Rant or Rave?

Emma Hardie Natural Lift Moringa Cleansing Balm

My name is Frankie and I am a balm-a-holic. Once you go balm you never go back. My face just doesn't feel as clean using a gel or milk based cleanser as it does with a luxurious buttery balm. 

The newest one I have been trying is Emma Hardie's Natural Lift Moringa Cleansing Balm. And I love it. So much I'm half tempted to throw away my Eve Lom so I can start using it daily. I would have to check myself into a mental institution if I did this though, I ate baked beans for weeks to afford my latest pot. 

Whilst I loved Eve Lom's rich, heavy texture in the Winter now that the sun has (finally) come out I want to get into the Spring swing of things with a lighter consistency. Emma Hardie is a dream to apply. The balm feels like freshly churned butter, takes off all my makeup and throughly cleanses my face, without weighing it down with an oily film. Just rub a pea sized amount between your fingers, massage into your face and remove with a flannel or muslin cloth. Simples. I sometimes even leave it on my face for 10 minutes when I'm in the bath for the ultimate hydration boost.

The ingredient list reads like a botanical buffet for the face; Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and wild sea fennel to name a few. And no mineral oil (Eve Lom I do still love you but mineral oil is one of THE cheapest filler ingredients around). It smells divine too. All spa like and lovely. 

The all natural ingredients make the balm a perfect partner for any, even sensitive, skin types. 

It leaves my skin feeling soft, hydrated and clean, oh so clean. Can you tell I'm in love?

And at £34 pounds it's £21 cheaper than my Eve Lom, sorry Eve.

What's your favourite balm cleanser?

Top Tip #31

Beauty Bites

#31. NEVER fill your sink full of water to wash your face, you will simply be splashing dirty water back onto your skin- hello counterproductive! 

I'm Back....

New Year, New Me

So I have had a bit of a break from my blog of late, I have been crazy busy at work over the Christmas period and didn't have enough energy to think let alone blog.

But now 2013 has rolled in I am making blogging religiously again one of my main priorities.

Every year I make far fetched resolutions which I will have most likely broken by January 2nd. This year I'm being a bit more lenient with myself. Rather than declaring I will lose a stone in a week, I am aiming for a healthier, happier year.

Come pay day I am going to embark on David Kirch's 48 cleanse to kick start my new year new me plan, but until those funds make a magic appearance I am going to start incorporating more juice into my diet. A sure fire way to get my fave a day, as it took 3 carrots and 2 apples to make one glass of juice (!). 

On top of the juice I want to get back to drinking more water. I used to drink approximately 13 glasses of water a day, this has dwindled down to my recommended 8 and i miss the feeling of over hydration. In my book there is no such thing as too much water.

In an ideal world I would give up dairy for good, but as a bit of a cheese fiend that is not likely to happen any time soon. So to begin with I am giving up milk. To be honest i'm not thaaaat big a fan of milk anyway, and I can't taste the difference between cow and soya in my tea and coffee so score.

2012 hasn't been my skin's best year so I am hoping to have more luck in 2013, in order to push fate more firmly on my side I am going to start taking fish oil tablets. They don't come cheap, and it is more than kinda irritating having to take three a day, but if it works it will all be worth it!

I also want to get back to the gym. The past two years I have been a fully dedicated gym bunny, I need to be to shift the freshers fifteen I put on in my first year. However since moving to Putney and dealing with a significant down grade in my gym my excercise has fallen by the wayside. This year I want to pick up those trainers and get back out there.

Two more to go. Most of my resolutions this year are focusing on health and skin but there are a few added extras. Number one to read more. My granddad likes to get me books as my under the tree present, and I still haven't finished the ones he got me last year. However when I opened Wild Swans on Christmas day my passion for reading returned. Finally, and really what should be most importantly, find a real life adult job!

Happy New Year! What are your resolutions?

Top Tip #17

Beauty Bites

#17. Dry and dehydrated skin ARE NOT THE SAME THING.  You can have skin like an oil rig and still be dehydrated. One of the tell tale times is makeup going patchy throughout the day, as certain areas of your skin will suck in the moisture. It is worth investing in a hydrating face mask for use once a week whatever your skin type.

Trials and Tribulations

Week Three

I seriously think I have schizophrenic skin. Last week it looked like it was on a one stop train to clearskinville. But this week has encountered a few hiccups along the way. 

I have still been using my Clarisonic, Eve Lom Cleanser and Alpha H every day and night. I have switched the head on my Clarisonic to sensitive, so I'm not treating my skin too harshly (although it probably deserves it!). My skin feels so so clean after every wash but every morning this week I have woken up to a new lodger on my face.

I have a few little whiteheads setting up shop in my clogged pores, something I have never experienced before. There are no longer any active spots on my jawline, but there are a few on that space between the jaw and top of the neck. I'm not sure if this is because I apply my foundation down onto this area and maybe am not washing it thoroughly enough? Who knows. Another thing I'll have to address next week.

The Eve Lom claims to brighten and tone your skin. That I can't fault it on, my skin definitely looks alive. No lack luster winter skin here. Dullness is not a problem. My skin may look radiant but it is still congested. I'm convinced my skin is suffering a personality split. It just can't make its mind up.

I've been searching the internet in my desperation and came across the Dermalogica face map.

Now I've had my skin mapped by Dermalogica before, and at the Dove spas in Virgin gyms. Both go over your skin with weird sci-fi looking scanner things and tell you the levels of elasticity in your skin, where it is oily or dry, how much sun damage it has suffered and basically inform you of your skin's type. I have always assumed I fit 100% into the oily category, but apparently I have combination skin, so I would definitely recommend getting it done to make sure you are buying the right products for your skin type. They do it for free at the Dermalogica counter in Libertys.

Anyhow ramble over this is what I found online:

The photo seems to by copyrighted so here is the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/22072801@N03/5834136926/

It basically explains why we suffer breakouts in certain areas.

So....

Apparently your forehead is regarded as the sister zone to your bladder, if you frequently suffer breakouts in this area try drinking more water or eating more whole foods.

Breakouts between your eyebrows are related to your liver, so try cutting back on the alcohol and fast food!

Breakouts or unusual hair growth on your jaw line can indicate hormonal imbalance, possibly caused by stress. 

Congestion on the cheeks is most common among smokers.


Well I don't smoke and I hope I don't have a hormonal imbalance but I am extremely stressed at the moment, trying to find a part time job to find my life is not the most relaxing of tasks! That could maybe be an explanation for this weeks blip, but maybe I am just clutching at straws.

VIEWERS BE WARNED THIS DOES NOT MAKE FOR A PRETTY PICTURE!

I'm going power through with my three supposed holy grails and see what state my skin is in next week!



What products do you recommend? Do you agree with Dermalogicas analysis?

Back to Basics

Foundation Flounders

Foundation is undoubtedly the most important tool in your makeup arsenal, but also the hardest one to get right. 

Finding the perfect foundation is like finding the man of your dreams. There is bound to be a lot of disappointing dalliances along the way.

The first step towards meeting The One is recognizing your skin type.

Normal

- Even Complexion

-Suffer neither overly oily or dry skin

-Pores are small

-Have supple skin with few lines, creases and wrinkles

-Few breakouts

Oily

- If you have all over shine

-Which is fast appearing and constant

-Large and open pores

-Frequent breakouts

-Minimal lines and wrinkles (every cloud has a silver lining!)

Combination

-T Zone Oily

-Cheeks normal to dry

-Break out on chin, nose, cheeks, or forehead

-Pores enlarged on chin and cheeks

Dry

- Pores undetectable

-Face looks and feels dry and tight

-Ruddy appearance

-Cheeks or chin flaky and dry

-Fine lines and wrinkles around eye and mouth

Sensitive

-Blotchy patches

-Suffer from Rosacea 

-Skin delicate and thin

-Sensitivity to products

-Regular burning or flushing sensations

The next step is deciding on the level of coverage you are after; light, medium or full, and the finish; dewy or matte. Generally speaking matte textures tend to make dry skin look lack lustre,  whilst dewy finishes only add to the oiliness of oily skin! Normal skin has the luxury to choose, and sensitive skin could ask for samples of foundation before committing to buy so you can ensure your skin agrees with the ingredients.

There are four main types of foundation; cream, liquid, powder and tinted moisturizer. 

Here is my pick of the best low end and high products for each skin type on the market.

Normal

High End- Nars Sheer Glow £29.50 from Space NK

Imparts a sheer glow, which isn't too shimmery so it does not settle into pores. Blends easily, providing a medium to high coverage, yet still looking like skin. Lasts all day with a natural lit from within look.

High Street- Revlon Wake Me Up £8.99 from Boots or Superdrug

An anti-fatigue foundation which does what it says on the tin by really waking up the skin. The subtle shimmers provide a radiant glow and dewy finish. A medium coverage, long lasting foundation.

Oily

High End- Cover Expert By Terry £44 from Space NK

Airbrush in a bottle from the creator of the world acclaimed Touche Eclat. Long lasting, medium coverage, velvet finish. An expert at covering all those imperfections.

High Street- Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation £5.99 from Boots and Superdrug

This coverage in this purse friendly formula really packs a punch, and the matte texture negates the need for powder touch-ups throughout the day.

Combination

High End- Laura Mercier Silk Creme £33 from Space NK

An oil free formula which provides a luminous and radiant shine free glow. A medium coverage product perfect for evening out skin tones. 

High Street- Revlon Colourstay £12.50 from Boots and Superdrug

A matte finish foundation which provides medium to high coverage without feeling heavy on the skin. Lasts all day, but dries very quickly so make sure to do your face one section at a time.

Dry

High End- Vitalumiere Aqua £32 from Boots

An industry favourite for a reason. A medium coverage foundation which provides the perfect healthy shine for a fresh, energized look without accentuating dry patches

High Street- Bourjois Healthy Mix £9.99 from Boots and Superdrug

Smells like a fruit salad and is crammed full of antioxidants. A medium coverage foundation with a satin finish that won't budge all day.

Sensitive

High End- Bare Minerals Original SPF15 Foundation £24 from bareminerals.co.uk

Award Wining mineral foundation which provides fantastic coverage yet still feels light. Say goodbye to foundation cake face forever more.

High Street- Urban Decay Surreal Skin Mineral Foundation £17 from Debenhams

An ultra gentle formula free from talc, oils, fragrance and artificial dyes. The perfect makeup for achieving that no makeup look, providing a sheer to medium coverage.

Remember skin changes with the seasons and age so make sure to reevaluate your skin type and foundation choices ever so often!

Colour testing on your hand is just asking for a disaster, try the product out on your jaw line and go outside to check what it looks like in natural light!

If you moisturizer doesn't provide SPF think about getting a foundation with one, but beware that it will flash back in photographs.

Because a flawless face will never go out of fashion

What's your skin type and which foundation best suits it?