Showing posts with label skin care. Show all posts

Why You Should Ditch Your Microbead Exfoliating Scrub




I recently discovered that the microbeads found in exfoliating scrubs pollute the sea and end up in the stomachs of little teeny tiny plankton. Beauty products containing microbeads are having a devastating effect on the environment and sea life.

Now I definitely didn’t plan to cover serious environmental issues in my blog when I first created it. But this issue has a close tie with beauty and skincare brands that you and I have no doubt used. As a proud Geography graduate and a beauty blogger I would be mad to not to raise awareness of this environmental issue. Chances are if you’re reading a beauty blog, you probably have used products containing microbeads which are damaging the environment. So please carry on reading!

Microbeads that we wash down the bathroom sink are too small to be caught in filters that prevent plastic being discharged into rivers. These microbeads are about the size of fish eggs, therefore plankton and small fish mistake them for food. Lots of fish consume plankton - so yes you guessed it, this in turn affects a whole food chain of marine species. Oh and it’s not just scrubs, they can be in shampoo, soap and toothpaste.

This isn’t a brand new discovery - after a quick search online I discovered numerous articles on this topic. In fact, cosmetic companies such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble have already agreed to phase out microplastics but not until 2017. So how do you know if your exfoliator is a threat to marine species until then?

Look out for polyethylene and polypropylene listed in the ingredients of a product. Or if you wanna be super savvy you can download the Beat The Microbead App for free. How easy is that? After a quick scan of Boots it became clear that the Neutrogena and Clean and Clear scrubs are serious culprits. Johnson and Johnson which owns both these brands are one cosmetic company who are phasing them out by 2017, but until then you should use your power as a consumer to avoid them!

Well what can I use I hear ya ask? Thankfully my beloved St. Ives Apricot facial scrub is free from plastic which I discovered on this website, so naturally I’m excited about that. I also love the Korres Basil Lemon body scrub which is fab and plastic free. Also on the good list are Soap & Glory The Greatest Scrub of All. There are tonnes of other plastic-free products made with salt or other naturally occurring particles. So ditch your microplastic scrub and opt for a more sustainable one. Also if you want to keep it simpler, I sometimes get great results just from using a body brush, exfoliating gloves or a loofah. 

You may be thinking jeez Nicole I didn’t come here to read this, I just want to know which mascara is the best to use… BUT as beauty lovers we should exercise our power as consumers if it means that we can save marine life.

Let me know if you have any sustainable body scrubs that you love! x


                                                                                    

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser


I've always found it difficult to maintain a cleansing routine, but Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is the ONLY cleansing routine I've managed to stick with! I'm starting to make more of an effort to cleanse because is it even acceptable for adults to get spots??? Do you ever think your skin is fine than you catch it at an angle and see that your entire face is actually really bumpy - but the spots have nothing inside to squeeze!? Scary stuff eh?

So ANYWAY, I love this product, because its luxuriously creamy, and unlike other cleansers it doesn't have that gel like sticky consistency which I hate – and not to mention is so difficult to rinse off. Also what’s great is that this product doesn't make your skin feel tight. There is a HUGE misconception that if your skin is tight after cleansing then that’s good for your skin, when in fact it means you've stripped away too many natural oils and dried out the skin. So yeah actually the opposite! You really won’t get this with Liz Earle and that’s why I love it!
I also love the cleanse and polish method which I've outlined below for you girls….

1) Apply 1 pump of the cream to your face and neck
2) Fill the sink with hot water and place the muslin cloth in
3) Ring out the cloth and use to polish your face and exfoliate the skin in circular motions.
4) Once you've exfoliated and are happy, rinse face with cold water.

Quick tip if you’re in a rush: while the shower is heating up, apply the cream, and polish the skin whilst you’re in there!

I love indulging my skin in the natural ingredients that are used in the Liz Earle products. The cleanser contains chamomile and eucalyptus which are anti-inflammatory, and accelerate the healing process against flaky skin/acne. As well as this is contains rosemary which promotes healthy collagen levels, and cocoa butter which keeps skin hydrated (but who didn't know that anyway). The best thing here is that we can actually comprehend and pronounce these ingredients – usually a good sign that it will be kind to your skin!

The cleanser is around £14, or £15.50 with the muslin cloth. The cloths wear out after a few months, and you can buy the Liz Earle ones on their own, but I've found some cheap alternatives in discount shops like Savers which are practically the same! The cleanser I know is a bit pricey but Liz Earle is 100% worth every penny!

Let me know what your thoughts are! x

                                                                                    Follow

Desk Essentials: 8 Beauty Products You Should Keep at Work



It's a sad thought but we spend an awful lot of our time at work. In those 7 hours I'm at the office, literally anything can happen, and when your makeup is smudged or your hair is frizzy from the rain, 7 hours is a LONG time to wait until you can get home and can sort your appearance out. I cannot stress enough that this post is in no way a 'how to look fabulous at work' type post (that desire goes out of the window at 6.30am) instead it's more a guide of how to look presentable in the office, like a serious, respectable adult you know.

I work in an advertising agency so we can wear what we want, which sounds great but it is actually SUCH a struggle omg - it's like at school when non-uniform day was the best frickin' thing ever but if it was everyday would have been horrible. So whilst one can look smart and presentable in jeans and a nice top, that work chic look gets totally ruined when you've had a bad hair day and now look like a tramp. Anyway after a rather lengthy intro which I did not anticipate, here are my 8 essential beauty products to keep in your desk or your work bag or wherever the hell ya like if you hot desk or something!

1. Invisibobble Hair Band

I admit these look a bit weird, and the whole point of this post is to look presentable but these are SO COOL! I'm no expert but SOMEHOW the spiral shape of the Invisibobble prevents you getting a kink in your hair when you tie it up. This is so necessary during the week when no one has the energy to wash their hair every single god damn day, and you're relying on your hair staying perfect for 2 days. Also you don't get that overwhelming pain in your head when you finally untie your ponytail! (What is that?!)

Hair bobbles in general are an absolute must for your desk for when your hair is flicking out at all directions, and you need to tame that mane.

2. Floss

OMG the amount of times I have been walking around the office with food in my teeth after lunch, smiling and chatting to colleagues is just embarrassing. Why are all the good foods herby like lasagna, or seeded like bread? I am not lying when I say I have literally boycotted poppyseeded bread for about 10 years - it is just not worth the embarrassment and the shear pain of trying to unlodge the seeds from my teeth - so so tragic! Floss is the ultimate essential which I keep in my work bag at all times.

Luckily for you, I have suffered these embarrassing moments so you don't have to! The floss I keep in my bag is from Boots it must have only cost £1 and it is such a life saver.

3. Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

While liquid foundations can be bad for the skin, this Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation does provide amazing coverage all day. I'm out the house for 12 hours on a normal day and even longer if I stay out for drinks, but I never have to worry about reapplying this stuff! I also have the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Powder which is amazing. You can't go wrong with this!

4. Compact Mirror

For sly little check ups at your desk. I mainly use mine for a quick peak of my teeth - damn that leafy, herby seeded goodness!

5. Perfume

This is the most obvious one, but definitely the most important! Now that summer is almost upon us and it's getting pretty hot, you'll want to make sure you're not stinking. I usually keep a small bottle of perfume like this mini Estee Lauder one in my bag, samples are great for this! Alternatively, I often just buy a cheap body spray like Impulse which you won't mind smothering your clothes with throughout the day.

6. Hand Cream

I've already written about how much I love these mini L'Occitane hand creams - so I won't repeat myself! Hand cream is an essential to keep on your desk. You're always being introduced to people at work and handshakes are generally awkward enough without having dry rough hands. There are too many potential handshake faux pas as it is, so it's good to have smooth paws.

7. Lip Balm

I get through this Blistex lip balm really quickly, mainly because it smells a m a z i n g. It's raspberry lemonade flavour and I can confirm that yes, it does also taste like raspberry lemonade.

8. Barry M Clear Nail Polish

A good clear base coat not only makes your nails look presentable, but can be there on guard for any potential ladders in your tights! I've never seen anyone with ripped tights at work before, and I can't help but imagine the judging looks I'll get when that inevitably happens to me one day.

What's on my bed side cabinet?



My Diary

I like writing things in my diary, it makes me feel responsible and organised and like an adult. Although, I tend to use it meticulously for a month then forget about it for the next...

Nivea Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream

I’ve decided that 22 is an appropriate age to start using anti-wrinkle cream if I want to avoid looking all haggard. While I wanted an eye cream that can prevent wrinkles, what I really wanted was one that can minimise dark circles too. I recently googled ‘why do we get dark circles?’ (praise the Lord for Google eh?) and it’s because blood passes through large vessels beneath your under-eye skin which is thin. When you’re tired, your body produces more cortisol to keep you awake, which means more blood passes through these veins.

SO ANYWAY I guess the ingredients that prevent your skins loss of elasticity must in turn minimise the appearance of these veins.

That was long, but important, I think?

Nivea Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream

I bought this after seeing good results from the Q10 eye cream. It always seems like a good idea to combine products from the same range. Is that just marketing spiel that they tell you on adverts though? Am I just a dupe of the market?

American Psycho – Bret Easton Ellis

I love reading the classics, and ‘reading more’ seems to be the only New Years resolution that I’ve held down. Basically (and I mean very basically, as there is SO much to analyse here) American Psycho is about a banker on Wall Street who that is also a serial killer, and the book highlights how the American Dream has been distorted through materialistic consumerism and the main character's obsession with his appearance. I did not anticipate how gory this book would be. It’s also slightly awkward reading this on the commute because of the violent murdering and the graphic sex! I feel like I have to rush those chapters in case the guy next to me on the train thinks I’m a freak, or just reading Fifty Shades of Grey.

It – Alexa Chung

You don’t have to read this book in any order, so it’s interesting to pick it up now and again. Plus you can do what they do in Urban Outfitters where they decoratively place it around the store to make it look edgy LOL. It looks cool okay.

The Dating Game – Lucy Watson

Yes that’s right I bought this and she knows what she is talking about. To be entirely honest though, I was given most of this advice from my friend Eva when I was 16 (how was she so wise?) but I didn’t put any of it into practice until now. I would like to say I know what I’m doing now in this arena, but I probably really don’t!

Lamp

Always nice to be able to see when it’s dark.

Coaster

For coffee obviously!

Bare Minerals 30 Day Complexion Starter Kit

This 30-Day Complexion Starter Kit is a great way to try a few of the Bare Minerals products to get the full experience. Bare Minerals is the one brand that I always push on all of my friends to use, and let me tell you why…

1) YOU CAN SLEEP IN THIS STUFF. I’ve already told you guys that I am pretty lazy and sometimes sleep in my makeup after a night out (even reaching for a makeup wipe is a struggle). So as you can imagine, when discovering this, Bare Minerals foundation quickly became a staple in my makeup bag.

2) This is a god send when you’re having a spotty day. (No one tells you that you still get spots as an adult!) My skin is always looking healthier when I use Bare Minerals over a heavy/liquid foundation.

3) Your foundation won’t feel like it’s sliding off your face on a hot sunny day. Let’s be honest, we’ve all suffered from a melting face in the summer and it’s not pretty! I honestly don’t have this problem with Bare Minerals though.

Unless you have a QVC obsessed Auntie (like me) that can explain to you, Bare Minerals can be a bit confusing to use so let me run through the products!

The Prime Time Primer should be applied first after you have moisturised. I honestly never saw the point of primer prior to using this, but I’ve never looked back!

The Original SPF 15 Foundation is where the true magic happens. You pour the powder into the lid, swirl with the Flawless Face Brush and buff it into your skin and voila. I use medium beige which does sound dark, but I would usually opt for ivory in any other foundation, so bear that in mind.

The Mineral Veil is a pearl coloured powder that seals everything in and is applied using a similar buffing method.

The only negative I have about Bare Minerals is that their brushes have a tendency to malt. This has resulted in me leaving the house like a mad, hairy, bearded woman if I ever do my makeup in the dark. I would love to know if anyone has ditched this for a different brush!?

The kit also includes their SPF 20 Concealer powder and the Mini Concealer Brush. If I’m honest I have AWFUL dark circles, and as a result go a bit Kim K with my concealer, using a liquid one to hide everything. I have however applied the powder over my liquid concealer – This has stopped my mascara rubbing off on my under eyes and sticking - never a good look!

My favourites from this set are definitely the Prime Time primer and the foundation which I buy again and again. Bare Minerals can be a bit pricey so if you’re watching the pennies, the foundation on its own is great, and can be used in combination with your other favourite products.

April Favourites

Benefit - The Porefessional Pro Balm Primer

I was given a sample of The Porefessional after a massive splurge on Benefits products one afternoon, and I definitely will be buying the regular size when pay day arrives! Do you ever catch a glance of your face in the toilet mirror at work at around 4pm, and start to doubt whether you even applied makeup that day? Where does it go?! This happened to me constantly BUT I honestly can say this stuff prevents any 4pm mirror meltdowns, and ensures that your foundation stays put. Not only this, but it conceals any visible pores – perfect for when you’ve sat there squeezing spots in the mirror prior to applying your foundation!

L'Occitane - Verveine Gel Crème

I was sceptical of this hand cream when buying it because it sells for £8, but I’d heard wonderful things about L’Occitane so I treated myself. Although you don’t get a huge amount for your money you are paying for quality. My hands get so dry to the extent that they crack and even bleed - mmm nice! This hand cream has been an absolute dream and worked miracles. Plus it smells amazing.

Boots Slanted Tweezers

I have lost about 5 pairs of tweezers in the last year and I’m so intrigued to know if this happens to anyone else?! I just do not understand where they go, so I refuse to buy the Tweezerman ones which are £20. I’ve been using these Boots own brand slanted tweezers which are amazing and only £1.80!

Benefit - Hoola

This bronzer doesn’t even need an introduction, and now that summer is upon us everyone needs to invest in Benefit Hoola bronzer. A lot of people throw the brush away in favour of using a professional brush. I personally love the shape of the brush and usually brush a line under my cheek bones to define my face. Then I’ll apply it lightly to the upper part of my cheekbones and blend. If you have a round face like me, this bronzer is also amazing for defining the rest of your face. My friends actually say that I look like the moon emoji in photos because my face is round – it’s funny but also very true - so I tend to apply Hoola lightly to my jawline, the top of my forehead, and on the sides of my nose to look more defined (and less moon-like).

Bare Minerals - Lash Domination

Anyone that knows me knows I am BIG on mascara and apply a generous amount. Despite this habit, this mascara has lasted me a good few months without drying out. My lashes definitely did dominate.

Rimmel - BB Cream 9-in-1

To tell the truth this has been sitting in my draw for a LONG time and initially I saw BB creams as pretty pointless. However looking back, when I first used this, I applied way too much. You definitely don’t need as much as normal foundation and as a result it didn’t blend very well! I gave it another shot last week and have to say I’m impressed. I’ve had massive breakouts in the last few weeks, so I love that this isn’t too heavy on your skin. Also it says 9-in-1 so you know, that’s got to count for something?
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