That's Life - Doing something every day to improve yourself

My other 'That's Life' post was the most viewed post of mine that I did recently so I thought I'd do another. I can only speak from personal experience but I am sure many others will be able to identify with what I have to say and as usual I would love to hear your own experiences and thoughts.

It is easy to go through life passively, allowing one day to slip into the next without improving or advancing oneself. Think of all the areas of your life: all the things you wish to achieve, all the places you wish to visit, all the experiences you wish to have. Only you can really make your wishes come true! Think of how you can become closer to these fulfilled wishes today, this week, this month, this year. 

If it is simply reading the newspaper and keeping well-informed, using a new word or feeding your body nutritious food, this is very healthy for both mind and body. Think of the activities you partake in - how healthy are they for your mind and body? Do you spend an excessive amount of time at any one activity? You could be spending this valuable time learning, advancing and improving yourself :) 

More soon!!

Deep Set Eyes - How to draw them out of the socket

This is for those of you with a deep set eye. I inherited this feature from my mother and some of my sisters have it too. It is bascially where the brow bone obtrudes more than usual, creating a deeper socket and so the eyes sink back into your skull. Or it could be the other way round. Either way, you have a deep set eye.

I always wondered why my mascara always ended up on my brow bone! For most people, their lashes will flutter up and down without touching anything, but deep set eyed lashes tend to brush off the brow bone, transferring bits of mascara - how helpful! :)

For a few years now I have been blending a dark shade into the crease of my eye, thinking that was 'the look'. I have to say sometimes it did work for me and I ended up with a look I was pleased with. However, other times my eye ended up looking as if it was even more sunken, making me look like I had not slept in a week.

You are also left with less lid to work with. When you close your eye, great, you have a lid. But upon opening the eye, the lid retracts and disappears. Almost like the eyes of a doll. Now you see the lid, now you don't!

So basically you want to do two things: emphasise your lid and draw your prominent brow bone back. Both these things will pull out your eye. This is so easy to do and makes your eyes look way less sunken and tired.

1. Emphasising the lid

To make your eye lid, which is hard to see, more noticeable use light and bright colours. You can go sparkly and glittery here. I like to use yellow and purples tones as I have green eyes. With browns and greys, I would stick to lighter, shimmery tones. Go all the way from your lashes to your crease. 

2. Drawing your brow bone back

Next, I would use a darker shade on the bone, brushing back and forth, from the outer to the centre eye. I would not go too near the inner eye. I would not apply a dark shade into my crease; you want to apply darker shades on the bone above the crease.    

Remember to keep it natural, blending both shades together so there is no obvious beginning or end.

This works for me anyway - hope it helps!

What's new?! - La Roche Posay, Benefit, Nivea & treaclemoon

I have not been blogging lately as I have been so busy preparing for my piano exam! I am a late starter to this instrument so I should be on grade 8 by the time I'm 60,  haha. No, seriously I love it and do intend on continuing with it. I sat my grade 2 exam today so I'm delighted. The past few weeks piano has been top of my list of priorities and other things like gym and blogging fell by the wayside. Now that I have more time, I will be able to blog more often!

Here are a few new things I have bought recently or started trying out. I had been refraining from testing products as my skin had reacted badly a few months ago but recently I have started trying out a few, more gentle ones.

La Roche Posay's Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel for Oily Sensitive Skin

-Soothing and Anti-Irritating

-pH 5.5

-Soap free

-Colorant free

-Alcohol free

-Paraben free ( I still do not know what a paraben is, haha)

-Tested on imperfection prone skin

I had not intended to buy this but it came with the Effaclar Duo + as a special offer. I am not quite so sure that this suits my skin type but the brand is gentle and for sensitive skin so I knew it would not do any harm. I have used it a good few times now. It is quite a thick gel so you need to wet your hands or face to build up a lather. I find it removes make up very well. A little goes a long way so it's very good value. 

Nivea's Pure & Natural Soothing Day Cream

- 95% of natural origin
-Chamomile - naturally soothing
-Argan Oil - source of vit E

I had been using Avene's Skin Recovery Cream and while it has not caused a bad reaction, it has not helped or improved my skin either. I think a good moisturiser should make a difference and that one wasn't. So ... when I spotted this in Tesco (oh how I love to browse the beauty aisles of Tesco!) the words 'Gentle' and 'Soothing' jumped out at me, even 'Natural' was in green! I had to get it. I have used it twice so far and I find it very moisturising and I have not reacted badly to it. It has quite a thick consistency but absorbs well.

La Roche Posay's Rosaliac CC Creme

-SPF 30

-for all types of redness

-a universal tone for fair to medium skin

I received a few samples of this colour correcting cream. I have yet to use it but will let you know how it goes as soon as I try it a few times.

Benefit's Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup

-Oil-free

-SPF 25

I forgot I had a little sample of this and used it yesterday and today. While it is not too dark ( shade Honey), it gives a very healthy look which I like as I am on the pale side. It has a very light feel and for me it is more a tinted moisturiser than a foundation. I had to build it up a bit to cover some blemishes. Without a setting powder, its staying/lasting power is not so good so I would not rely on this for a night out or special occasion.

treaclemoon My Coconut Island Body Butter

-smells divine

-smooths and softens

I can't wait to slap this all over me, haha. When I opened it to do the sniff test, I went to lick it, it is just so delicious. It reminds me of those coconut gooey things - yum!! I love their simple packaging and website - such a humble company. 

More soon!!

That's Life - Your uncomfortable zone

I did something today that I was stressing and worrying about for a long time. And it went absolutely fine; it couldn't have gone better. 

The whole thing got me thinking. I had thought about and worried about the whole thing way too much, thinking the worst and imagining all sorts of negative outcomes. Someone once said to me if you are honest and nice, a fair person will respond to that and will want to work with you. Things will go your way. Most people are fair fortunately. I remembered that valuable piece of advice this morning as I set off outside my comfort zone.

So ... is it time you did that thing you have been putting off? It very well could be much easier and better than you imagine :)  It can be scary but you will feel great for having conquered it. Good luck!

Warm Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey Drink

Here is one of my latest concoctions which is apparently good for the skin - boiled water (allowed to cool a bit) with a spoonful of honey and a little Apple Cider Vinegar. 

Slightly cooled boiled water: 

1. Helps to dissolve the honey

2. Has a detoxifying effect

3. Aids Digestion

Apple Cider Vinegar:

1. Has anti-biotic & anti-bacterial properties

2. Reduces redness in skin

3. Balances pH of skin

Honey:

1. Anti-bacterial

2. Moisturising and nourishing for skin

I have heard a lot about Apple Cider Vinegar lately and picked up this brand by Aspall's. It has quite a severe taste and scent so is best diluted in water. It can also be used as a facial toner, diluted in water. 

Maybe I am imagining things but I think I have noticed an improvement already! 

Update on La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

After using La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, specifically on my forehead, for a week or two I thought I would let you know how effective it was. 

Within the first few days, the congested and clogged pores were hugely improved, which I had hoped for. The only thing that is left now are residual red marks, which I now treat with honey. 

At the time, I did not realise that there is a new and improved Effaclar Duo+, which reduces those red marks. When I get this product, I will let you know if it really does treat the marks. 

If you want to treat congested, clogged pores Effaclar Duo will hopefully work for you as it did for me but I would advise you to go for the Effaclar Duo+

Honey as a cleanser and moisturiser!

Honey has antibacterial properties and has a calming effect on the skin so it is perfect if you have acne, rosacea or if you just want to prevent any further breakouts. If you don't have blemishes but just simply want softer, nourished skin, try it out too. 

It is a little messy but if you're careful you shouldn't get any on your clothes, shoes and floor like I did. I took out a small spoonful and used a cotton bud to apply it directly on the areas I wanted to treat. For me, that was my forehead and sides of my nose. Avoid your eye area. I smoothed it out so that there wasn't a very thick layer or any big blobs. Gravity will obviously take an effect but you can always catch any drops and lick them - yum! 

After a few minutes it will harden and you will feel it tighten. I left it on for about 20 minutes and then washed gently away with warm water and a facecloth. 

I immediately felt my skin was softer and my blemishes looked less red - much improved appearance over all. I did this at night time and in the morning my skin was so moisturised from the previous night's treatment that I did not need moisturiser at all!

I used a jar of honey that has been in my press for ages - it had congealed so I heated it up by placing the jar in a pan of hot water. I put this on the heat, stirring the honey as it softened and hey presto, I had runny honey in no time!