Category Archives: beauty

The Caviar Collection from skinCHEMISTS

01st May 2019
Items gifted by skinCHEMISTS for blog consideration

So, I turned 32 on Sunday and I still don’t have a decent skin care routine under my belt. Sure I cleanse and moisturise, but that’s as far as it goes!

I’ve noticed a fair few sneaky extra wrinkles creeping in lately, so when skinCHEMISTS sent me some products from their super luxe sounding Caviar Collection it was like someone had be spying on my lazy-girl routine.

The Caviar Collection is one of the brands best sellers and I was both intrigued by it’s name, and slightly scared as my associations of caviar tend to err on the lumpy and fishy side of things. Still, I got stuck in and you can read my thoughts below.

Anti-Ageing facial serum £49.99

So it turns out that the Caviar element of these products is a super nutritious marine extract that aims to improve how firm your skin looks as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines.

My first impression was how light this felt when I applied it. I’ve actually been using it under my makeup in the mornings and it just glides on and sinks in well. I did initially wonder if it was worth an almost £50 price tag, and after ten days of solid use I can say yes, yes it is. You only need the smallest amount at a time so it will last for ages, and my skin looks instantly better when I apply it.

Anti-Ageing caviar eye serum £39

Eye products are the one thing I never think to buy, and the one area that really needs all of the help it can get when it comes to my face.

My first impression of this product was how chic it looked (shallow I know!) . It has a real luxe feel that makes me want to keep it on display, which in turn reminds me to use it! Almost two weeks in and I reckon the fine lines around my eyes look less pronounced than they did; I would ask Bob for his opinion but I’m not sure I’m quite ready for his brutal honesty (I’m still smarting from his remark on my grey hairs!)

Anti-Ageing caviar day moisturiser £39

This is another fancy looking product from the brand, and whilst I was a little aback by the price tag (compared to my usual under a fiver moisturiser) I have to say that after a few days of using this I began to understand why people invest in their skincare.

This is another incredibly light product that sinks in like a dream. I actually tend to use this after I’ve taken my makeup off at night; such a rebel! As I find it soothes my skin after a day in the office and I often find night creams a bit too heavy and sticky feeling.

I’m suitably impressed by all three of these products and would recommend anyone who’s looking to pick up some anti-ageing products to give these a whirl. I’m curious as to what else skinCHEMISTS can offer, and as budgets allow I will definitely be seeking out more products from the brand, both in this range and some of their others.

Does anyone have any tips for sticking to a skincare regime? Now I’ve started (again) I really could do with not stopping!

Posted in beauty, brands I love, skincare

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Beauty Know-How For Sensitive Skin*

01st March 2019

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Living with sensitive skin can be a big pain at times; your skin might flare up without much warning, and you’ll then have to deal with annoying red patches and spots. It’s not exactly the prettiest thing to have on your face and it can really knock your confidence. What’s more, annoying is when things that should be good for our face, such as cleansing and exfoliating can cause it to flare up.

There’s no need to despair over your sensitive skin too much though, there are a few ways you can be gentler with it and end up with clear and soft skin. Read on to find out about some great beauty know-how for sensitive skin.

Read Ingredients On All Skincare Products

You will have already found some great skin products for your skin, these are probably ones that don’t aggravate your face too much. However, if you do ever need to buy a new product and you haven’t used it before then it’s really important that you read the full list of ingredients; you’ll then be able to stay away from products that have any potential irritants in them. For example people with sensitive skin will be better off staying away from any fragrances and harsh chemicals.

Moisturize Regularly

It’s also necessary to moisturise your skin on a daily basis. This will lock in more water to your skin which can help soothe any flare ups. All of that moisture will also prevent the skin from drying out and becoming irritated. If your skin ends up red and sore after using your current moisturiser you might be using the wrong kind for your skin. Work out your skin type so that you can find the best type of moisturiser for you.

Photo by Anis M on Unsplash

Don’t Cleanse Too Often

It makes sense that clean skin will be less irritable but did you know that if you cleanse sensitive skin too often it can actually be bad for it? That’s because cleansing can actually be quite harsh on the skin, especially if you are using a strong cleanser. Firstly, you need to make sure that you are using a cleansing product that is gentle enough for your skin, then once you are happy with it you should try to stick to just one cleanse a day.

Find Effective Breakout Treatments

Most people with sensitive skin regularly suffer from spots, breakouts, or acne. Once you start to get on top of these problems you should find that your skin starts to get less sensitive. It can take a bit of trial and error to find the best treatment for your acne breakouts, as we all have such different skin. It’s really worth trying different solutions to figure out which one works best for you. Differin is an acne treatment gel that will work well for some people, other people might find that their skin reacts better to different ointments and creams. If you ever get confused or have questions about your acne treatment, it’s worth speaking to your doctor or pharmacist.

Protect Skin From The Sun

Excess exposure to the sun will make sensitive skin much worse. Generally speaking, it is highly advisable to wear a sunscreen with a high SPF every day, even on days when the weather is bad and very cloudy. You may not be able to see the sun but its rays will still be in the atmosphere and they will still affect your skin. So, be sure to add some SPF to your skincare routine even on dull days. On very sunny days you should seek out as much shade as possible so that your skin isn’t in direct sunlight too much. It could still make your skin sore even if you are wearing a good SPF.

Make Your Own Face Masks

Face masks are great for any type of skin. They can add a lot more moisture and will really soothe any irritation. However, some that you can buy from beauty shops can contain harsh chemicals which could cause sensitive skin to flare up. To prevent this from happening you might want to start making your own homemade masks. Ingredients like oats and natural yoghurt can be very soothing on the skin and help keep breakouts down to a minimum. If you search online you’ll find lots of great DIY recipes.

Use Gentle Exfoliators

Exfoliating can be quite harsh for sensitive skin so it’s best to limit this as much as you can. If you do need to exfoliate then you should make sure you use gentle exfoliators that are made with natural ingredients.

Hopefully, these tips help calm down your sensitive skin!

Posted in beauty, skincare

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Vegan Friendly Velvet Matte Lipsticks from essence!*

10th February 2019

Regular readers of the blog will know how much I rate budget makeup brand essence (you can find my previous posts here).

It has been a while since I tried anything new from essence but I was recently sent three shades from their Velvet Matte lipstick range and wanted to share my thoughts on the blog.

Lipsticks c/o Essence

Firstly these lipsticks are an absolute bargain at £2.30 each (available from Wilkinson stores and online at Wilko.com). I firmly believe that what essence save on fancy packaging they pour in to product quality.

And that’s not to say these lipsticks look terrible, quite the opposite. I like the minimalistic design and lightweight casing, but it’s the performance of these lipsticks that truly won me over. Soft and luxurious feeling with amazing lasting power- I popped one of these on for work the other day, around 8am and it was still going post lunch, somewhere around 2pm which far exceeds many lipsticks I regularly wear. These give intense colour and a great matte finishing without drying out the lips, again, something many more expensive brands can’t quite pull off. The shades I was sent are typical of what I would usually pick (although they were sent at random) but the entire range caters for all tastes with 12 colours in total.

From left to right- Shade 10 (greedy coffee), Shade 01 (donuts go nut), Shade 04 (hungry pink)
The lipsticks are also suitable for vegans and available now! Have you tried anything from essence recently? I’m really far behind on their new launches so let me know what I’m missing.

Products sent to me for blog consideration, I was under no obligation to post.

Posted in beauty, brands I love, make up, review

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Hair Secretz Diamond Brush

28th January 2019
So Laura, how often do you brush your hair?

Shamefully it took moving house to realise I didn’t own a hairbrush, it’s that infrequent! I appear to be one of the lucky few who can get away without it. Partly because my hair is often curled, but when I do wear it straight it just doesn’t seem to knot and I don’t get the dreaded bed head.

Still, every so often I do feel the urge to smarten up my act and stop using my fingers to style my hair each morning so I was quite excited to be sent the prettiest hairbrush I’ve ever seen from UK brand Hair Secretz

Featuring a sparkling Swarvoski crystal, the diamond brush is ready and waiting to take pride of place on your dressing table, or in your handbag.

Ergonomically designed to fit in to the palm of your hand (for maximum control), it also features three different length bristles so ensure it glides through even the most tangled of tresses.

Another winning feature of this brush is that the bristles can be lifted to reveal a diamond shaped mirror, ideal for styling on the go. The pod created by this design is conveniently the perfect place to stash hair ties or grips meaning no more scrabbling around to find one at the last minute; in my case they have mostly been stolen and chewed beyond all recognition by Pablo so this is just perfect.

The brush comes in a choice of three colour combinations: red/black, white/pink or blue/pink and costs £12.99

I’m delighted to have such a winning product in my possession, it delivers on both style and substance and would also make for a lovely gift.

Available on the Hair Secretz website, which also offers free UK delivery on all orders!

Product sent to me free of charge for blog consideration, I was under no obligation to write this post and all opinions expressed are my own.

Posted in accessories, beauty, gifts, hair, review

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The Beauty Sleep Elixir from Beuti

17th December 2018
Despite my best intentions, this year my skincare regime has been seriously lacking, and whilst we might be rapidly approaching the last weeks of 2018, when I was sent a product loved by the likes of Rita Ora and Iggy Azalea to try I figured it’s better late that never and set about trying to up my game.

The Beauty Sleep Elixir* by Beuti is the first product to launch from the UK based brand. It’s a brand new complexion booster with anti-inflammatory properties, made up from 14 plant-based oils (I’m not going to list them all here, but highlights include Caribbean coral extract, chia seed oil and neroli flower oil).

This little bottle of golden oil is designed to tackle “inflammaging” – a condition where your skin ages due to inflammation over a prolonged period of time. This can be caused by every day things such as sun exposure, pollution or simply using the wrong products for your skin (definitely guilty on all accounts here).

You can either pop on a few drops of this elixir under your makeup, or use it over-night to allow your skin to renew itself, with the promise of younger, brighter looking skin I couldn’t wait to try it.

I’ve been using the Beauty Sleep Elixir for just over a week now, mainly under my makeup in the morning as it’s all I can do to remove my makeup before bed, let alone pop any products on (I know, I know). I’m not going to share a before and after, mostly because my face is looking a bit…bruised thanks to a brutal wisdom tooth extraction, but I 100% noticed a difference after just the first day.

It’s going to take a lot to get my poor, neglected skin back in tip-top condition, and that’s going to be one of my main goals for 2019, but things are definitely looking better. I’ve shrugged off that dull, grey tone that comes from spending too much time in an office with central heating, and overall things just look smoother and dare I say it…more youthful. This isn’t a cheap product, it costs £42 for a 30ml bottle, but a tiny bit goes a long way- literally one pump works beautifully under my makeup, and probably two pumps would do a nighttime slathering.

You can get your hands on this wonder oil at lookfantastic although you’ll have to wait for it to come back in to stock as it sells out pretty much as soon as it hits the website.
One thing I have learnt from my experiments with skincare is that it does pay to invest, and I’ll genuinely be buying more of this when my bottle runs out.

Has any one else tried this product? And what are your best tips for getting in to a solid skincare regime? This girl needs all of the help she can get!

Product gifted to me for blog consideration, terrible skincare habits, puffy face and opinions are entirely my own.

Posted in beauty, brands I love, review, skincare

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