My Skin

No doubt you will all remember my obsession with skincare that has developed, or at least you hopefully all remember it, as it's been such a long time since I last blogged. 

Anyway, I have been on my travels, New York, Las Vegas and LA - and come home to a birthday and Jury Service, hence the delay. I also came home to a lovely bout of acne. I have talked previously of the problems that I have had in the past with my skin. Acne was something that troubled me from when I was around 13 until probably around the age of 17, when I went on Roaccutane, a final solution to years of horrible acne. Whilst my acne pretty much disappeared, I would still get the odd spot from time to time, just like most people do. So nothing troubled me when I was on a flight to New York and I felt a small spot coming up. My problem areas tend to be my cheeks, where I have a few scars, and this was where it was. I realised that it would probably look worse after a flight - who doesn't look like shit after a 7 hour flight?

During the next fortnight however, it gradually got worse. Since I no longer travel with an antibiotic cream, I bought a tube of benzoyl peroxide from Walgreens, which helped slightly. When I returned from my holiday, everything got much better and my skin settled down completely. I had figured that a few spots must have been down to 4 long flights, alcohol and the most calorific food I have ever consumed. 

Apparently not, as sure enough, my acne had just simply lulled me into a false sense of security - now it's back with a vengeance. I have even felt the need to visit the doctors, when no skincare that I was trying seemed to be working. The doctor was very understanding, and knowing my history, was prepared to re-refer me to a dermatologist, considering my spots to be a recurrence of my cystic acne. A particularly bad area was my chin, and my right cheek, where I had 10 large cysts at one point - unsightly and ridiculously painful. Whilst waiting to be re-referred, I have began to use an antibiotic lotion called Zineryt and have changed my skincare. Whilst the Clarins skincare is fab, I had to make sure that I was eliminating anything that could be adding to the problem. I visited makeup alley a lot, and found La Roche Posay Effaclar to come well recommended. I bought the foaming cleanser, the effaclar Duo and the effaclar astringent toner, as well as my old trusty clean and clear Dual Action moisturiser - an absolute steal at £2.50!

Previously, I have always used a foaming cleanser - but after reading Caroline Hirons' blog, I was under the impression that this was the worst kind of cleanser that an oily or acnefied skin could use. However, since changing back, my cysts have almost completely disappeared! I did some research on the effaclar range and found that the foaming cleanser has a pH of 5.5 - slightly acidic but apparently said to match the natural pH of skin. Anyway, without being too technical, I've found that it's really helped my skin - sometimes you just have to stick to the old faithfuls. 

Everybody's skin is different and I'm not saying that effaclar will cure your acne - I'm also quite sure it has had something to do with my Zineryt antibiotic lotion, which previously never helped with my acne during my teenage years. Admittedly, my acne was much worse then. I am saying however, that it has worked for me, and with most products being under £13 a pop, it's worth a go. I know that I would spend as much money as it took as having bad skin is one of the most confidence crashing problems that anybody can suffer with. I had even taken to wearing a hat so that I could position my hair in such a way to hide it. I've been left with quite a few reddish/purple marks which I'm upset about but they cover quite well with makeup. 

I am however having a consultation tomorrow at Transform to see if there is anything that can be done with a few of my more pitted acne scars and will definitely blog about it. If anybody has had any acne scar treatment done - let me know what you think. I'm trying to be as well informed as I can be. 

Hope you're all well, 

Lisa

I'm literally addicted - everything that I've learnt about Skincare!

I wake up thinking about it, I'm constantly searching the Internet for it, I'm forever buying new things to try. You might think I'm talking about make up (usually the case!) but you'd be wrong. I'm talking about my new addiction! SKINCARE!! I blogged not so long ago about the new god in my life - Caroline Hirons, AKA the Skincare queen! My eyes, ears and mind have been opened to a whole new way of thinking! 

Pre-Caroline, I used to try bits and bobs, also known as buying whatever was on offer in super drug. You couldn't really say that I had a routine exactly but I always washed my face, and then simply used a moisturiser after washing and just before I put my make up on. I thought that this counted as looking after my skin. The truth is, I was taking a stab in the dark as really didn't have a clue what I was putting on my face - I could have been using creme de la mer and it wouldn't have mattered. Because quite frankly, a moisturiser alone means nothing. Almost like filling your car up to the top but not putting the key in the engine - nothing happens. 

For me, and I'm sure for plenty of you other lost souls out there, a cleanser was a cleanser. I have to admit though, I always bought a cleanser and didn't simply use dove soap like my mum does. I used MAC cleanse off oil to remove my make up, and that was it. That was my routine. (I've since found out that cleanse off oil is actually a fabulous product, but I will get to that later). 

The one big lesson that I've learnt is about mineral oil. Mineral oil is a product that is designed to sit on top of the skin, almost like a coating, thus whatever it is in is unable to penetrate into the skin and actually do the things that it says it does. For example, you may have a moisturiser that is designed to make you look 10 years younger - but it contains mineral oil, so whatever peptide or plant extracts or whatever other miracle products it contains are useless, because that mineral oil is going to sit there and stop it from getting in. A bit like a moat around a castle if you will. And it is in practically everything. I exaggerate of course, there are products that don't contain mineral oil, but surprisingly, it's in a great many. When choosing any Skincare product at all - if it has mineral oil in it, it's basically going to do jack shit for your skin. I have no idea why it isn't banned to be honest because in reality, it's completely false advertising! 

The second lesson I learnt was in terms of cleanser - you must use an oil based product to take your make up off, and one that doesn't contain mineral oil of course. I found that MAC cleanse off oil fits the bill perfectly! Caroline recommends a few on her blog, she loves a balm but as I already owned this, I didn't see the point in buying a new one, as my wish list was already proving to be quite expensive. As well as this, I knew that this worked for my skin as I've used it for years! I've never been dubious about using an oil on my oily skin by the way - oil counteracts oil but not only does it do this, it also feeds, conditions and nourishes the skin with its other gorgeous ingredients! It also comes in a handy travel size. Secondly, you must use a non oil based cleanser to clean your skin. Caroline recommends one for every day and one for when your skin needs a treat. Of course I cannot make precise recommendations because I only know what's best for my own skin based on Caroline's recommendations and what I have tried so far. I have being using Clarins milk for every day and Ren Clearcalm clay cleanser for when my skin is feeling congested or spotty. NEVER USE A FOAM CLEANSER!!! They alter the PH of your skin and make it a breeding ground for bacteria.

How many of you use a toner? I've never in my life used a toner. Now, my role model, my mother, as I've said before uses dove soap. That is her only beauty product. I have to fight with the woman to wear the correct make up and apply it in a respectable way and I've been a make up artist for 6 years now. So I've lost her on the skin care bit, but she's too stubborn and stuck in her ways anyway. 

I digress...basically toner is like the best treatment for your skin. Obviously, you could still cleanse and moisturise without don't this step, but basically your skin isn't going to look as good. This is also a two step process. An exfoliating toner will replenish your skin and restore the PH of your skin, which may have altered slightly in the cleansing step. Using a beaded or abrasive exfoliator will only spread any bacteria around the skin. This slightly acidic lotion will do the opposite. Using either a spray toner or just a normal toning lotion after this will once more stop any bacteria as well as sandwich moisture into the skin. It also refines the lo of your skin but tightening pores, helping to clear blackheads as well as reducing the look of any scars or pigmentation in the skin. This is particularly so for the acidic, exfoliating toner. 

Now because I'm aware that this blog is almost becoming an essay, I'm going to skip to the moisturiser part, as I'm probably going to do another blog on the treatment step that would come after the toner. Anybody with an acne skin should avoid Shea butter. It's harder for your skin to break down than other oils and so clogs pores easier, but it happens to be in quite a lot of moisturisers. The hydra quench range from clarins is one that Caroline has recommended for oily skins and so I use the lotion. I've also bought more recently the Multi-Active Day lotion, which is supposed to stop the signs of early wrinkles. I'm 23, so I think it's about time that I started the prevention. Of course, any wrinkle cream is preventative - it's not going to undo what has already been done, because otherwise surgeons would be out of a job. Any undoing of fine lines is probably just due to hydrating your skin.

And the last thing I have learnt was another hugely important step and is not actually about what we put on our faces, but more so about what we put in our mouths. The biggest beauty lesson - DO NOT SMOKE!! It's killing every single part of your body! It looks disgusting, it smells disgusting and is helping you to reach an early grave. Having lived with a smoker for 23 years, it is beyond me why anybody would even start. Disgusting, just disgusting. Secondly, eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Exercise! These steps make you feel and look better - you might not realise it, but they're keeping you young - both in looks and body! We know all of these things are good for our bodies but so many of us don't do it and then complain. The solution is simple. Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of sugar, and I'm probably just as guilty of driving to the shops as the next person, but now that I'm more aware of it, I am going to make the changes. No point in moaning when I'm 60 but look 85 is there?

Scouse Honey Company Lip Balms

Having suffered from dry lips for pretty much all of my life, made worse by taking roaccutane as a teenager, I am always on the look out for a good lip balm. I've tried them all, Vaseline - which isn't actually a lip balm but a protective barrier, Carmex, Blistex. You name it, I've tried it. 

So I decided to put a post on facebook for some recommendations and Scouse Honey Company got back to me. I bought 3 flavours of their natural lip balm for £5 - a bargain as I've paid a fortune for some lip balms! They are made right here in Liverpool from bees in an apiary in the owner's back garden! I love the fact that it's all natural and they're a local company - but what I love even more is the fact that the lip balm actually works! I no longer have dry, cracked lips. I CAN WEAR MATTE LIPSTICKS AGAIN! My favourite lipstick ever is MAC Ruby Woo and I haven't been able to wear it for years, until I found this little saving grace. 

They hand deliver for free in Liverpool but also ship nationwide. Their stocks are limited obviously due to the fact that they can only collect a certain amount of honey, but if you can get your hands on this amazing little tub of goodness then you must do it! I promptly ordered another 3 vanilla and put them everywhere - in my car, in my handbag, in my kit!

You can visit their website www.scousehoney.co.uk or get them on twitter - @scousehoneyco

I promise you won't regret it!

P.S They do other beauty products, which I have but haven't got round to trying yet. Once I have, I will let you all know what I think. 

TWO Magazine

Ive talked about TWO magazine countless times before - but it really is fab! And I also write the monthly trend section! If you're interested in make up, you must have a read of it. There's interviews with people like Val Garland and also a look inside Celena Hancock's kit - The Saturdays make up u artist for those who don't know.

If you have an iPhone, you can get it for FREE in the app store or can visit app.two-magazine.com

It's free and it's fabulous!  

My New Skincare Regime

So recently, I discovered Caroline Hirons' blog www.beautymouth.com - and it has utterly and completely changed my life. As you all know, I've always struggled with my skin - its oily and spotty, although after a course of roaccutane I can't really say that I have acne anymore. I also can't say that I look after my skin. I ALWAYS remove my make up but as for cleansing, toning and moisturising - I've never had a solid routine. Until now.

Reading Caroline's blog has put everything into perspective. What she says just seems to make sense to me and she truly gives her honest opinion. So this is my new regime...

• Remove my make up with MAC cleanse off oil - gets everything off and doesn't contain mineral oil (read the blog to know what the implications of this are).
• Cleanse my skin to make sure that the skin is actually clean! I've been using Ren clear calm clay cleanser - targeted to oily, blemish prone skin but Caroline also endorses it for any skin type.
• I am now a double toner! I firstly use Claris gentle exfoliating toner - an acidic toner which helps to exfoliate your skin and prep the surface for make up! 
• I then use the Clarins Iris toner which is targeted to oily skins - this obviously helps to control oils and all the problems that come with oily skins, such as large pores etc.
• Pepta-bright is the next step. It's by indeed labs and is available from boots. It claims to fade dark spots or imperfections on the skin. Overall its effect is to brighten the skin and help to keep in hydration from your moisturiser - resulting in an overall more radiant look. I use this to fade some acne scarring on my cheeks. I've not used it for long but have already noticed a difference! 
• As I'm now in my 20s, I've decided to use an eye cream. Partly to prevent saggy eyes, partly because it was on 3 for 2 in boots! I use the eyesilix eye cream - again by indeed labs. Not to blow my own trumpet but I don't really have anything for this to correct. I'm hoping to prevent obviously. 
• I then use the hydra quench lotion from Clarins as my moisturiser and final step. Unless my skin is really oily and then I use La Roche Posay's effaclar MAT moisturiser, which obviously, mattes the skin! 

This might sound like a lot but honestly only takes me 5 minutes in the morning. In the morning I leave out the cleanse off oil step as I obviously don't have any make up on. This is just what I do and may not be right for you. There are also plenty of cheaper alternatives to the products that I'm using and Caroline explains all of this in her blog. It's definitely a must read!! 

As a little introduction you can also watch the video that Caroline did with Sam and Nic from Pixiwoo - on Body Talk Daily on YouTube. It really is fab! Remember that without good skin you cannot have good make up! If you spend your money on your skin care the you can buy less expensive make up because your skin will always look fabulous. That's my opinion anyway, but why don't you try it for yourselves! 

My favourite looks from this week!

As many of you know, I am a working make-up artist, so I thought I would share some of my favourite looks with you from this past week. Weekends are the busiest period for me, as Liverpool girls like to get their make up done quite regularly and it's coming up to wedding season too!

The first was a night out make up - a beautiful warm brown/bronze smokey eye and a gorgeous dark lip. Very vampy and wintry. I know that there are some gorgeous summer looks coming out but since it's still very much freezing outside, I thought we would embrace the darkness that winter brings with it! Here is the look:

To create this look, I used loads of strobe cream to get that beautiful eery, wintry glow to the skin and then on top of this, I perfected the skin with Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. I then added Estee Lauder Maximum coverage as a concealer, and sculpted the skin with MAC sculpting cream in Copper Beech. I then warmed the cheek slightly with some MAC Mineralize blush in Warm Soul, but only very slightly. As the look was very strong in 3 areas (eyes, brows, lips), I wanted to keep the cheeks free of any strong colour. 

For the eyes, I used MAC Dipdown Fluidline as a base, and then pressed Antiqued eyeshadow over the top, buffing out with texture to get that gorgeous, blown out winged effect. (All by MAC) I then used Folie to give the crease some depth and Blanc Type as a brow highlight. I then lined the eyes with Avon Supershock Gel Liner in black. (I love the new colours in these by the way and will be blogging about them soon! I then added lashings of MAC False Lashes Mascara and some Eldora lashes in H126. 

For the lip, I used MAC Nightmoth pencil to even out the shape and create a base colour, by colouring the entire lip with the pencil. On top of this, I put some MAC Media lipstick and for extra depth and staying power, we added some texture by pressing MAC Sketch eyeshadow over the top.

Amy has really strong brows anyway so I just brushed them upwards with some Illamasqua brow gel. 

The second look is the complete opposite to this one!

I am always so inspired by the red carpet, and as I was looking back on some make up images I saw a gorgeous lilac-grey tone being used on Hayden Panetiere (or whatever her name is), and decided to use it on a model that I had to make up for a wedding fayre. The look was teamed with a modern 1920s flapper hairstyle and would be perfect for any glamorous occasion. 

On this look, I used MAC studio Sculpt in NC35 on the skin, perfecting it with some select moisturecover concealer in NW20 under the eyes. I then powdered the skin with MAC mineralize skinfinish natural, along the centre, and added some Posey creme blush and some Creme Colour base in Hush along the top of the cheekbones. I added a slight contour using Matte Bronze. 

For the eyes, I used Painterly Paint Pot as a base, and then buffed some Satin Taupe eyeshadow over the top. I then blended this out with a little bit of Bamboo eyeshadow, which I think is discontinued now, but something similar would be Samoa Silk. I used blanc type on the brow bone again, and accentuated the brows with some lingering pencil, as well as some Illamasqua brow gel. I then lined the eyes with some graph black, buffed out with carbon, and on the water line added a flesh coloured pencil. I added some Eldora H153 lashes.

On the lips was Subculture pencil and some Modesty lipstick. All the products that I haven't mentioned a brand to, are MAC. 

I hope you enjoyed learning what I used. I usually review things, so let me know what you think of this style of blogging. 

Lisa x