The best ways to take care of your skin

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Are you tired of your skin never doing what you want it to do? Have you tried every product without the desired results? Skincare is an art form, and requires a lot of trial and error. Skin experts and dermatologists know the best ways to care for your skin, no matter what your skin type. Here are some tips to help you take care of your skin the right way.

Figure out your skin type

All the products in the world will not do any good if you are using ones that do not work well with your skin type. Most brands are made for most skin types, although there are products that are more suited for skins that are more oily, or dry and flaky.

Protect yourself from the sun

Being sun safe is one the best ways to protect and take care of your skin, says the experts at the Cosmos Clinic. Use plenty of sunblock; find a moisturiser with sunblock built in so that it doesn’t feel too heavy during the day. Whenever you’re outside try to stick to shady areas and do not stand in direct sunlight for too long. If you know that you’ll be in the sun for long periods of time, wear protective clothing and reapply sunblock for optimal results. The sun can have damaging effects on your skin that might not show up right away, but can have dramatic effects in the long term.

Avoid smoking

Smoking causes skin to shrink and become prone to wrinkles. Smoking limits the supply of blood and oxygen to the veins in your skin, and therefore your skin looks weathered and older. It damages the collagen in your skin and stops your skin from retaining elasticity.

Be gentle

Be careful with your skin. Treat it delicately and the results will come. Taking a shower, or bath for too long, or having the water too hot can have adverse effects on your skin. Take care when using soaps that strip your skin of its natural oils and leave it feeling too dry. After stepping out of the shower, pat your skin dry. The blotting effect will keep much of the moisture still in your skin. Also, take care when shaving to lather well and shave with a clean, sharp razor.

Rest and eat well

Too much stress can culminate in your skin. Uncontrolled stress can make your skin breakout and inflame. Managing your life balance can help you to keep your stress levels in check. Make sure to get plenty of rest to keep your skin looking fresh and rejuvenated. A healthy diet can help you to feel balanced and stress free. A diet rich in proteins, produce, and whole grains can help to create younger looking skin.

Skin care is extremely important. What you do, or don’t do can have effects on your skin health in the future. Create a skincare plan and make it a habit. Find out what works for you and stick to it. Click here for more tips.



*This is a sponsored post

The Five Minute At Home Facial by Superdrug

I love having facials and I love face masks, the nearest I get to having a regular facial. There is something quite relaxing about covering your face in lotions, potions, gels and fabrics to cleanse and clean your face.

Superdrug have just launched 'The Five Minute At Home Facial' in the form of fabric masks and I have very kindly been sent the set to try out.  Designed to give your skin an indulgent boost, these masks have been inspired by Asian beauty trends.  The fabric sheet which forms the mask has been soaked with effective b;ends to give the skin an almost instantaneous boost.  The five minute home facial title caught my eye because as someone who always feels like they are on the go Monday to Friday, I find it hard to find long enough to stick on a face mask to give it time to work, with this, 5 minutes is all you need, perfect.

I have been more than impressed with Superdrug products lately and not too long ago reviewed the Overnight Glycolic Peel which to me rivals Origins Overnight mask, you can read all about it here.

The collection contains four masks which have been created to address the most common skin problems Dull and Blemished skin, Parched and Rough Skin, Stressed and overworked Skin and Clogged and Tired Skin and the masks are packaged like this:

Working from left to right:

Hydrating Facial Mask is designed for parched and rough skin.  Using a rich complex of Plant Collagen and Glycerin along with Pelvetiane seaweed, this mask infuses the skin with goodness to leave it ultra-smooth and supple.

Calming Facial Mask is for those people who have stressed and overworked skin.  Using a herbal blend of Green Tea, Cucumber Fruit and Aloe Vera Juice, this mask is said to provide a soothing sensation whilst reviving the skins radiance, leaving it beautifully supple.

Deep Cleansing Face Mask is for people with clogged and tired skin and is designed to cleanse away impurities and detoxify the skin.  Using Dead Sea Salt, Menthol and Seaweed this mask cleanses and renews the complexions radiance to leave your skin silky smooth and reinvigorated.

Purifying Facial Mask is for those with dull and blemished skin.  Using a blend of Green Tea and Spearmint Oils, this mask cleanses the skin of any blemishes and refreshes it with cooling spearmint to leave the skin soft and supple.

I am looking forward to putting all of these masks to the test, so look out for reviews on each of them.  They retail for just £1.29 which is an absolute bargain and you can find them in your local Superdrug.

Do you like using facemasks? Do you like the sound of these?

Exfoliating Feet Mask

With Spring here and Summer on the horizon and the chance to hide away my winter boots and bring out my Fitflops, it is time to do something about my feet and and make sure they are in tip top condition.  Many of you will by now know that I have a hatred of feet, I can't think of anything worse than having to touch someone's feet and the thought of someone touching mine makes me feel quite ill. You only need to show me a contraption like a Ped egg and I am heaving. That said, like every other part of my body, I take care of my feet to avoid any eventuality of needing some form of specialist care.

In Primark, I came across this Exfoliating Foot Mask from Purederm, only it isn't a cream that you rub on, massage and wash off, it is more of a treatment in that it comes as a pair of wearable masks which are sock shaped and I bought them because for £1.50 curiosity got the better of me.

An exfoliating foot mask isn't something I would class as a must have product usually, BUT, get this bloggers , this product is amazing, there I've said it... Something amazing and it involves feet!  Yes I have a hatred of feet, always have had and probably always will have, but I love this product.

Once the packet is opened, there are two plastic socks. These plastic socks contain a clear liquid which is made up of papaya, lemon, apple and orange which with other botanical extracts work on breaking down the dead skin and calluses on your feet whilst using chamomile extract to help calm the skin. The socks only have to be worn for 60-90 minutes, and then after about 4 - 7 days the dry skin and calluses start to peel off, and eventually you end up with super soft feet.  Once they are on your feet, do not try and attempt to walk around because it isn't safe and is really hard to master.

Now I do apologise for the next few photos but as with every product you need to see how they work right?  These are my feet and this is the process of the product working

Top left day 4, Top right day 5, Bottom left day 6 and Bottom right day 7

As you can see within 4 days my feet began to look rather disgusting and the skin began to come a bit loose, then on the 5th and 6th day more skin became loose and fell off and finally on day 7 was the day of reckoning when like a snake, I practically shed a second skin.  The instructions on the packet state that you MUST NOT use a callus remover nor must you pick at and pull off the skin, which I will admit is really really annoying and I had to try really really hard to not pull it off.  That said, all of the skin has now come off on its own and I am left with very soft and smooth feet.

Not exactly a beautiful product that I have shared with you today, but it is one of the most useful ones I have ever bought and for an absolute bargain price.  It did everything it said it was going to do and it left my feet feeling in great condition so that now (should we ever get some sun) I can wear my Fitflops without worrying too much about my feet being on show.  A product I would definitely purchase and use again.

Have you tried this product or anything similar?  

Did you get similar results to me?

Maybelline Baby Skin

When I saw the new Maybelline Baby Skin primer in Boots a few months ago, I decided to bit the bullet and buy it.  I hadn't seen that many reviews on it and am almost out of Porefessional, so was hoping this would be the perfect dupe.

What they say:

"Maybelline Baby Skin provides a matte finish and leaves the skin fresh, soft and protected. The gel texture in Baby Skin instantly helps to vanish pores and makes the skin feel light. It avoids a shine on the skin and makes the skin feel soft".

So there is a bit of a claim there to instantly erase pores and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. Well for me it does reduce the look of my pores every so slightly, but doesn't completely get rid of them completely, though if I am honest I really wasn't expecting it too. Obviously it will depend on how big or small your pores are in the first instance and I don't believe anything really helps make them vanish, just help to conceal them. I do, however, feel it lives up the second part of its claim in that it avoids shine on the skin and makes the skin feel soft to the touch.

The texture, which is most definitely gel-like, is really easy to apply and I use my fingers to apply it all over my face (obviously before any make-up) and for me this is where it is great value for money because once applied, it helps keep my make-up in place all day, which for me is around 6-7 hours and I didn't feel the need to have to re-apply everything before going out in an evening, the only thing I touched up my lipstick and blusher which is something I do anyway.

For me this is a great high street primer and whilst I accept it is not as good as Porefessional, it does do a good job and given the difference in price, I would verge towards Maybelline because it does what I want it too and I am saving over £15 and both products are the same size at 22ml.

Have you tried Maybelline Baby Primer?  Do you like it?

You Beauty Discovery Box

I am a subscriber to Glossybox and for the last 3 months it has been pretty awful, with that in mind, before I decided whether or not to cancel it, I thought I would try You Beauty. I've heard a lot of people talk about this box and having read one or two reviews, I decided to bite the bullet and see what all the fuss was about.  

Here is the box in comparison to Glossybox in size.  It fits through my letterbox with no problems.

The You Beauty Discovery Box is another subscription service, but it is just £6.95 per month and here is where it differs slightly, when promoted to go and look at the website http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk/ each month, you will be asked to select two product samples from a list of between 6-10 and then those products will be in your box along, depending on stock levels, along with 2-3 other samples.  If you cannot decide which products you want, then You beauty will decide for you.  For more information on how to join and to read more about it, you can find everything easily described HERE.

So my first box arrived a few days ago and whilst one product was out of stock that I liked the look of, the other two were in stock so they got selected.  Here are the contents of this box:

Like other boxes you get a little menu with information about the products within your box, this one comes in the form of a magazine.

You might not be surprised to find that I opted for GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate as one of my options, this is because ever since I read about it, I have been itching to try it. Described as follows "the ultimate at-home  mud treatment for immediate camera-ready super radiant skin. FOr when you need great skin and a glowing complexion in just 10 minutes. It delivers both instant and cumulative results and leaves your complexion revived and glowing, whatever your skin type".

The product in my box is a 15g tube which means I will get at least more than one use out of it.

The second product is Stila lipglaze in Kaleidoscope.  Not a product I have tried before and I opted for it because the Pixi Flawless and Poreless primer was out of stock. Described as follows: "The formula in Stila lip glazes has been created to provide strong lasting power, without drying out your lips. The easy to use click and brush applicator means you get an even deposit of colour with minimum fuss – perfect for applying on the go!"  This is definitely an evening wearing lipglaze, it is very sparkly and would be a great finish to a great outfit.

The next two items are surprise items or extra treats as the booklet refers to them as and they are Charles Worthington Instant amplifying volume treatment and Beyond Dark Moments of Pleasure Hint of orange.  

Charles Worthington treatment is described as follows "A true red carpet star and the official product of the EE BAFTAs in 2013, this rinse-out weightless jelly has been desgined to lift the hair from the root to tip leaving it fully conditioned with high impact body and bounce for an A-list glamorous finish".  An interesting concept that I am still debating whether I will or will not use, would be interested in other peoples views if they have used this or want to use it.

Beyond Dark is described as follows "Beyond Dark is the ultimate chocolate treat - these delicious drops of pure pleasure are packed with more than three times the antioxidents found in other dark chocolate.  Contains the antioxident equivalent of 25 oranges, 8 bananas or 5 apples in every 35g pack".  They are also wheat, gluten and dairy free as well as being suitable for vegetarians.  Hmm well nothing makes chocolate sound more appealing than being told it is actually good for you right!

Now I am really impressed with this little box of treats, infact I would have paid the £6.95 for the GlamGlow mud alone because I really want to try it out.  I am going to continue with this box for a few months so I can get a real feel as to whether or not the value for money continues.

What do you think?  Do you get this box?

Primark Body Essentials Argan Scrub

I am a bit of an impulse shopper, a bit of a magpie when I see things that sound good, are a bargain price and make a few promises, I buy them.  Sometimes those products are amazing, sometimes they are disappointing - this product was the latter.

For £2.50 in Primark, I came across Body Essentials Argan range within which was a body scrub with Argan oil and a promise that it would remove dead skin cells leaving skin smoothed and polished. Hmmm £2.50 this could have been the product of all products had if worked, but for me it didn't.

It says "Treat your body with intensely conditioning argan oil. This body scrub removed dead skin cells whilst smoothing the skin leaving it feeling refreshed, polished and smelling delicious".

Well it does smell nice, but not what I would call delicious, when I think of a body scrub that is delicious I am drawn to the Soap and Glory a Breakfast scrub which smells amazing, this scrub smells like a weak coconut smoothie, though it doesn't contain coconut.

Then when it comes to using on your body, it does say that for a deeper exfoliation you can use it in dry skin before showering or when in the shower on damp skin massage it on using circular motions.  The cream is a fairly thick consistency and there are small exfoliating particles in it, but I personally think the cream is too thick for those particles to work as they should, so it doesn't do a very good job at exfoliating, it's main purpose.  When you do manage to get to the exfoliating particles they don't exfoliate that well and you can barely feel them on the skin, even if you apply a lot of pressure.  I found it particularly hard to use and ended up reaching for the Soap and a Glory Breakfast scrub to finish the job I had started.

I have used this quite a few times over the past few months, I say that because I feel it would be unfair to use it once and then state I am not too impressed with it.  I have tried using it before I shower, when I am in the shower and even when I am in the bath and I get the same result, well no result actually.  The only thing it does is make my skin feel really dry after using it, so I am instantly reaching for one of my moisturises as soon as I have patted my skin dry.

For £2.50 I am really saddened this hasn't worked for me because I had high hopes, maybe it works better for other people, but for me it is a product that I wouldn't repurchase and one that is heading for the bin because I won't be finishing the tube.

Beat the Winter Skin Blues with Palmer’s Intensive Relief Range + Giveaway!

The cold weather is still with us and if reports are to be believed, if is going nowhere soon, so taking care of your skin is still really important and probably like me you are going through a lot of products to lock in that moisture and keep your skin feeling soft, smooth and supple. 

Palmers, famous for their Cocoa Butter brand, have a new Intensive Relief Range that has just hit the shelves and it is described as follows:

If you are looking for a solution to super sensitive and extra dry skin look no further than Palmer’s new Intensive Relief range. The UK’s favourite Cocoa Butter brand has used its years of expertise in skin softening and smoothing to develop two new products to give even more intense moisturisation, helping those suffering from extra dry and sensitive skin. A unique blend of anti-itch, soothing and deeply hydrating natural ingredients that leaves skin soft to the touch.

The new range is hypoallergenic, fragrance free, paraben free and dermatologist tested – and will provide long lasting moisturisation for up to 24 hours.

Within this range you will find a body lotion and a hand cream which are shown below.  To promote these products, there is a giveaway at the bottom!






Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Intensive Relief Body Lotion £4.89 / 200ml

Perfect for those looking for an all over solution to combat tight, parched skin, this quick absorbing formula will help soothe, calm and leave your skin feeling perfectly soft and smooth. Alpha hydroxy acids gently exfoliate dry, scaly patches, whilst key ingredients Soy and Oat help to alleviate itchiness and natural moisturising factor Urea locks in moisture to maintain radiant skin. Start the day with an instant boost of intensive moisture and relief by adding Palmer’s Intense Relief Body Lotion to your everyday body care regime!

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Intensive Relief Hand Cream £2.99 / 60g

Palmer’s Intensive Relief Hand Cream is ideal for those suffering from ultra dry, itchy and chapped hands that need some extra attention. This luxuriously creamy formula gives long lasting hydration, whilst calming Soy and Oat provide comfort for irritated hands leaving them soft and smooth. The fast absorbing texture makes it an every day essential for keeping hands moisturised on the go!

These products are available from Boots, Boots.com, Superdrug, Superdrug.com, Amazon.co.uk and Asda.

Now for the fun part, as part of the campaign to highlight the importance of Palmers are giving one of you lucky people the chance to win a pair of Cashmere Fingerless wristwarmers.  All you have to do is complete the Rafflecopter entry form below to be in with a chance of winning and it is open for just ONE Week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Graham's Natural Skincare

Grahams skincare are natural based products for people who suffer from skin conditions such as Eczema or Psoriasis.  It is new to the UK and comes all the way from Australia and I was very lucky to get to try out a shampoo*, conditioner* and some bath oil*.

Grahams describe themselves as being:

“NEW to the UK Grahams Skincare, Australia’s best-selling natural skincare range of top-to-toe treatments for eczema and sensitive skin conditions has been borne out of a fathers’ desire to ensure his son did not have to suffer from such debilitating physical and psychological effects of severe eczema”.

Living in London, we have hard water and it is one of the things which my hairdresser thinks irritates my scalp (as well as stress) and every now and again I suffer from a flare up of dry skin and my scalp can become a snow globe and it is really annoying.  So I am more than happy to try anything that will help.

Each product came packaged in this lovely bright yellowness as you can see below, a product you certainly wouldn’t miss if it was on the shelves in your local drug store with the bright blue lid giving it a real finish.  Colour aside, the packaging is fairly simple to look at and everything you need to know if before your eyes.

The Shampoo and Conditioner both contain manuka honey and coconut and I should mention they are also SLS Free for those of you will need to know and that they include a gentle blend of organic and natural ingredients to relieve and protect a dry and sensitive scalp.  When using the shampoo, the first thing which shocked me was that the shampoo itself is a pale blue colour, not what I was expecting and having taken the lid off to look inside both bottles, it seems that the shampoo and conditioner are infact blue!  Colour aside, they smell divine, the honey and coconut scent hit your sense of smell as soon as they are released.

Having used this on my hair for the last month, really well timed because my scalp has been a nightmare, I have to say I am impressed that it helped clear up my issue, it didn't cause build up, didn’t make my hair any greasier and left my hair smelling really lovely.  The same with the conditioner, though I don’t tend to condition every time I wash my hair because it simply doesn't work for me, when I did use this, it left my hair really lovely and soft with no knots. Also, when I used my GHD’s to straighten, they glided through my hair.

Then we come to the bath oil.  My favourite of all 3 products and something I really love.  Whenever my skin feels really dry, despite how much I moisturise, I love to add a bit of oil to my skincare routine and sometime there is nothing better than a bath oil.  This particular bath oil contains manuka oil and honey as well as other natural oils such as Olive Oil, Apricot Kernal Oil, Almond Oil, Emu Oil and Vitamin E oil all of which help to cleanse, replenish, nourish and protect the skin without drying it out.

As you add a few drops to your bath water, and I mean a few drops because it is an oil and adding too much can make your bath slippery when you get into it, you can see the oil within the water, so it isn't a good idea to wash your hair (does anyone still do that?).  As you get into the water the oil literally coats your skin and once you emerge from the same water, again taking care not to slip, my skin was amazingly soft, the rough skin on my elbows as was very smooth, the same with my knees and I for one am very impressed with this product.  It can also be used on its own as a massage oil and is gentle enough on the skin to be used on a daily basis.

If you have a scalp issues like me or suffer from Eczema or Psoriasis, I would highly recommend trying out these products.  They are available HERE.

Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25

I am yet to find my Holy Grail BB Cream, I have tried 3 or 4 and they were alright, but would I repurchase them, I am not too sure. When this box from Balance Me dropped through my letterbox I was quite excited when I saw what was inside. Allow me to introduce you to their very own BB Cream*, a product which sold out as soon as it became available and one I have been itching to get my paws on. I am a huge fan of the Balance Me range and I first came across the BB Cream when I got a sneak preview at the Debenhams beauty event that I was lucky to attend and which you can read about HERE.

The Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25 to give it, its proper title is described as being

"A high-tech formula designed to create a naturally active daily skin perfector that leaves skin radiant and glowing, thanks to our sophisticated mineral-based tint. To support the structure of your skin and to smooth away signs of daily wear and tear, our SPF 25 BB cream contains an innovative natural titanium dioxide-based sun filter to block out both UVA and UVB rays. Our hand-picked ingredients were chosen to both enhance the activity of our sun filter and boost complexions. We’ve blended Abyssinian and rosehip oils with anti-oxidant rich, collagen and elastin-boosting blackberry leaf extract to help firm and smooth the surface of the skin; the purest grade of hyaluronic acid to help plump and bind in moisture; spruce knot, lotus flower and violet seed extracts to help calm any redness to give you a beautifully even skin tone"

Now I am more than impressed that it has an SPF 25, the one thing I want from and in my products these days is an SPF and something around 20-25 is perfect for my face. What's more with this BB Cream is that it has, what is referred to as a five-fold action to nurture and enhance your skin and they are:

1. Prime
2. Moisturise
3. Smooth skin
4. Protect with an SPF of 25
5. Deeply hydrate

Now this cream smells incredible, as soon as you squeeze some onto your hand all of those essential oils rushing to your senses making them coming alive and it smells absolutely wonderful.

When it comes to application, it couldn't be simpler.  It can be applied directly onto your freshly cleansed skin or over a moisturiser and using your fingertips, you simply blend it to give that natural, radiant and dewy glow.  What i love about this product is that the coverage is lovely and light, it doesn't make me look orange and it does make my skin feel lovely and nourished specially given that it contains high grade natural hyaluronic acid which we know is brilliant for our skin, camellia and jojoba oils which help with moisturising your skin, rosehip oil to help calm and then Abyssian oil for smoothing and anti-ageing, add that to the SPF 25 and your skin is getting some serious protection and TLC.

I use this BB cream daily with Benefit Hello Flawless over the top and my make-up lasts all day, so on a normal working day that can be anything from 8-10 hours depending on how busy I am, again I found the staying power quite impressive.

This product hit the shelves in November and a 40ml tube retails for £26 which you can see HERE and since this product came through my letterbox I have worn it almost everyday, it is just brilliant and it leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised not to mention looking lovely.

Have you tried this product? Would you like to try it?

What I got in the Lush Sale!

Christmas isn't Christmas without a trip to Lush is it? As soon as I am notified Snow Fairy is available I am in the shop as soon as possible to stock up for the following year as I love the product.

This year I got a lovely Lush voucher for Christmas and decided to go and see what was on offer in the sales as I had my eye on one or two bits and this is what I bought with my voucher:

The first thing I picked up was the gift set - Lush Stardust which contains 6 items, all of which I had intended to purchase separately but when reduced from £25 down to £12, I liked the box rather a lot, being pink and glittery, I bought it.

Inside Stardust was a 100g bottle of Snow Fairy, Candy Mountain Bubble Bar, Rock Star Soap, Snow Fairy Sparkle, Star Light Star Bright Bath Melt and Space Girl Bath Ballistic.

Then I bought a few other little bits because they were also on offer with 50% off - Snow Fairy Sparkle which I gave as a present to a friend, Godmother Soap which smells the same as Snow Fairy, Snowman Bath Ballistic, So White Bath Ballistic and finally Wiccy Magic Muscle Massage Bar which wasn't on offer but I am a huge fan of this and the fact it is a massage bar.

To date, this is my one and only sales haul, so I am feeling quite impressed with myself.

Have you had a big post-Christmas sales shop?  

Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel

I am a bit of a Lush fanatic and I love the colour pink. How right that person was and I get very excited at Christmas Time when the Lush Limited Edition products come out.

One of my favourite Lush products ever is the Snow Fairy shower gel.

The shower gel inside the bottle is a bright candy pink colour and once you squeeze a little out onto the palm on your hand you can instantly recognise the sweet candy scent which has to be one of the sweetest things you will ever smell but in a nice way, it isn't overpowering like a vanilla scented product is, instead this shower gel is so sweet it reminds me of candy canes which you hang on your Christmas tree, Also within this shower gel are little pieces of glitter which sparkle in the light and is perfect for Christmas. When using this shower gel you will need to squeeze the bottle quite hard at first to produce a small blob like portion on the palm of your hand and the gel is quite thick in texture so you wont need as much as you would normally. 

After my shower my skin was very soft and moisturised and the sweet candy scent was to me really nice and I could still smell it on my skin in the evening, after being at work all day. Also, rather than using it as just a shower gel, I have to admit that I have used it as bubble bath, when I've come home from work and am so tired all I want is a long hot soak and I really cannot be bothered to have a shower, using this shower gel as a bubble bath substitute works really well, lots of bubbles are created and the smell lingers throughout the house much better than when I use it in the shower. 


Snow Fairy retails from Lush in three different sizes and naturally three different prices. The bottle I was given was the 100ml bottle which is the standard size within gift packages such as the one I received and that would retail at almost £3.50. There are much bigger bottles which I would buy usually to last me through the year and they come in a 250ml size which would cost £6.85 and a 500ml bottle which would cost £10.95.

As I have said this is one of my absolute favourite Lush products and if you haven't tried it, then get to Lush quick because it is only ever available at Christmas time.