Friday, 31 August 2012

How I Deal With Spot Breakouts

Hiya lovelies!

Recently, I've had breakouts of spots around my mouth and chin so I thought I would share with you guys my tips & tricks for getting rid of spots!

  • Always take off your makeup before bed - I know some people won't bother but it's such a crucial step to keep your skin clear. You don't have to repeat your entire morning face routine, just take off your makeup with a makeup wipe so it doesn't clog your skin. My current favourite makeup wipes are the oil balancing ones from Simple as they also help control excess oil on my skin :) These wipes are currently on offer in Superdrug, found here.


  • Drink lots of water - everyone knows this one! Drinking water is not only good for your body but will keep your skin hydrated, healthy and glowing.
  • Exfoliate the skin regularly - By regularly, I don't mean everyday, but fairly often. Exfoliating clears off the dead skin cells from you face and allows new cells to be made. If you use a good exfoliator, your skin should be left soft and glowing after using it. One of my staple favourites is the Garnier Pure 3 in 1 Wash/Scrub/Mask which I usually only use as a scrub. It exfoliates my skin well and has salicylic acid in for an added spot treatment. 


  • Have 'no makeup' days - I love my makeup (both wearing and applying it), but when I'm not going out or doing much there's not much point in putting on a full face of makeup that will clog your pores. If you leave your skin alone once you've carried out your skincare routine and just let your skin breathe once in a while you'll notice a difference.
  • Try BB creams or tinted moisturisers rather than foundation - Foundations can be thick and can clog pores and make spots worse. By using a BB cream or tinted moisturiser, you can add a little bit of coverage, but your skin can still breathe :) my current favourite is the Garnier BB cream for oily skin.

  • Try face masks - I love face masks! And what's great is that you don't need to spend loads of money on them (although some may be worth the money). The ones I recently been using are from Superdrug's own line, and they've recently released loads more formulas so check them out if you haven't! My favourite one is a dead sea clay mask that's great for oily and spot prone skin :)

  • Invest in a night cream - I don't always use night creams, but recently I've started using one that I've had for a while and I already see a difference in my skin! Applying a night cream will keep your skin hydrated throughout the night and should leave your skin soft and radiant when you wake up. All night creams are formulated to be worn for hours on end, so don't worry if it doesn't absorb into your skin as quickly as your day moisturiser. My current night cream is Angelique Aromatic Balm by Decleor however I think this particular formula has been discontinued. You can find what else Decleor have to offer here, there's lots of similar products :) 



  • Keep your skin moisturised - I try my best to stick to my morning skincare routine and if I don't manage to tone, put serum and eye cream on etc the one thing I do always put on is my face moisturiser. My solid favourite for years now has been Estee Lauder DayWear, both the normal and oil free formulas are great. Keeping your skin moisturised helps to keep it looking and feeling healthy and can help calm and prevent future breakouts.


Thanks for reading! What tips do you have for spot breakouts?
xoxo

Thursday, 30 August 2012

Mini Uni Haul: Mainly Clothes & Some Accessories!

Hiya guys! I've been shopping a bit lately and thought I'd show you what I've been buying (I say that, but my mum has bought me most of these things for uni!).

I'll start with clothes, as that's what I have the most of (I've been throwing out loads lately)!

CLOTHES

Dorothy Perkins (my favourite store, can you tell from the amount I buy from there?!)


Cream Cocktail Rings Snood; £9.50 (here)



Isn't this adorable? I love wearing scarves, and think this can go with anything because of it's cream background and black print. It's easy to wear and I really like it!

Navy Lace Back Cami; £16 £10 (here)


This little vest top is going to be a staple in my wardrobe. It can be dressed down, with a cardigan and jeans or dressed up with shorts or bodycon skirt and showing the lacy back! 

Damson Heart Motif Sweat; £16 (here)




This jumper may not look like much, but it's so soft and comfy and perfect for Autumn/Winter!

Eden Black Ultra Soft Jeggings; £23 (here)






I've never been a lover of jeggings... until I tried these. Ohmygod, they're so so so comfy and feel so soft but look like a pair of black skinny jeans! I also love the 'jean like' detail on the waistband, that makes these look like proper jeans.

New Look

AX Paris Black Dip Hem Strapless Dress; £35 (here)





Can't find this in black on the website, but my one is definitely black! I saw this in New Look, a shop I rarely go in, and fell in love with it! With the dipped hem and floaty material, I feel like a princess when I wear this! The bust part is perfect for me, which I was originally sceptical of as I have big boobs and sometimes struggle to squeeze them in tight fit dresses like this! I honestly don't think pictures do this dress justice, it looks so much better on and I can't wait to wear it out and about at uni :)


ACCESSORIES

Accessorize

Peacock Feather Owl Pendant; £12 (here)


Me and my mum saw this adorable necklace and we just had to get it! It's so cute, and can be worn with anything (e.g the black dress above to brighten it up!!).

Lace Overlay Clutch; £25 (here)



I needed a going out clutch bag and thought this was perfect! It comes with a strap, which I probably won't use but it's a handy option. The pattern is lovely and elegant and I love this because it will go with everything!

That's it - thanks for reading! What have you been buying lately?
xoxo

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Essie's 'Cute As A Button'

Hiya lovelies!

Thought I'd share with you my thoughts on Essie's 'Cute As A Button' nail polish :)





Words cannot describe how much I love this nail polish! The colour is the most perfect bright coral pink, nothing like anything else in my collection and absolutely perfect for summer.

The formula of this is to die for, it feels like a really high end polish like OPI. After 1 coat it's opaque however, I tend to apply 2 coats to make the colour more bright. The brush is big, flat and easy to use - even on my short nails!

Even though the price is higher than other nail polishes found on the high street, the quality is so much better and you get 13.5ml of product compared to the standard 10ml or 11ml you tend to get in other high street brands.

I highly recommend these nail polishes, they're worth the money and will last you ages!

I already have my eye on buying two more; 'Mint Candy Apple' and 'Bikini So Teeny'!

Do you have any Essie nail polishes? What are your favourite shades?

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

You can buy Essie from larger Boots and Superdrug stores or online for £7.99

Monday, 27 August 2012

Wishlist: A/W 2012 Fashion Trends

Sorry that this post is another wishlist :( I'm in the process of writing a big veggie diet post though so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Hiya lovelies!

I'm loving some of the autumn/winter 2012 trends that brands are coming out with so thought I'd share with you guys my favourites!

Wow the majority of the clothes are dark and vampy though. I love this, but I understand that it may not be everyone's cuppa tea so sorry for the dark theme!



Left to right, top to bottom:


  • Topshop Nails in Lead; £6 (here)
  • Topshop Leather Quilted Chained Clutch Bag; £48 (here)
  • River Island Sleeveless Shirt; £25 (here)
  • Topshop Midnight Velvet Playsuit; £45 (here)
  • River Island Black High Waisted Shorts; £30 (here)
  • River Island Grey Love Cross Print Lace Tank; £18 (here)
  • River Island Silver Metallic Glitter Leggings; £22 (here)
  • Oasis Matt & Shine Sequin Top; £35 (here)
  • Lipsy Embellished 2in1 Dress; £55 (here)


What's on your wishlist? Do you like the look of some of the A/W 2012 fashion trends?

Thanks for reading!
xoxo


Friday, 24 August 2012

Uni: Beauty Wishlist #1


Left to right; top to bottom:

  • Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara; £8.49 £7.99 (here)
  • MUA Professional Eye Primer; £2.50 (here)
  • Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey; £7.99 £5.99 (here)
  • Real Techniques Core Collection Brush Set; £21.99 (here)
  • MAC Lipstick in Creme Cup; £14 (here)
  • Essie 'Bikini So Teeny' Nail Polish; £7.99 (here)
  • Essie 'Mint Candy Apple' Nail Polish; £7.99 (here)
  • Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Khol Liner in Ultra Black; £4.49 (here)
  • Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder; £6.99 (here)
That's it for now, there'll probably be another wishlist soon though... because I'm too obsessed with makeup :(

Thanks for reading!
xoxo