Skincare: Back to Basics

Following a rather nasty eczema break out - is that the right term?!- on my eyelids & top lip, think swollen, puffy eyelids that were bright red & a crusty top lip, I had to re-evaluate my skin routine. What I was using clearly wasn't beneficial to my skin.

The suspect being Garnier Soft Essentials Complete Cleanser for Dry Skin. I know what you are thinking, it is for dry skin so how did it make you skin more dry?! That I do not know. Removing make up with this cleanser night after night left me dry and flaky with a nasty bout of eczema. Action has to be taken as my skin was painful not mention I looked less than alluring...

Following a trip the the Pharmacy to get some strong cream for my eyelids, I embarked on a skin mositurising spree. I wanted to keep everything simple. I thought on it for a while & did a little research into products eventually settling for a few products aimed at babies & rich creams to keep my face hydrated.

Once my breakout finally calmed I decided to have a route around for some new products to aid in removing my makeup. As a first cleanse I like to use baby lotion. If it is sensitive enough for baby skin then it must be sensitive enough for my sand paper skin. It works at treat as a initial cleanse which I then follow up with the Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm. I like to use this with a face cloth rather than the cheap cloth that comes with the product. This product is amazing and a total steal. It cleanses the skin while giving it a wee bit of TLC without a hefty price tag attached - smells gorgeous too! This is followed by a rinse with some spot fighting facial wash depending on the condition of my skin. Normally I reach for the Neutrogena 2 in 1 Wash & Mask.



What are your core skincare products?

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Autumn Picks: Beauty.

We all want to be warm & stylish during the colder months but a girl has to have a good supply of beauty supplies too! The winter months bring paler skin, dry skin & rosy cheeks so a little TLC doesn't go a miss when you aren't feel bright eyed and bushy tailed.

In order to make myself feel a little more preened I have a selection of product I like to reach for when Jack Frost bites. The only area I have left out is hair simply due to my pixie growth process which has covered pretty much all my haircare needs!

Nails through out Autumn and winter tend to centre around plums and reds with Nails Inc being a favourite brand. Saville Row is a rich, plum shade that is a little softer than a true black but still has the deep, gothic shade that works perfectly in the colder months. Picadilly Circus is a deep cerise shade that is interesting without being a very bright, garish pink. Think a pink for a lady! I love this shade, it is so beautiful and is an interesting colour. Finally Victoria & Albert is a beautiful true red. I am a massive red nails fan & this polish does not disappoint.

Skin & body care. I have dry skin. There is no way around it. This said, I need to moisturse daily sometimes twice... For this I have become a huge fan of Dove Purely Pampering body cream with Shea Butter and warm vanilla. I love this cream. It isn't too heavy or sticky that I can't get dressed after I put it on & the smell is light but still has a little kick. For my face, Nivea soft is a staple. This cream never lets me down.

For scent, I have gone for an old favourite of Chloe. I prefer the eau de perfume but sadly I can't part with the money currently so settled for the toilette. The smell is quite musky but smells amazing when it has settled into your skin & lingers. 

A few make up picks now. For eyes, I am all about a bit of smokeyness which the MUA Undressed palette is perfect for. Plus it is an absolute steal! The colours are a mix of matte and shimmers ranging from light brown to charcoal shade making it so simple to create an interesting eye look. For lips, the Nivea lip butter in caramel cream has been a staple since the summer & I am sure will see me through the colder months. I have decided to go fake tan free this Autumn/Winter, partly due to my skin being not so great & partly due to my love of pale skin with dark eyes! For this I have stuck with my one true love, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in shade 51, light vanilla.

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Skincare Favourites

Following my realisation that a good skincare routine would be beneficial I turned to an old favourite that has seen me through some dark days, the products up for discussion are the Superdrug Vitamin E skin oil & Tea Tree Oil - both inexpensive & readily available products that do wonders for my skin.

After I've cleansed, toned & washed my face of the days make up & dirt, massaging in a generous amount of Vitamin E oil mixed with a few drops of Tea Tree oil into my skin make my skin feel loved. I look like an oil slick but that is not important as in the morning I wake feeling moisturised, smooth & best of all my skin feels deep down clean - I like to believe this is due to the Tea Tree oil. Both products are available in Superdrug up & down the country, I'm sure other places sell them too, & are priced at a pocket friendly £2.99 each. I should note both are normally on buy 2 for £3.99.

Whenever my skin is feeling a little dank & miserable this little potion works wonders & as  an added bonus make up application goes smoothly & hassle free the next morning. Winning.

What are you skincare saviors?

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Trying out

If you follow me on Twitter you will know that recently I have been having trouble with my skin. For whatever reason my face has decided a spot party would be simply the best idea ever, I disagree.  I saw another blogger talking about Avene samples from the company's website so I decided to take up on the chance of trying some higher end skin care seen as a week today I turn the grand old age of ... 23 *weeps in hands*

I got a sample of Gentle gel cleanser and the Light hydrating cream, I am really looking forward to trying them out after hearing so many good things about them. Here is hoping I will wake up tomorrow morning with flawless skin ... I can live in hope!

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