Coconut Oil #1 Face

I have been reading up and watching videos on the benefits of Coconut Oil for quite a while now and finally purchased it yesterday. 24 degrees celsius is the temperature at which it liquefies (it is a solid below this) which explains why it turns into an easy-to-use oil when rubbed between your fingers. As indicated on the jar, it can be directly applied to the skin.

Last night was my first time to clean my face using coconut oil. This included makeup removal. I dug my clean fingers into the jar (you could use a spoon) and softened it up between my fingers. Using circular motions, I worked it into my face and neck. Some even got in my eye but did not hurt at all. I then washed it all off gently with a face cloth and cool water. My face appeared very clean, soft and moisturised. I checked the effectiveness of coconut oil as a cleanser with a toner. The cotton pads had no residue, makeup or grime; the coconut oil had worked. I really was amazed that my face was so clean after such a quick and easy process. At the same time my face felt very moisturised.

For those of you with redness or rosacea, this is a very kind and calming way to clean your face- 100% natural too. If you are coming to the end of your facewash or cleanser, I highly recommend you to try this. Remember to wash off with cool water as warm/hot water will aggravate your skin.

The jar contains 453g or 16oz. which will last a long time. It is a very versatile product so I will blog about this a few more times, each time outlining a different use.
Stay tuned for Coconut Oil #2 Smoothie

Kubiss London - Lipstick + Highlight

This brand caught my eye as it is such good value; I got these 3 products for only 7 euro. 

The lipsticks are in the shades Hint of Pink and Montana Rose. This is my first bold red lip product and quite daring for me. The other is a more summery, nude, baby pink look. Make sure to apply lip balm beforehand to prevent drying. They are both quite creamy and pigmented. 

The Glimmer Glow highlight is in the shade No3. It appears to be more of a blush to me, either way I love the tones. 

Kubiss is a name to look out for.

What's new?! - a mini Penneys/Primark Haul

Hi, I thought I would share a few things I got in Penneys lately. Penneys (or Primark in UK) is an amazing, very affordable shop which you must visit if you are ever in this part of the world. 

Firstly, how do you like my new background or my fabulous new duvet cover? I quite like the grey colour and design. It is pretty neutral so easy to style a bedroom around. 

I got this as it's long and will cover my bum when wearing leggings. A great colour with a tan too. It has a wide neck and a little sleeve. 

 A bright grey t-shirt which would look great under a blazer for a smart/casual look. I love these type of sleeves too. High necks are flattering for smaller chested ladies. 

 This is my third pair of coloured skinnys from Penneys; I have the brown and pink already. These fit really well (I am a pear shape) and will go with a lot of shoes and tops that I have. 

 I only had one pair of summery work out pants so I needed another. These come just below the knee (I am a lady :) ) which I like and the waist band is a bit of a throwback to the early 90's. Woohoo!!

 I am interested to try this out; I can't turn down coconut! It's also paraben free -not entirely sure what this means but it sounds salubrious!

 My favourite item of this whole haul is this hoody. It is so soft and cosy. I love the colour too. A definite must-have for when the sun goes down. 

 I love my new nightwear. The top is cropped and has such a nice pattern. The shorts are a welcome alternative to full-length bottoms. I carelessly picked up the wrong size so they are huge on me!

And finally these cool, luminous socks which come in a 5 pack, there is an orange pair too. Perfect for working out.

Have you been to Penneys/Primark recently and what did you buy?

Light Summer Make-up

I am wearing very minimal makeup lately, as in just foundation to cover what I need to, not even my whole face, and that's it! This means I have numerous products lying in a drawer, waiting to be chosen :) Today I was heading off to an event so I decided to wear slightly more than foundation. I love wearing very little makeup lately and showing as much skin in its natural state as possible.

I have these two 'True Matches', neither of which is a true match as I bought them when my skin was more and less tanned. The darker shade is Beige and the lighter is Golden Vanilla. I mix them together so they don't go to waste. I vary the ratio depending on where I am applying it for example I apply more Golden Vanilla down the bridge of my nose but I apply more Beige on the sides. I have been using L'Oreal True Match for years and find it so good in terms of coverage, blendability and range of shades. As I mentioned above, I only cover my blemishes and blend outwards so that it is not obvious. I do not bother applying foundation to my good skin which is most of my face, nor do I use concealer at the moment. 

I use a damp Real Technique's sponge which looks a little icky at the moment. Let me know if you want to know how I clean it. 

 Usually that would be it but today I went mad and applied blusher - Benefit's Sugarbomb which I love. I cannot remember how this cracked but it is still usable. A great blusher, I highly recommend it.

 On my lids I applied a mixture of Virgin and Naked, just a quick and easy dab to liven the eye area up a bit. 

 

I hope you enjoyed this very minimalistic, yet perfect for the summer, look! Xx

Are you going bare faced lately?

Image Skincare

Hi, I am back with yet more skincare and perhaps my favourite brand yet!! I cannot say enough about the quality of these products. As you know I have rosacea which is quite difficult to manage. I have tried and tested many products but these are right up there in terms of sensitivity, effectiveness and scent ( they smell divine!) 

I was recommended these by a beauty therapist after I was pampered with an Image facial. The facial itself was amazing and really brightened up my skin. I highly recommend them and facials in general; I love going to the spa. It is an absolute treat for me and I go a few times a year. 

Back to Image Skincare - I am currently using their Vital C hydrating anti-aging serum and their Prevention+ daily matte moistuiser (SPF 32). The Vital C soothes the visible effects of environmentally damaged skin. It contains vitamins A, E and highly potent anti-oxidants. It feels so nourishing and brightens up the face. It is a little pricey but absolutely worth it. The moisturiser smells amazing and has such a lovely consistency. It soaks in very well and is very gentle on the sensitive areas of my face. It also contains anti-oxidants. I also feel very protected wearing a factor 32. 

I wanted to buy more of their products but as I mentioned already they are dearer than what I normally go for. 

Happy Birthday!!

I am officially blogging one year today, 115 posts later! I would like to thank all my readers. I have enjoyed it so much and am looking forward to continuing long into the future. I appreciate all of you who spend your time reading what I have to say and cannot believe I have almost 3,000 views. I have a lot more in store from skincare to travel so stay tuned :)

Cotton pads or face cloth?

I have swayed between both cotton pads and face cloths but at the moment I am settling with the latter!

Face cloths can have a gentle exfoliating effect, depending on how you use them. I find they are faster and easier to remove make-up and cleanser. When I use them now, I only use them for one day, in the morning and evening, and then I put it in the wash so it's pretty hygienic. However, due to the texture of the face cloth, it is quite easy to pull and drag at your skin. If care is taken though, face cloths are a good option. 

Cotton pads are more costly as they need to replaced regularly. Unless you are careful, you could spread product around your face while using them. I find it takes longer to remove make-up with them and I need more make-up remover/cleanser in order to do so, which is further expense. However, when you are feeling lazy and you just want to hop into bed, the cotton pads are handy. They also come in handy on nights away where washing and drying your own face cloth would not be practical. 

What do you prefer and why?

The Body Shop's Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-oil & Moisture Lotion SPF 15

Hello everyone, I am back after a busy few weeks. I thought I would update you on two vitamin E products from The Body Shop - their moisture lotion and their overnight serum-in-oil. 

Their moisture lotion is for daytime and has an SPF of 15. It claims to help protect skin from environmental damage and premature skin aging. Although it is very creamy and leaves skin feeling soft, it did not soak into one dry patch of dry skin that I had. It was very moisturising for all other parts of my face though. It also has a strong scent, a sun protection type scent. It is a little on the greasy side so even though it says it is for all skin types I would not think it would be ideal for oily skin. So on the plus side it has an SPF and leaves your skin feeling soft and on the down side it has a strong scent, is a bit too greasy for my liking and it does not penetrate dry patches. I definitely would not opt for this again. 

Thankfully, the overnight serum-in-oil was a lot better. It claims to replenish and recharge moisture while you sleep. I definitely noticed a difference using this; my skin felt so soft after just one use. It has a slight scent. It really softened the more 'normal' parts of my skin but did not work wonders on the blemishes. This would be ideal for people with 'normal' skin; I cannot imagine it would be good for anyone with clogged, congested skin or very dry skin. I will continue to use this for its softening qualities.

What's new?! - La Roche-Posay, The Body Shop & dr.organic

I thought I would share a few new products I got lately. I am not going to talk about them in any great detail today as I do not know what they are like yet but if they work for me I will post about them again in a few weeks. 

La Roche-Posay's Rosaliac Micellar Make-up Removal Gel (for Redness Prone Sensitive Skin) - I have used this twice so far and I love it. Definitely a must try. It's unlike anything I have tried before in terms of consistency, application and removal. 

dr.organic's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Day Cream - this brand looks great and I wanted to buy more of their products but I thought I would start with this. This brand is definitely worth a browse. 

The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Lotion (SPF 15) & Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil - to top up those Vitamin E and moisture levels

Malibu's Lipcare SPF 30 - for these brighter days!