My Updated (And Upmarket!) Skincare Rountine

I have done a post about my skincare routine before but since then it has changed and without thinking about it I've noticed I've gone for higher end and better quality products this time.

A few months ago I started using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. This is fantastic, my skin doesn't feel tight or stripped of any oils when I use this, as it did with my previous cleanser which was just a cheap one from Simple. My skin is properly cleansed, soft, I've noticed it's less oily and congested and the product is such a lovely rich cream it makes washing my face something I enjoy (without wanting to sound too weird...). I don't feel like I need to quickly grab my moisturiser after cleansing either because my skin isn't tight or dried out.

I massage this into my face with my make up still on, it gets rid of absolutely everything. I even use it on my eyes and it doesn't sting whatsoever. Then I ''polish'' the cleanser off with a muslin cloth. The result being soft, cleansed glowing skin.

Cleanse and Polish is the most expensive cleanser I've used but it's also the best quality. I've never really thought about using a slightly more expensive cleanser before because I never saw the point as the product is only on your face for a minute. Oh how wrong I was! This is definitely worth the money and I think I'll struggle to find something better than this.

After cleansing I use a toner from Elemis which I bought while on holiday recently. The hotel spa where I was staying was an Elemis Spa and I had a facial where they used this on me and I really liked it. 

I hadn't been using a toner for a while as I'd stopped using the Clinique toner because it was drying my skin out unfortunately. This toner doesn't have any alcohol in so it doesn't dry or strip your skin. It's a lavender toner for combination skins. Lavender is an antiseptic so it's good for breakouts and things. I find this makes my skin nice and soft, balances it out nicely and gives me a nice base for my moisturiser.

The latest addition to my skincare routine is the Sanctuary Pore Refiner Facial Scrub. I mentioned this in my previous post so some of you might know that I really like this for a good exfoliate when my skin is a bit congested. I have been using this every 2-3 days.

Finally we have my trusted Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel from Clinique. As you can see from this picture I've very nearly finished the bottle which has lasted me about 8 months! I love this product, it moisturises without being heavy or greasy, sinks right into the skin, doesn't make me breakout or make my skin oilier. I bought a second bottle on my way back from holiday in Duty Free so I will be starting that very soon.

If any of you have seen my previous skincare routine post you will probably have noticed that I'm using much better quality products than before. I am still on the hunt for a good eye cream so please let me know if you know of any!

Hannah x

Brightening Up Dull Winter Skin

Lately my skin has been quite dry, which is rare for me as mine is always quite oily. My skin is still it's oily self but I've been getting annoying dry patches, and my complexion has been looking rather dull because of it.

I've decided to take action and sort it out! I'm using Boots Expert Sensitive Restoring Night Cream before bed. It's a really good moisturiser for any skin type and sorts out any dry areas quickly. It's also designed for sensitive skins so it won't irritate or break you out. You'll want to exfoliate regularly too, I exfoliate in the morning.

While I've been sorting out my face I decided what the heck I might as well look after my body too! So on my legs, feet, elbows.. anywhere that's dry really, I've been using Superdrug's Aqueous Cream. 

I think both of these products are great because they are far better than other 'high end' moisturisers I've tried, are for sensitive skin and best of all they are very inexpensive!

A couple of good tips if you're experiencing dry skin like me is to keep hydrated! It's just so important and keeps everything working, looking and feeling great. Another thing is diet, obviously important to eat lots of lovely fruit and vegetables!

Hope that has been useful ladies :)

My Skincare Routine

I've added a couple of new products into my skincare routine lately as well as cutting out some products which my skin is benefiting from, so I thought I'd show you my updated skincare routine!

Firstly every morning I exfoliate with my St Ives Invigorating scrub. It's the best scrub I've found and have been using it for about 2 years! I find a bottle of this lasts me a good three months. St Ives do lots of different scrubs, I used to use the scrub for blemishes but it was way too harsh for my skin.

Every evening I cleanse my face with Simple's Refreshing Facial Wash Gel. It's a nice bog standard gel cleanser, gets rid of oil and dirt, cleanses my skin. Nothing amazingly special.

I'll soon be finishing my latest bottle of this though, and am going to start using my Avene Clearance Gel cleanser, which I was sent along with my Trilogy products to review. So I will let you know how I get on with it. Have you ever used this product or any Avene products, if so what do you think of them?

A new product in my routine is the Clinique Clarifying Lotion in number 3 which is for oily combination skins. I really love this! It gets rid of any dirt that your cleanser has left behind, as well as mildly exfoliating your skin so it's left really smooth. I find my moisturiser and other products sink into my skin so much better and much quicker. All in all my skin looks really healthy and glowing after using it. It's also helping to tone down my oily skin.

 I've been reading that a lot of people find this too harsh for their skin, but luckily I haven't had any reaction. It contains salicylic acid too which helps clear up any blemishes.

Next up is my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel for oily skins. I really like this, my skin is so smooth from using this, and it doesn't make my skin oily at all. Pretty much the perfect moisturiser for my skin! I use this morning and night.

I remove my make up with Simple Wipes, I buy them simply because they're always on special and they are good refreshing wipes!

I have scrapped my medicated spot creams which were drying out my skin (I also didn't like the idea of using all those chemicals on my skin) I've started using the Lumie Clear UV Light Treatment, which you can find more info about in my post here and I'll be updating you on how I'm doing with it every two weeks in a blog post.

Basically it's two UV lights, which kill the bacteria in your skin naturally, without any chemicals or any risk of breaking out. So far I am really loving this product and I don't have any dry areas from nasty spot creams.

I also don't feel the need to be using a face mask at the moment, since my toner helps my skin stay clean and I've not got a lot of oil build up any more.

Lumie Clear Natural UV Light Treatment- Week 2+3 Update

Hi everyone, I've decided to do my Lumie Clear updates every two weeks and so here is week 2 and 3!

I've noticed my skin is generally a lot clearer, still getting hormonal breakouts which are inevitable really however the Lumie really reduces them a lot in size and redness and they are clearing up a lot faster. 

The Lumie seems to dry them up, not in a horrible way but they seem to shrink in size the next day after using the light.

I'm really happy to see that the product is working. I'm not having any ''commitment issues'' with it and am still using it for 15 minutes on each area I want to treat. I find doing it while I'm watching the TV works well. 

So that's my update, short and sweet! 

If you have any questions just comment below...

For more info on the Lumie you can read my post about it here.

Lumie Clear Update- Week One

Hi Everyone

Today I'll be updating you on my first week of using the Lumie Clear. For more info on the Lumie you can always read my previous post about it here.

So after a week of use I have definitely seen an improvement on my chest, it's not red and the inflammation has gone down, it's actually almost clear now. My face is pretty clear too although a blemish did come up yesterday. It does seem to dry them up and shrink them really quickly though.

I'm not going to change any of my skincare or start using any new products (okay maybe my Clinique toner...) just so I can be sure that the Lumie is working and I know it's not something else.

You're meant to use this once a day for 15 minutes on each area for 12 weeks, so I'm pretty happy with the results I'm getting in the first week.

The 15 minutes can seem like a long time especially if you have to hold it, but I use it while watching the TV and it's not too bad. I think you have to be pretty dedicated and want to get the results with it because it is very easy to become lazy and forget about it. 

So that's all I have to say so far really, I will update you every week and let you know how it goes! 

If you have any questions just leave a comment below :)

Lumie Clear- Natural UV Light Acne Treatment

Lately my skin has been acting up a bit due to the weather. I was trawling the Internet looking for new treatments and stuff, and I remembered about the Lumie Clear which I saw in Boots in the January sales.

Lumie Clear is basically two LED lights, one red and one blue. The blue kills the bacteria in your skin and the red helps reduce and soothe inflammation.

It's rather pricey at £152 at Boots, but you can get it for £149 on the Lumie Clear website and a bit less than that on sites like Amazon.

I decided to invest in one, and bought mine from Boots as I got 2000 bonus points on my card if I bought it which translates into £20 on my Boots card- happy days!

I've heard before about how UV/LED lights can be used to treat all kinds of skin complaints, but before hearing about the Lumie Clear I'm pretty sure this kind of treatment was only available in places like Harley Street clinics in London, so it wasn't easy to access and would have been hugely expensive.

What attracted me to the Lumie Clear was that it is a natural way to treat acne, so I could stop using the creams from the doctor which while they work, the also dry my skin out and cause me loads of hassle. So while the Lumie is pretty pricey, it's more of an investment because you'll be saving on all the acne creams and treatments you buy.

Although my skin has been pretty good for nearly a year now, I still get the odd break out and as I said before my breakouts have started to become more regular the past few weeks due to horrible winter weather. 

I find that when I go on holiday somewhere hot and sunny, or when it's summer time here my skin always improves. This is down to all the sunshine and heat we get, and the Lumie Clear is sort of mimicking that sunshine because it's using the same light we get in the sunshine.

Lumie, with the very sexy goggles provided! 

It comes with a stand as you can see... so you don't have to hold it. 

Or you can take it off and hold it like this...(I prefer this way)

You're to use this for 15 minutes on each area you want to treat, once a day depending on how far away you're holding it. For example if you're holding it directly on the skin, you only have to use it for 15 minutes, but if you're wanting to cover a bigger area you'll have to hold it slightly further away so the light can stretch to cover the area. They say if you're holding it 4cm away from the skin to use it for 30 minutes. 

It comes with a 15 minute timer which starts when you turn it on and goes off 15 minutes later, so you don't have to worry about checking the time. I also like that you can use it to treat anywhere on the body.

So my Lumie Clear arrived last Wednesday and ever since I've been using it everyday, sometimes doing it once in the morning an again in the evening. 

The areas I'm treating are my cheeks and chin and my chest. I've already noticed that a small breakout on my chest has cleared up extremely quickly, so that's good news. 

I've decided to do a weekly update and let you all know how I'm getting on. 

I'll update you on Wednesday! :)

Anti Chafing Gel... as a primer?!

As most of you reading this probably watch YouTube make up videos just as much as me I'm sure you've heard about the anti chafing gel primer craze.

For those of you that haven't, lots of people are using anti chafing gel as a primer because it contains the same ingredients as most expensive primers out there. The active ingredient being Dimethicone. 

So I read up about this, read some reviews and decided to go and buy some and see if it's any good. I have used primers in the past but they have never done anything for me and sometimes made my skin break out or make it even oilier, so I was pretty skeptical but had high hopes from the things I was reading about it online.

My skin had been getting oilier than usual for some reason and I was hoping this would be the amazing product which would solve everything! 

I bought the Lanacane Anti Chafing Gel in Boots and it cost me around £6 for 30g of product. As you only need a tiny amount for your face this will last you ages. So it's pretty good value especially compared to the expensive make up primers out there which have pretty much the same ingredients.

It comes in a tube making it hygienic which is always a good thing. The first time I used this I only applied it to my nose and forehead, because I was worried about whether it would break me out, being silicone based and containing Corn Starch. Thankfully it doesn't seem to break me out at all which is lucky.

I apply it after I've let my moisturiser sink in. I then wait for 5 minutes or so until the primer has had a chance to set, then apply my make up. 

It definitely makes my skin really smooth and my foundation goes on nicely, not that it doesn't go on nicely without a primer though.

I was really hoping it would control my oil more than anything, but unfortunately this makes my skin even oilier. So this doesn't work for my oily skin at all! It does however make my face smooth and although I use mineral make up which lasts ages on my skin anyway, I think it makes it stay on even longer than usual. Just makes my face incredibly greasy and shiny!

Amount needed for your entire face- be careful not to use too much! :)

I don't feel like I need a primer to be honest. My skin is less oily without a primer and I don't like putting extra  things on my face when they're not really needed.

If you have dry or normal skin this would be great for you, and I do think this is great as a primer. You'd be saving a lot of money too. 

I think I'll definitely keep this for when doing make up on people with dry/normal/combo skin types.

Do be careful not to put too much of it on your face though, you only need a tiny pea size amount, otherwise it will start to flake and peel off making you look rather strange...

And if you're known to break out from skincare products or have sensitive skin it's a good idea to do a patch test first!

Have you tried this as a primer?

Trilogy Purifying Face Mask and Dr Organic Rose Otto Body Scrub Review

Since reading and commenting on Made Up By Hannah's blog post about Trilogy skincare I was contacted by the people at Trilogy and they asked if I would like to review some of their products.

This was pretty exciting as they are the first company to contact me about reviewing products. They sent me a few products, one being a Trilogy product and the others being Dr. Organic and Avene. (I will be reviewing the Avene products at a later date).

So today I am reviewing Trilogy's Purifying Masque and the Dr. Organic Rose Otto Body Scrub they sent me. Please remember that even though I was sent these products, I'm still going to give my honest opinion.

I will start with the Trilogy face mask-

Firstly Trilogy are a skincare company who make products which only contain natural, sustainable ingredients. So they are good for your skin but also don't damage the environment.

Trilogy products contain certified organic Rosehip oil, which is known for it's nourishing moisturising ability.

What it says on the tube: 

''Deep cleansing treatment for blemish free skin. A highly affective treatment to draw away impurities and leave your skin clear and smooth. Helps to minimise pores and settle skin prone to break outs. Combines Kaolin clay to draw impurities with witch hazel extract to clarify and tone, rose geranium oil to sooth and certified organic rosehip oil to nourish your skin''.


The mask comes in a good quality 50 ml tube, and has a simple yet modern feel to it. The text is clear and easy to read, so you can easily find out what the product is for, what benefits it has and what the ingredients are etc etc.

The product has a mild rose smell, I am assuming this is down to the Rose Geranium and Rosehip oil. I don't usually like any product which has a rose smell as I find it a bit too perfume-y, but this was mild and I soon forgot about it.

The product itself is a clay like, creamy consistency, with no exfoliating particles in at all. I like that it doesn't contain exfoliating particles because they can irritate my skin.

The instructions tell me to apply a very thin almost transparent layer, and leave to dry for 5 to 10 minutes.

I found the mask dried quite quickly, in around under 5 minutes which I like because most face masks I have used to take ages to dry which can get annoying.

Once the mask dried I washed it off with a flannel and warm water. My skin felt really smooth and I could tell that it looked a lot clearer, although I could still see my trouble blackheads on my nose. However the next morning I woke up and they had gone and my pores were almost invisible.

This mask de-congested my skin but at the same time didn't dry it out, unlike most masks I have tried where they have left my skin red and flaky. Because of this I really rate this mask. It actually did what it said on the tube! I recommend to anyone with oily or congested skin.

Now onto the Dr Organic Rose Otto Body Scrub...

I have never used Dr Organic products before, but seem to remember them being sold in Boots. I may be wrong, but I have definitely seen them around!

Their products are paraben free, SLS free, with not artificial colours, fragrances or harsh preservatives. They do not test on animals so are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

This body scrub is said to be anti aging, hydrating and exfoliating, with ''micro particles'' of volcanic lava.

The product comes in a 200ml tube,  and the text is relatively easy to read and understand.

This is a rose body scrub, so of course it smells of roses. As you know I'm not keen on the rose smell, and this has quite a strong scent to it, which I'm not liking!

The product almost feels like a gel, which is rather nice with small sparse exfoliating volcanic particles.

The gel-like feel makes it easy to rub around on the skin, and you don't need a lot of product so I think a 200ml tube of this would last you a while.

I found this scrub to gently exfoliate my skin and leave it relatively soft, however I don't like the smell at all.

This isn't a stand out product for me, and I think there are better exfoliators out there, but if you don't mind the smell of roses and are looking for a gentle exfoliating scrub, this would be good for you.


Have you tried any Trilogy or Dr Organic products?

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel Review

Hello lovelies!

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days, I have been snowed in for 5 days without any internet!

I have decided to do a review of my Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel from Clinique.

I wanted to try this moisturiser for a while, but it has always been a bit too expensive for me. However when I was going through the airport on holiday, I decided to purchase it as it had a few pounds off the usual price!

You can choose to buy a 50ml bottle or a 125ml bottle. I decided to go for the 125ml.

This gel moisturiser is especially for combination oily/oily skin, however for normal/dry skins there is a Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion.

So... The blurb on the back of the bottle says: ''Works to improve skin's texture and condition after cleansing and clarifying. Oil- free. Apply twice a day to face and throat all over or where needed''. 

It is also 100% fragrance free, like all Clinique's other products.

I have been using this product for around 5 weeks.

So here's what I like about this product so far:

• It is the first moisturiser to moisturise my skin extremely well at the same time as leaving my skin shine-free
• After applying my skin is soft and feels clean
• I have noticed an improvment in my skin's clarity, it doesn't seem to be as congested and the blackheads especially on my nose (lovely!!) are no longer visible
• It doesn't break me out!
• The pump on the bottle is very hygenic and you only need one pump of product for your whole face
• I haven't needed to use a make up primer with this product beacuse it doesn't make my skin shiny (which is a first for me!)

I think I have tested this product pretty well as I was using it while on holiday in 25 degree heat, and now I am using it in sub zero temperatures!

In both climates this product has been amazing and actually done what it says on the bottle!

I am in love with this moisturiser and will definately be buying again!

Moisturise Me, Moisturise Me!

My skin is really dry at the moment due the cold weather outside and then coming into central heating! So I have decided to share my favourite moisturisers with you.

BODY MOISTURISERS:

The Body Shop Coconut Shimmering Body Butter & Spa Wisdom Polynesia moisturiser.

I got these two products as a gift for Christmas last year so I don't know if they are still available, but they are both really moisturising products and smell lovely.

The Shimmering Body Butter is as you have probably guessed, shimmery! But not in an over-the-top way, it has just the right amount to make you 'glow' nicely. I love the smell of coconut this has and it always reminds me of being on holiday. I use this on my legs quite a lot and it moisturises them really well!

The Polynesia Moisturiser comes with a pump and smells like flowers. It's a nice smell and is also very moisturising. 

I use this on my legs too but you can use it everywhere (apart from the face).  I only moisturise my whole body if my skin is really dry.

Superdrug Aqueous Cream and E45 Endless Moisture

At the moment I am using the Superdrug Aqueous Cream to help with my dry skin. It's fragrance free and is great for sensitive skins and people with eczema and other skin conditions.

This isn't greasy at all and manages to keep my skin constantly moisturised all day, and doesn't take ages to sink in when applying. I had a dry, flaky chest (lovely, I know!) this morning but applied this and my skin is not dry or flaky any more.

On the tub it says you can also use this in place of soap when showering. I really recommend this moisturiser for anyone with really dry skin at the moment, it's completely fragrance free and won't irritate your skin!

I used the E45 Endless Moisture in the summer on my legs. I got the Daily Radiance version, which has shimmering particles in, although you can just get the original moisturiser. 

I found this to moisturise my skin nicely and not be greasy at all.

FACE MOISTURISERS & LIP BALMS

I have changed my daily moisturiser from No7 Day Sorbet to Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel- and I am in love with the stuff! I will be writing a rave review very soon.

The Boots Expert Sensitive Restoring Night Treatment is a really good night cream, it sinks into the skin really quickly and isn't greasy, but moisturises and actually restores!

I recommend this to people with all skin types who want nicely moisturised skin. It's also fragrance free and perfect for sensitive skins!

My lips are so chapped at the moment and Blistex Relief Cream heals them really well. I pop this on at night and by morning my lips are back to normal!

I use Carmex Cherry Flavoured Lip Balm during the day and find this provides a good barrier between the cold and my lips. It's also SPF15 and smells delicious! I used this everyday on holiday too.

Do you have any favourite moisturisers?

Little Haul: Rimmel, Barry M

I went into Boots yesterday & got a few bits. I'm going on holiday next week and so I had a little list of things to get for going away.

I got this really bright polish from Barry M in the colour Coral. It will be perfect for my toenails while on holiday, and I know Barry M polishes stay on and don't chip.

I also needed a waterproof mascara. So far all the waterproof mascaras I have tried have always been really dry and spidery, not good when going for a natural beach look! I also don't like having to scrub away at my eyes trying to get the stuff off!

So for this reason I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a waterproof masacara. This is where good old Natural Collection comes in!

I bought their Waterguard Mascara, which says it is smudge proof and water proof. It was £1.99, and I tested it last night. It looks really natural, isn't dry, doesn't clump AT ALL, and most important of all...it's actually waterproof! When it came to remove it, it was pretty easy to remove, I didn't have to scrub away. What a bargain!


I also wanted a pink lipstick, which I could wear as an alternative to a nude, as I'm getting a bit bored of nudes!

I bought this Colour Show Off Lipstick from Rimmel in Shake Up Pink. I have a coral colour lipstick from this range, so I know that they are really pigmented and stay on. The colour is what I'd describe as a Barbie Pink. It's really bright when you layer it up but you can sheer it down to a nice natural shade. In the picture it looks more peachy, but it's definately a pink...I love it!


For going on holiday I also wanted to tint my eyebrows. My eyebrows are naturally very blonde, and I don't want to have to fill them in every day. I'll be swimming a lot too so I don't want to have to worry about anything rubbing off etc.

I bought 30 Day Mascara in Dark Brown. So I will let you know how that goes!

I bought another tube of Freederm Gel. If I feel I have a spot developing I pop this on and it calms it down!

I got a buffer for when in the shower. I was using a pouf thingy, but didn't feel like it did anything!

Finally, I got some good old face wipes! They had 2 for £4 on Simple wipes in Boots, so I grabbed a couple...

The Simple Wipes are my favourites for removing my make up & they feel really refreshing.

Review: Boots Expert Sensitive Restoring Night Treatment

£4.99 at Boots

I have been using this Boots Expert night cream for around 6 weeks now, and thought I'd share my results!

Firstly, I wanted a night cream which would moisturise my skin overnight, so I would wake up and not have any dry pactches. Even though I have oily skin, I use an acne gel which dries the skin making it flake off (I know that sounds pretty horrible!!) so I get dry areas and need to have a night cream which moisturises those areas even when I have the acne gel on my skin, which this product does!

Also, with every product I put on my face, I am always concerned about them breaking me out, and thankfully this product doesn't! It's fragrance free, but it smells a bit like E45 cream, which I don't mind. This could be because it has similar ingredients as it does sort of the same job... It sinks into the skin really quickly and doesn't feel greasy at all.

When I get up in the morning my skin is soft, moisturised  and ready for action which is exactly what I was hoping for with this product.

There is so much product in the pot that I can see this is going to last me ages! It's excellent value for money at £4.99. When I bought it they had a 2 for £4 offer on, so I got two tubs for £4, I love a bargain..!

I definately reccommend this for anyone with any skin type.

Lowdown on Mineral Make Up!

Mineral make up has become a big thing over the past couple of years, and almost every cosmetic brand has their own variation. I bought my first mineral foundation from a UK based mineral make up company, Lily Lolo. I spent a long time researching mineral make up brands and started to learn about why mineral make up is so good. 

So what's all the fuss about mineral foundation? Well, it's free from harsh chemicals, nano particles, parabens, bismuth oxychloride, talc, synthetic dyes, fillers, fragrance and preservatives. All these ingredients are bad for your skin, blocking pores and basically doing your skin damage. The ingredients in the Lily Lolo foundation are Mica, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue. These mineral ingredients are actually said to be good for your skin, which I agree with as the condition of my skin has improved so much.

Foundation in Porcelain.

As soon as I started using the mineral foundation I saw a dramatic improvement in my skin, I had bad break outs which I didn't know at the time were due to the foundation and concealers I was previously using (Revlon Colourstay). Now my skin looks good without make up on! Before I actually needed foundation because my skin was so bad.

Ingredients of the foundation- excuse the ripped sticker!

The other great thing about mineral make is that it has an SPF and is water resistant! It doesn't feel like you have anything on your skin at all, and looks so natural, yet your face looks flawless. It only takes a minute to apply, you could apply it without a mirror it's so easy.

I should warn you about the brands out there who call their products ''mineral'' but all they are is a powder foundation, with all the harsh chemicals and bad ingredients in. Examples of this are the MAC ''mineral'' powder foundations, Maybelline ''mineral'' foundation, Revlon's version...Collection 2000 do one too... there are many more out there!

Because I'm so pale I could never find a foundation to be pale enough for me, and I was always left with an orangey tinge- not a good look! With the Lily Lolo foundation in porcelain (lightest shade!) I don't get that at all. This will be because the foundation doesn't oxidise like a liquid foundation, as it doesn't have the ingredients which cause a product to oxidise. Lily Lolo also have a good number of foundation shades, on the high street some companies only have 6 shades sometimes.


I also bought two concealers, Blush Away which is a green powder to combat redness, and Blondie Cover Up which is a pale skin colour. I use these on blemishes and just like the foundation, they're fantastic. Like all mineral make up, they're water resistant and have an SPF. Blondie Cover Up ingredients: Kaolin, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxides. Blush Away ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue.

Blush Away Concealer- there is so much concealer in the pots that there is always a load above the sifter!

Mineral make up should only contain these ingredients...

Blondie Cover Up Concealer

I have had these products nearly a year now, and I still have about 80% of the concealers left, and I am nearly coming to the end of my foundation. What I love about these products is they're so great and the prices are too, because I used to pay about £10 every couple of months for a new bottle of foundation, I also went through a stage of using a Clinique foundation which was just over £21 pounds. The mineral foundation is £12, and the concealers are £7. I am extremely happy with this as they have lasted really well, and they are the best foundation and concealers I have ever found.
You can also send off for samples to try if you aren't sure which shade you are. They're something like 75p!

No7 Balanced Results Day Sorbet

I love this moisturiser from No7 at Boots. It's especially designed for combination and oily skins and is by far the best moisturiser I have ever used. It comes in a glass jar with a silver plastic lid. Before I was using Olay Daily Fluid but hated it and found it to make my skin greasy and I also think it was breaking me out slightly. 

 The Daily Sorbet doesn't irritate my skin in any way, smells really refreshing and feels really luxurious when applying. It gives my skin a ''healthy glow'' without being greasy or oily at all. It sinks into the skin really well and makes my face feel nice and smooth. I do get a shiny t zone throughout the day as I have oily skin but the Clinique Pore Minimiser T Zone Shine Control primer combats this pretty well for me. People with normal or combination skin should have no problem with using the moisturiser alone but I would say if you have an oily skin you may need to use a primer.

I will carry on using this moisturiser as it is the best I have ever used, at £16.25 it does seem pricey for a moisturiser but it's definitely worth it. Boots always have offers on though, at the moment they have 3 for 2 on this product. I bought this four months ago with a £5 off voucher and I still have a lot left in the jar.

Definitely recommended!

How I got rid of my bad skin...by changing to mineral foundation

Mineral make up has become extremely popular over the past couple of years, with almost every cosmetic brand selling their own variation. I only started noticing this just under a year ago- if only I had discovered it sooner...

I am one of the 80% of teens that suffers from acne. I would usually just get the occasional break out but last year I started to suffer from more severe break outs. A couple of visits to and from the doctor with different creams, gels & tablets showed only a tiny bit of improvement, and I still wasn't happy. I went back to my doctor again a was put on the pill along with Acnecide gel. This combination seemed to help a lot but now I was left dealing with what I didn't know at the time was cosmetic acne.

I was using the best foundation that I found worked for me- Revlon Colourstay. At the time all I wanted was my foundation to cover up my hideous skin as much as possible. To be seen with no foundation on was my worse nightmare, only in the company of close family did I feel comfortable in taking off the mask. It hadn't occurred to me that I was wearing way too much make up, and more importantly making my skin worse. At the time I was pretty damn obsessed with my skin. It would always be on my mind, was forever googling & youtubing for reviews and tutorials on how to apply the Revlon Colourstay, acne remedies, how to get rid of acne etc etc.

It was through all that googling and youtubing that I discovered mineral make up. I started to read how it was good for your skin, as it didn't have the harsh chemicals or bad unnessecary ingredients that other foundations have which cause reactions in the skin. I read how people said they were finding their skin to be improving as they use it, and their acne actually clearing up. 

After reading this I had to try it. I settled for English brand, Lily Lolo and ordered a sample of their foundation and was extremely pleased to see that the colour was pale enough for me! All the foundations I had used before always turned slightly orange...

I went back online and ordered a full size foundation and a concealer- one that was green (yes, green!) to cancel out any redness in the skin, ie. red blemishes. Later on I went on to buy the regular concealer, again light enough for me- hurrah!

It took a bit of getting used to using mineral powders, at first I was using too much so I looked like a powdery ghost, but I quickly found that a little went a long way. At this point I was using the mineral foundation, but using it with a liquid concealer to cover up all my spots. Which was why I didn't see a proper improvement of my skin until I realised the liquid concealers were actually the cause of my break outs.

Now I love my all-mineral foundation routine, I don't have to wait for any foundation to dry like with a liquid, or feel like I'm wearing a heavy mask. My skin looks so beautiful now because they blend into the skin so well, making it look glowing and amazing but not like you have any make up on! It feels good to know that I'm putting something onto my skin which isn't doing it any damage. Now I have no acne at all, and only get the odd spot as your average teenager does, and I can definately deal with that. 

I found a skin care routine was also crucial in getting rid of my cosmetic acne. I didn't have a proper skin care routine at that time, and was using harsh products on my skin, causing more spots. Now I exfoliate with St. Ives facial scrub every morning before applying my hypo-allergenic moisturiser by No7 and then if I'm wearing make up that day, a face primer to help with my oily skin. At night I use Simple face wash, my acnecide gel and then my Boots' night moisturiser for sensitive skin. This routine along with my mineral routine helps keep my skin so healthy. Before my skin actually needed a foundation as I wasn't letting it breathe and was ridden with constant break outs, now my skin looks great with or without make up on.