to look older and be judged for it.

Apparently youth is preferable as most of the beauty products I use have the words 'Anti-Ageing' stamped on them to appease the masses. Even the phrase itself is a myth because it's not like a topical cream can stop time. Doing research on competitors had also exposed me to anti-ageing products with very questionable product names. The worst offender was Lulu's Time Bomb skincare range, which really surprised me as she is 65!  At best the names are hilariously bad, but the underlying message is that women must wage war with lines and wrinkles in order to preserve their beauty. Instead of, you know, accepting nature.
      

With packaging like hand grenades and names like 'Hand to Hand Combat Eye Cream', I genuinely didn't know whether to laugh or cry. My mum recently turned 60 (much to the shock of most acquaintances) and doesn't buy into any anti-ageing campaigns. Washing her face with soap, moisturising with cocoa butter and leading a healthy lifestyle has worked out better than an expensive face cream ever could. I am still a self-confessed skincare junkie but as my stash increases, thoughts have crept in about whether this is completely necessary. After all, I only have one face and I still sometimes get ID'd in bars.

In short, I feel bad supporting an industry that vilifies and shames women on a regular basis. A few brands are bucking the trend by using older women in their campaigns, but a considerable chunk of consumers still feel alienated by the unobtainable goal of staying youthful. When the time comes, I will embrace my wrinkles and my grey hair. It's not letting myself go if I accept the inevitability of time and experience.
 
Rant over. I will publish a review next to balance this negativity out, I promise :-)

NOTD: O.P.I Kermit Me To Speak

It's been a very long time since I last did a Nail of the Day post, but frankly when you're interning (or just living life really) the strong talons you once had tend to transform into pathetic flaky stumps. In between coating them with rose hip oil at night to destroying them with sellotape and frantic typing by morning, a no fuss nail colour was needed and Kermit Me to Speak from the Muppets Most Wanted Collection caught my eye.

This duochrome formula can lean pink in some lights and olive green/gold in others. I am a sucker for these shades, but this O.P.I offering is by far the most wearable. One coat is enough for a subtle sheen, but I used two for a more intense look. It applied evenly and faultlessly, so I feel less bad about not having long nails any more as the variation in colour from my little finger to the index leaves a cool, quirky effect.

For someone who used to wear Topshop nail polish in Moonshine religiously, this is a more sophisticated version and looks amazing with my skin tone. I find it hard to pull off versatile nail colours but this to me is work appropriate with a bit of play thrown in for good measure. What do you think?

Candice x

The Perfect Pair: Toners

It is fair to say that I am a complete skincare junkie, so I am having a bit of a quiet patch on the blog while I test out a few skincare bits. I rarely ever get an instant result after using something new; the gratification always comes as a bit of a surprise but with these two the difference was clear after around two weeks.

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator and Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

Chemical exfoliators have become ever popular and the one I've been using for the last few months is the Clarins Exfoliating Toner. Containing glycolic and salicylic acid, this product is gentle enough to use around the eyes yet effective enough to slough away dead skin cells and improve the texture of your skin. It has helped enormously with fading away stubborn scars and cystic spots over time. For someone who is scared of overdoing it, this has become a permanent addition to my daily routine.

To balance the skin's pH, a liberal spritz of the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist soon follows. It is, in my opinion, highly fragranced yet not as drying as other spray toners can be. I adore the heady rose scent and the inclusion of marshmallow and aloe helps to calm the skin. It also comes in handy when I need a pick-me-up during the day or my makeup needs a bit of a refresh with a sponge. Despite containing alcohol, this spray is hydrating and delivers a cooling effect to irritated skin.

These toners work wonderfully together, as I find my skin to be a lot smoother with this combination. I did enjoy using the Antipodes Resurrection Toner, but since I bought it my skin type has become drier and these options are a much better fit for me.

What toner combination do you use?

The Perfect Pair: Base

Revisiting my Perfect Pair series much later than planned, I had a seemingly foolproof foundation concoction ready to publish maybe 2 weeks ago. Then the weather changed. I found myself in an office situation where my make-up had to be long-wearing without looking too glowy. I used to only reach for the powder on nights out whilst layering on the liquid foundation during the day with a stippling brush. Then, I rediscovered two past loves which happen to work really well together.

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat in BD60

When I first got my hands on this foundation, I did have a love-hate relationship with it. At the time I was between shades and this made me uncomfortably pale faced. After a year, my skin seems brighter and needs less coverage so that I can rock the perfect 'no makeup' look for a day at the office. This foundation works by blurring imperfections and is based on the same technology as the cult Touche Eclat highlighter. But I'm sure you knew that already.

The downside to this is that sometimes it can get a bit too luminous by the time 5pm rolls around. The consistency is thinner than other foundations I've tried in the past and for me, flat foundation brushes tend to give the best finish and less product is wasted.

MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC50

Ah, my trusty MAC powder of choice to the rescue! I favour these over the Mineralise Skinfinish Natural compacts mainly because of the more precise shade range and that the Studio Fix Powder is much more buildable. It doesn't leave things too matte and I've never had the misfortune of cake face when layering over the YSL foundation. Surprisingly, my base doesn't lose the glowy finish after applying this on top and I can build up the coverage for those bad skin days.

I have a few more Perfect Pair posts to come, but I'm probably more chuffed about this as the YSL foundation is something I've really gotten into, and the MAC powder has always been a favourite of mine. Don't you love it when things work out?