In Sickness and In Health

I have been a bit all over the place this month, mostly because I've been ill throughout most of November and it's hard to talk confidently about beauty when you look like shit. So these are the wonder products that have helped to make me look human on the rare occasions when I'd leave the house. The packaging is dented and slightly grubby in these photos, but on the bright side at least you know that they are well loved.

Weleda Skin Food - £7

Okay, the one pictured is the 30ml and the one I've linked to is twice the size, but I have no doubt you'd find a use for this during the winter months. This is like a thick salve as it helps to sooth any dry areas and cracked shin, such as elbows and knees. This may be a bit gross, but I tend to get really noticeable black marks on my nose where I've been wiping away, to the extent that someone asked me if i had intentionally burned it! This has come to the rescue as my skin just drinks it up. It doesn't have the oily residue left by other moisturisers, as Weleda is a natural brand and I will be looking to buy more from them in the future. Using this near the beginning of the month has reduced any discolouration around my nose and helps to deal with any skin irritations brought up from the cold.

L'Occitane Dry Skin Shea Butter Hand Cream - £8

This was a fairly new acquisition as I've never really used hand cream regularly, but as the weather got colder I picked this up as there was so much buzz around it - and frankly it was getting a bit embarrassing pulling out my mini REN Rose Otto Lotion whilst on the Tube. This has a luxurious feel to is as the thrick formula is instantly hydrating, leaving your hands moisturised for a few hours. Definitely one for the times when you need a quick pick-me-up as the smell is divine.

Bath and Bodyworks Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Linen

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if you can get this scent anymore, as Bath and Bodyworks are located in the US and Canada. I can only link here where they sell a few seasonal Favourites, including Warm Vanilla Sugar which I also own and love. Back to Linen, this is such a clean, homey scent and is good when you're rushing around on public transport or maybe after blowing your nose. The gel also contains Tahitian Palm Milk so it's not as drying as other alcohol based hand gels are. So if you're within reach of a Bath and Bodyworks store, give this a sniff as it's a clean favourite (sorry) from me.

 

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm - £10

Yup, everyone raves about this, but for good reason. At first, I was skeptical and only got the £5 stick version, which needs warming up and breaking into before it can be on par with the tub version. I lost the chapstick, and I couln't go one week without cracking and getting the 15ml tub. The formula is extra nourishing and smells of milk and honey. Horrible cracked lips, begone! I was at the stage of the cold where Carmex is as useful as water, but the Nuxe lipbalm is longlasting and also helps to get rid of any dead skin. It may not be best under lipstick, but the heavy luxe packaging and thick hydrating texture more than makes up for it.

Benefit Sun Beam - £18.50

On sick days, your skin tends to look a bit dull and lifeless and this highlighter tends to be the solution when I don't want to look like I tried too hard. Yes, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz is still my favourite, maybe I'll do a side by side comparison someday. The thing is, the shade Topaz is too dark and bronzey for winter and Sun Beam offers a good compromise. I tend to use it on the tops of cheeks and over my dark circles, so the light reflective particles can give my face a subtle lift whilst hiding the lack of sleep and pale skin.

So those are my necessities for many sick days this month! Just so you know, I have changed my URL from ohsofrivolous.blogspot.com to makeuptobreakupblog.blogspot.com, just because there's no point having your own personal space on the web if it doesn't represent who you are. I hope to show more of my personality on here and I'm genuinely excited about the next post! Take care xxx

Portable Skincare 1: Cleansers

Since moving home, I have gotten into a routine of packing an overnight bag and staying with the bf twice a month. This is where I tend to dig out my samples and firm favourites in an attempt to save space. Most of it (along with my toothbrush) fits into this little Nick Lowe case which was originally part of the Blemish Starter Pack, a steal for a fiver at TK Maxx (More on bargains at TK Maxx at a later post).  Can you recognise any gems in there?

This four- part series will go through what I take with me on a regular basis, as well as some space-saving tips to cram in extras for any skin issues that can crop up. As the title suggests, the first will be on cleansers - yes, plural. Being stressed out, living in an unfamiliar environment, or any changes in diet can cause the skin's condition to change and like a good boy scout, you should always be prepared!

If you've read my first empties post, the L'Occitane Angelica Oil Cleanser will come as no surprise. It brightens the skin whilst having a healing effect on any irritated areas or blemishes. I sometimes get weird skin reactions when travelling and this helps significantly to calm them down. The peppermint and bark oils give it an inoffensive earthy scent which I really like and as the Travel size is highly reduced at £4 online, I will probably order another bottle before they all disappear.

The Murad Essential C-Cleanser is another gel based cleanser based on brightening the skin, but has more citric oils in the formula and works best on oily skin. I got this as a freebie in Marie Claire's September issue when my skin was less dry. It worked a treat for hydrating the skin and giving it a glow without leaving it feeling greasy. In the colder months however, it does tend to strip my skin of moisture (think grapefruit juice dry), so I gravitate more towards the L'Occitane one. It is also more expensive at £36 for 200ml, and as you need a big blob of product for your face, it will probably run out fairly quickly. If you missed out in September, you can get 45ml of product for £10 on Murad's website if you fancy giving it a go and if it happens to be in stock.

Next up will be my choice of eyecreams - again plural. However this may change as I've managed to get hold of some Strivectin SD Eye Concentrate at a reasonable price. Having heard Ruth from A Model Recommends constantly sing its praises I want to see if it'll do anything to help with the lines under my eyes.  Can you guess where I got it from?     

Empties #1

This should become a regular thing, as I started taking my skincare more seriously around April/May and am trying to finish the half-finished items I own before investing in any more. If you go back to my first post, I have had hyperpigmentation issues and major scarring, which has massively reduced since I began a proper regimen. My skincare overhaul included using natural products whilst avoiding things with sulphates and parabens, a feat which French brands always manage to excel at without breaking the bank. Many of these things have seriously helped to even out my complexion and prevent acne. Another post is coming on what I currently use, but these are my empties over the last few months.

Vichy Normaderm Solution Micellaire for Acne-Prone Skin -£10.50
After all the buzz over micellar waters I popped into Boots and gave this a whirl. At the time of purchase, I was wearing full coverage foundations and this made it effortless to remove. As the solution is essentially oil suspended in water, I was surprised to find it mattifying with no extra residue. Unfortunately I did find it a touch too drying around the eyes, especially when removing mascara. I am looking to purchase some bottles from other brands to see how they compare, but the Vichy range definitely deserves more attention.

L'Occitane Cleansing Gel with Organic Angelica Water and Essential Oil - £4 Travel Size
Before this, I would often be using whatever cleanser that was lurking in the family bathroom (often Simple or Neutragena Grapefruit Face wash)  without paying attention to parabens, silicones or any other nasties. This travel size bottle came free with the June issue of Glamour and having lasted 5months, I have since picked up another. L'Occitane is a well-known natural brand and this my first foray into their vast skincare range. This has really made a difference to my skin - it's now brighter and surprisingly less dry.  The essential oils in this cleanser help to maintain moisture in the skin, whilst the peppermint oil helps to ward off any breakouts.


La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - £13
Keeping with the French skincare theme, I got this after my skin reacted badly to another product. Perfect for those with oily skin that suffer from breakouts, this is sold as a moisturiser, but could easily double up as a primer as there silicones present in the formula. Personally, I found it more effective to use it on areas prone to breakouts (such as the chin) as it can be too drying.

La Roche Posay Effaclar A.I - £9.19
This formula is more creamy and is meant to target minimal blemishes and imperfections. Effaclar A.I. is more of a corrector for any scarring left after a breakout. For me, it worked best with a hydrating moisturiser underneath as the scars healed faster. I prefer this formula to Effaclar Duo, particularly if you have sensitive skin.

Korres Pomegranate Cleansing Mask - £7 (£5.76 in old packaging from Amazon)
I bought this on a whim on Amazon, as I usually steer clear of clay masks because of the smell. But this one has a slight pomegranate scent and the clay helps to remove impurities. I put it on twice a week after exfoliating and the result is clearer skin, and the appearance of tighter pores. The only thing stopping me from repurchasing is the Origins minis currently on sale for a similar price point. I have yet to try any of their masks so I am curious, but I cannot recommend Korres enough as they are paraben, suphate and sls free.

Garnier CleanDetox Detoxifying Exfoliation Wash - £5.49
This was bought a long long time ago, and despite containing parabens, this is one of my favourite exfoliators. Containing green mint and Vitamin E, it is an invigorating scrub meant to purge the skin of any impurities. It can be a bit abrasive, so it would be best to use on wet skin. The directions on the tube say to use 'a hazelnut size blob', but I'd use much less! A little goes a long way with this one.

Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment - £12
This product has been hyped up to the heavens! Some have used it twice on a spot and it disappeared within a day. I wanted to like this product so much, and despite having good results in terms of combating spots, I wouldn't repurchase this. It stings on application, and since I stopped using it, I have had less scarring on my face. I felt that I had to persevere with it as I didn't get instant results; and I suspect my skin had gotten used to it before the bottle was used up. To conclude this mini-review, don't write it off, it just didn't work for me.

REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream - £27 full size
Despite having the smallest of samples, this was the gift that just kept giving as I've been using it on and off for roughly 6 months. It contains an SPF and kept my skin hydrated whilst using the smallest amount. There is just one bad point and that was the texture. I can't put my finger on it, but despite it being a cream, the consistency was... slightly on the greasy side. Saying that, I am in the midst of trying the version for sensitive skins and I prefer it a lot more, the formula seems much creamier without leaving any residue on the face. I'll keep you posted.

So there are my empties over the last few months. Do you own any of the products above? Let me know if there are any similar products you recommend or if you've had a similar reaction