Birds Words | Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle: complexion

Showing posts with label complexion. Show all posts

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

St Ives 'Fresh Skin' Apricot Scrub

St Ives | 'Fresh Skin' Invigorating Apricot Scrub (link) | £4.29* - Boots (link)

When it comes to facial scrubs, getting the perfect combination of creaminess, consistency and actual 'scrub power' is important. It's quite hard to find a good 'all rounder', and it's also difficult to find the perfect blend for your skin type and needs. I use scrubs/exfoliators all year round and they always remain an important part of my skin care regime - they get rid of all the nastiness, dead skin cells and dullness and just generally perk up your skin when it's feeling a bit worse for wear. I swear by them to keep my skin looking clear, fresh and feeling at it's best. If ever it's feeling a little 'clogged' or tired, or if I find I'm getting more blemishes than the norm or I have a little patch of pesky uneven/dry skin, I always reach for an exfoliating scrub to sort things out! Ok.. Prepare yo'selves for a bit of a rave...

St Ives is a brand I've been familiar with in the past. I remember my mum using the exfoliators when I was at school and I often sneaked into her bathroom cabinet to steal a dollop or two (sorry mother!) I was recently re-introduced to them and can honestly say that this little scrub has been one of the best introductions to my skin care routine for a while. Having recently got back off a holiday, my skin has been a little dry in parts and sun cream and muggy weather has meant a few more clogged pores than the usual. Well, this little tube of goodness came to my rescue (oo..a little skin-care superhero...whack a cape on it!) - I felt a difference in my skin from the first use. Yes. The first use! It instantly smooths and refreshes the skin and whilst it might take a while to see long term benefits, as soon as I washed it off, my skin felt a great deal smoother and softer to touch. It also smells amazing - honestly, this stuff smells good enough to eat - pass me a spoon! The signature apricot smell is just my cup of tea and I find I really look forward to using it purely for the scent - it's so refreshing. The exfoliating beads (which are 100% natural exfoliants - it's worth mentioning!) are just right for me - not too harsh but harsh enough to get rid of any grubbiness! It's definitely on the more 'dense' side - but the creamy consistency of the scrub means that it doesn't scratch the skin and it feels incredibly silky soft and even moisurising to apply and massage in. It's gentle enough to use 3-4 times a week. Oh, and did I mention that it's oil free, 'non-irritating' and contains 100% natural extracts? I have sensitive skin and this has been a dream to use - so the 'non-irritating' claim is one I really do agree with. Relief!

Overall, I really do love this scrub. It's always a good sign when you actually look forward to using a product and I am definitely going to repurchase when this runs out. I've even re-introduced my mum again! What I love about the range is that they do different scrubs for different skin types. Fear not if your skin really is very sensitive, they do an extra gentle one. They also do one targeted towards 'blemishes and blackheads' and one to 'renew and firm' - so there literally is something there for everyone, of any age. Even better though, you still get change from a fiver - so they don't break the bank and are just as good, if not better than higher-end scrubs I've used and you can pick them up on your weekly stroll through Boots. You can view the St Ives range here and find one that best suits you and your skin type.

It's worth mentioning, if you're a fan of a good bargain now and again (like myself) St Ives can currently be picked up in Home Bargains for £1.99!

Have you tried St Ives scrubs? Are you a fan like me?!

Thursday, 14 February 2013

Illamasqua Powder Blush in 'Tremble'

Illamasqua Powder Blush in 'Tremble' | £18.00 |

Illamasqua's blushes have to be among some of my ultimate beauty 'must-haves'. I think it's fair to say that I have fallen completely, head over heels in love with them ever since I first bought their 'Lover' blush around 2 years or so ago now (seen in this post) - in fact, I cherish their very existence. Massively-over-the-top statement there, but I kid you not - I'd be lost without my little collection. The newest addition to my Illamasqua 'blush-crew' is Tremble - a beautiful warm toned soft pink. I've had my eyes on this one for ages - its such a pretty colour and one that compliments my paler skin throughout the winter - it brightens up my complexion and wakes up dull skin in a flash.

I've found that their powder blushes on the whole are very pigmented and provide impressive colour pay off - they can be sheered out for a subtle wash of colour or built up to provide a more intense 'doll-like' finish. I apply them with my Real Techniques powder brush (seen in my collection post here) and they sweep onto the cheeks so smoothly and effortlessly - they don't feel chalky at all and are incredibly soft and smooth. I genuinely think my skin looks instantly brighter and smoother when I've applied these blushes - and they also stay put all day, providing the perfect finishing touch to your makeup. Also, they last an AGE, let me tell you! I've had the 'Lover' blush for quite some time now and I've barely made a dent in the surface - and that's with daily use over the course of a good year or so!

Tremble gives a matte/slightly satin finish to the cheeks - there's no shimmer in there at all which I personally prefer - I believe this helps to even out the skin and also gives a natural finish. The colour is also really girly and fresh - I often opt for peach tones on my cheeks so this one fills the gap in my collection for a really flattering warm-pink. There is no doubt that I'll be buying more of these blushes - if you're after some top notch colour pay-off for your cheeks then they are really worth investing in - they're worth every penny and the shade range is just fabulous - there's some really beautiful colours and tones available. Actually, I defy you all not to have a little nosey! - you can find the range here at Debenhams Online.

If you wish to see a 'face of the day' with this blush - then it's the one I wore in my photograph for my '50 facts about me tag' here.

Have you tried Illamasqua blushes? Love them as much as me? What are you favourite shades?

♥

Sunday, 27 January 2013

Liz Earle | Hot Cloth Cleanser

Liz Earle | Cleanse & Polish | Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Kit - £14.25

One thing that I've been more aware of ever since I started reading blogs, let along writing my own, is skincare. I have ridiculously sensitive skin and I struggle no end finding products to suit it. It's mostly normal - I don't struggle over the top with dryness or excessive oil but I do suffer from a bit of uneven skintone here and there, visible pores and the odd pesky spot now and again. I've been using the Hot Cloth Cleanser now since Christmas time, and have noticed the benefits of it already - not only has it helped to clear some of the uneven skin tone around my inner cheeks, it has also seemed to aid the healing of blemishes at the same time as helping to keep winter skin moisturised. I can really see now why this product receives as much praise as it does...

My Motherbear bought me the starter kit for Christmas containing the 100ml Cleanser and 2 muslin cloths. You simply apply and massage the cream into a dry face and neck - you can even apply it over the eyes as its removes all makeup. You then rinse the muslin cloth in warm/hot water, and 'polish' off the cream. This feels absolutely divine. Honestly, it's addictive. The hot water feels as if it's bringing all of the impurities to the surface and polishing with the cloth exfoliates all of the 'badness' away. The cream is really rich and smooths out easily, and smells really natural and fresh. It contains naturally active ingredients such as cocoa butter, rosemary, chamomile and eucalyptus - and has a very refreshing and soothing aroma that I find rather relaxing both in the morning and at night. After removing my makeup and cleansing with the cloth, I splash my face with cool water and proceed with the rest of my skincare regime. My face always feels so soft at the end - it really does remove all the cruddy-stuff your skin has collected during the day.

At first, I wasn't sure how i was going to get on with a hot cloth cleanser. It has received such good reviews but part of me always wondered if I could personally be bothered to use one (that sounds so lazy, i know). When I'm tired I really just want to get into bed and i really don't enjoy cleanse, toning and moisturising at night - but at the moment this is something I really enjoy and it's nice that I'm starting to see the benefits of it. It's just really soothing, and the heat from the cloth makes you feel as if you are getting a really good, thorough deep cleanse. Overall, a really big thumbs up for Liz Earle so far - it's not given me any grief with my silly sensitive skin, and it's helped to soothe some of my uneven skin tone. It's safe to say that at the moment, I've been converted to a completely different cleansing routine.

What are your thoughts on Liz Earle/hot cloth cleansers?

♥

Sunday, 16 December 2012

What Your Blemishes Mean | What is Your Skin Trying To Tell You?

The past 4 weeks, I've been struggling somewhat with my skin. I always kind of expect it around this time of year - my skin really doesn't agree with cold, dull weather (a bit like me!) and as soon as the weather changes, I notice changes in my skin. However, this time around, my skin has been all over the place - and after a few weeks of trying everything in my power to get rid of any blemishes with no real results, I came across a really interesting online article that helped me no end to understand my skin - and I thought would be of interest to some of you.

I have never suffered with acne. My skin is fairly good, and although I'd still class it as 'sensitive' and 'spot-prone', it's mostly quite clear and I only ever get the odd one on my chin (I'm lucky, i know - but i suffered with spots very early on in my teenage years so it's had plenty of time to settle!). However, over the past 4 weeks or so I'd started to notice the skin on my cheeks starting to look a little worse for wear. It started off with patches of redness and visible pores, and gradually began to get worse - I ended up with little raised red bumps under my skin, and although it was manageable and was easily hid underneath makeup, I knew something was wrong. I know my skin and I'd never ever had problems before with blemishes on my cheeks - not even in my teenage years. I went through the usual routine of stopping using anything new to my skincare regime (which was nothing but a simple change in brands - i do this every winter to help with my slightly dryer skin and never had problems before).. I also went back to basics with my makeup and cleansing routine, and switched back to my summer tinted moisturiser thinking it might be my foundation. But nothing seemed to work. I had ruled out reactions to products which was the most obvious cause - and if i'm honest I was at a complete loss of what to do. That was until I found this article on Company's website, discussing what spots can mean, and how blemishes on different areas of your face are linked with your health and diet...

The idea stems from Chinese medicine - which suggests each part of the face indicates how well different organs of your body are functioning. About 4 weeks prior to suffering with the spots on my cheeks, I'd suffered with a particularly bad cold/cough, and had found the symptoms of the cough had been hanging around and that I was getting out of breath very quickly. I went through spells of having little attacks where i'd struggle to intake a full breath of air and just put it down to the cold weather. The article stated that 'in Chinese medicine the cheeks are related to the lungs, so if you suffer with regular colds, flu and asthma you may get outbreaks or irregularities in skin tone texture here'. After reading this, I went to visit the doctor and discovered I'd had a chest infection for about 3 weeks - and was given a prescription to help clear it. I've now started to feel much better, and all symptoms of breathlessness have now been cleared - as well as the skin on my cheeks. In fact, it's almost completely back to normal and the uneven skin tone is beginning to clear once again.

Now, I'm not completely gullible with things like this, and I'm fully aware this might be a big fat dose of coincidence. But surely there has to be some truth in the whole concept of chinese medicine and skin blemishes and how my skin began to clear as soon as I began using the inhaler and taking the antibiotics for my chest infection. As fellow females, I'm sure you'll all sympathise with the fact that any blemishes on the chin start to worsen at certain times of the month - and it's a proven fact that spots are linked to hormonal imbalances. I think it's fair to say that if you're feeling under the weather, your skin will feel a little sorry for itself too. I just found it very interesting to read up on what different parts of the face link to, and how my skin cleared up within the space of a couple of days as soon as my airways started to feel less clogged! Coincidence?.. I'm not so sure.

What are your thoughts on this?
♥

Sunday, 25 November 2012

Yves Saint Laurent | Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation

YSL - Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation in 'B40' - £28

I tried so hard not to fall in love with this product. I did, honestly. When i first heard of the YSL's Touche Eclat foundation I knew I had to try it. And here I am a week or two later with a rather luxurious bottle sat on my dressing room shelf and £25 lighter (i got mine when there was a price match offer on at John Lewis). I didn't just jump straight in - I went to get myself matched for a sample to try before I committed myself to buying into a high-end product that I might not have even liked. Foundation is just one of those things that I have such a love/hate relationship with - it takes a lot for me to find one that ticks all the boxes, there's always something I don't like, and up until now I don't think I've ever really found my perfect match. But I can't think of a single thing I don't like about this foundation. A very strong statement I'm sure you'll all agree but I found myself getting towards the end of my sample bottle and feeling rather uneasy about having to live without it...

Firstly, I would say it's a light to medium coverage, but it is one that is very buildable and blendable. Claiming to be a 'soft focused gel' - it blurs any imperfections you have and smooths away any problem areas with ease. The consistency is lovely and luxurious - it's very creamy and smooth, and I can easily cover my whole face with just one pump. It also smells lovely - one thing that instantly puts me off foundations is that false, plasticy smell that a lot of them have (anything that smells like this does not go on my face) - if you ever tried Rimmel's 'Wake Me Up' foundation then I'd liken it to the scent of that. It smells very fresh and light, it lets your skin breathe and I haven't had any breakouts whatsoever since using this foundation. Usually I know within a week if something doesn't agree with my sensitive skin, but Touche Eclat has been perfectly fine. My skin looks so unbelievably smooth when I apply this - it even manages to cover any dark circles. This foundation is all about attracting light to your face and making you appear more 'radiant' - it does this exceptionally well, and doesn't make you look shiny or greasy in the slightest. It's just the perfect finish for me and it feels as if you're wearing nothing at all.

With light-medium coverage foundations I often find you compromise on the wear time. I'm not going to say it beats a heavier coverage foundation, but it lasts me through an 8 hour shift or a 9-5 at uni with ease, with only the need to top up under my eyes and maybe slightly around my chin at a push. I always use a primer and powder with my foundations anyway, but the coverage pretty much stays the same all day. Of course, the bottle is amazing, and as always with YSL the packaging ticks all the boxes for a high-end brand. The bottle is weighty, it's good quality and it looks very luxurious - i'm a massive fan of the gold accents to all their products. There is not a single thing I could fault and I could sit here and rave all day about this foundation to you all... but fear not, I shall end this rather lengthy review here. If you're a heavy, matte coverage girl, this won't be for you - but if like me, you prefer something lighter but buildable, then I really recommend it.

Have you tried YSL's Touche Eclat foundation? Did you like it as much as me?

♥

Sunday, 18 November 2012

Sanctuary Skincare | My Current Favourites

I sometimes tend to put off doing skincare posts, simply because everyone is different and what might work for me, won't work for other people - but i've been using the Sanctuary range now since the beginning of June and it's become a firm favourite of mine. Their skincare range is actually really impressive and suprisingly affordable, and it's one that I know I will continue to go back to. Here's a quick rundown of the products from the range that i'm using religiously at the moment:

Pore Refining Toner 150ml | £9 - This is without a doubt, my favourite product i've tried from the range. I included it in an August favourites post a while back and have since caved in and bought the big bottle. It's really gentle, yet removes every trace of makeup left on my face after cleansing, and it has a really comforting smell to it that isn't overpowering. It sprays out in a mist and can be applied directly to a cotton pad for direct toning, or it can even be used as a refreshing spray throughout the day over your makeup or just to refresh the skin in general. It helps to balance the Ph of your skin, whilst helping to refine and tighten pores - all big thumbs up for me since I do have large pores around my t-zone. Dare I say it, but my skin has looked a million times better since I began using this, and it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or tight after use like other toners i've used in the past.

Brightening Facial Radiance Exfoliator 100ml | £10.50 - This exfoliator contains 'ultra fine apricot granules and grape seed' and smells really fresh. This is great for those days when you feel as if your skin is looking a bit dull and uneven in tone. It's gentle enough to use fairly regularly, but not so much so that it doesn't make a difference. My skin is left feeling super soft and revitalised afterwards and appears smoother in tone.

Deep Cleanse Facial - Fresh Faced Purifying Wash 140ml | £9 - This gentle little facewash helps to balance the skin's moisture levels (which is great for me as I have combination skin) and contains witch hazel, chamomile and cucumber to cool and soothe. It has the same fragrance as the toner, and works really well used side by side. It leaves my skin feeling suitably moisturised and clean - all in all it's just a really nice little cleansing face wash that does what it says on the tin (or tube in this case... and a rather wonky one at that... i always manage to pick up the dodgy one out of everything!)

All items can be purchased from Boots, and it's worth keeping your eyes peeled for their 3 for 2! They also offer some of their products in the mini-range so you can try before you buy.

Have you tried Sanctuary skincare?

♥

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