My Acne Journey

My struggle with acne hasn't been a quiet one - with the absence of blogs etc through the worst of it in my teenage years, I didn't really talk about it. This was more so fuelled by the fact that I wanted to hide in embarrassment for most of 2006-2008. I've since shared my scarring journey with you. 

And now my acne has returned. Although not as bad as it once was as a teenager, it's vicious. Large, extremely painful bumps have appeared all over my cheeks, chin and jawline. I'm fed up and feeling down. The most recent addition is an extremely painful and large lump on my lip. The doctor has referred me for a second course of roaccutane, which I'm praying is the answer. I feel as though I've tried everything, but I'm trying to be as optimistic as possible. Meanwhile I'm back on the pill, which my GP hopes might help. I'm praying in the meantime that I don't get more scarring. My little niece, who is just shy of two years old even pointed out that my face was "sore". God bless her. I feel too old for this now and am so fed up. Has anybody else suffered with adult acne? I came off the pill in March as I wasn't entirely happy with and it seems to have flared up since then, but most recently in the last month. Need any advice and support that you can give me... 

I will be blogging my experience as much as possible! I have a few friends on roaccutane at the moment and will definitely try to get their opinions too...

Vita Liberata 2-3 week tan

The search for the perfect false tan is almost as frustrating as the search for the perfect foundation. Over the years, I've tried them all. St. Tropez (not dark enough), St. Moritz (stinks), Sublime Bronze (Can't see where you're putting it - streak extravaganza), Fake Bake (love but it comes off in a terrible fashion) and finally Xen Tan - which is my ultimate favourite tan. For me, it's an amazing colour, it has a redder undertone, which compliments the pinky tones of my skin and doesn't leave me with a yellow/green tinge to my skin. Importantly though, at least for me anyway, it comes off nicely. It doesn't go patchy and disgusting in the usual areas - collarbone, wrists etc, although it does stick to my dry underarms. A small price to pay I feel.

Could I just stop though and say, I've found the perfect tan, stop trying others. No, I couldn't. This was of course only exacerbated by a boots 3 for 2 offer on false tan. I decided to try Vita Liberata 2-3 week tan. My friend has raved about it for a while now and I trust her as her tan is always beautiful. And this tan does not disappoint. I got the dark mousse. My only qualms are that it's not very dark, and it doesn't last 2-3 weeks. But it's super easy to apply and it dries straight away, meaning you can apply it in the morning and go about your daily business - it even has no smell whatsoever. And it fades like a natural tan. Its not cheap - I think I paid £40 but it is in my opinion, one of the nicest tans that you can buy. I still use my Xen Tan dark lotion when I want a really deep tan, but for every day, this is now my go to tan. And if it's on 3 for 2, you're getting money off in a way. Well worth it. 

Just stop it with the brows now!

Usually, I will try to remain as professional as I can when writing these blogs - impartial, well-rounded and considerate. I can no longer do this - STOP IT WITH THESE BROWS. I have no idea why or how this brow trend has come about, and let's face it, we've probably all been guilty of filling them in and then getting a glimpse of yourself through the train window and thinking "wow, I've overdone the brows a bit today". Myself included. Sometimes it's really hard to put your make-up on at 6am, I know. 

Somewhere along the line, somebody has got their wires crossed and so people think that it's ok for your eyebrows to have a perfectly geometric SQUARE at the front of them. It's not. It's also not ok for them to be 3 shades darker than your hair for that matter, or black. Even if you have black hair. There's a reason that MAC discontinued their Velvetone brow pencil. 

Here's a few tips to consider when picking a shade for your brows:

• Go cool! - anything with a warm undertone always looks completely false and harsh in the brow. That having been said, if you are a natural ginger, or have red tones in your hair, you're more likely to get away with it. If you don't, then you need to think of colours that have a more grey undertone to them. Trust me, they won't look grey when they're on. If you don't trust me, try it and see for yourself. 
• Go for a shade that looks a couple of shades lighter than your hair - this is particularly true if you're picking a brow powder. Brow powders are usually applied with a stiff, angled brush which will pick up and deposit a lot of product. Remember too that it sticks to the hairs, which is going to make your brows appear immediately darker. You'll be surprised how much darker the colour looks after application. This rule is true for brow pencils too. If a client has brown hair, I usually always go for lingering pencil, which is a medium brown from MAC. 
• A little can look like a lot - I always usually start by filling in the arch of the brow with a powder. Instantly, the brow looks a lot stronger without getting my ruler out and drawing a square at the front! Sometimes, if the client wants a more defined brow (this wouldn't really work on a softer brow), I will draw a base line under the arch so that the brow has more structure. The front of the brow is always filled in by using what's left on the brush and flicking it upwards to create a soft shadow. Remember this is the part of the brow that has the least hairs and in order for it to look natural, it must look lighter than the rest. 

Look at this picture of Rosie Huntington-Whitely...

The top pictures features a lighter brow - the first thing you see is her amazing skin and voluptuous red lip. The focus is not on the brow at all, which perfectly compliments the make up by staying in the background. The brows are a few shades lighter than her hair. The second picture, in which she is still looking super gorgeous, is an old burberry ad that I came across. Her brows are darker, although they still match her hair. They are the focus of that make up though. Even being the focus, they are still a shade lighter than her hair! The overall effect of the first image is that we see the make up before we see her brows. She could have worn a strong brow here but would have to have done away with the flick liner - it would all be too much. 

This is demonstrated by this picture, which shows what celebs would look like should they all have what is fondly (can you sense my sarcasm?) known as 'The Scouse Brow"; 

It completely detracts from the beauty and femininity of these women, making them look harsh. I'm all for filling your brows in but I just wish somebody would stand with a megaphone in Liverpool one and give people some tips! I'm not volunteering by the way! If you've read this, then hopefully, you won't need the megaphone treatment! 

Lisa x

Jump the gun??

You'll probably remember (it was only the other day), I went in all guns blazing, raving about the tube BB bronzers that mac have brought out. Now...when I've tried them in work, it has been when my makeup has been on for a fair few hours and we are having a play with new products - and I've loved it every time! However, for the past couple of days, I've applied it after foundation and before powder and for some reason, it just hasn't worked. It's looked patchy and quite ashy. I have no idea why it's doing this and now I'm fearing that I've jumped the gun and should have waited until I had given it a good test drive before I insisted that you all buy it. I've still to try the compact one so maybe I will give that a go and see if it's any better. I love the normal BB compact so have a feeling I will love the bronzers too but I will let you all know when I have used them enough to make a rounded judgement!

I hope you haven't all gone out to buy it but if you have, and you loved it, tell me how you're applying it. In work, I've used a 131 brush (discontinued) and outside of work I've used a Real Techniques buffing brush. 

Thanks for reading, 

Lisa x

FINALLY!!! A cream bronzer for oily skin!

Oily skin has its benefits - less wrinkles, looking like you glow from within, that kind of thing. It also has its disadvantages and not being able to use cream products is one of them. Now really, I haven't had any need to use cream products because an hour after I put on my powder bronzer it looks dewy anyway but nevertheless, I've always loved the idea of using creams and creating a gorgeous glowing skin that will last and most importantly won't look like I've washed my face with a deep fat fryer! 

The day has finally came. Yesterday, MAC released their range of BB bronzers. I've got to say that I've been in LOVE with their compact BB cream for dry skins - it looks like silk on the skin and actually has a really nice coverage to it, a little more than your average BB cream but not so that it looks or feels heavy on the skin. Alas, I cannot wear it because its properties mean that it pumps moisture into the skin. The tube version, created for a more oily skin, doesn't settle right on me either. Now they have expanded the range to include a compact cream bronzer, and a tube gel bronzer. I was sceptical at first about the tube, having not been a fan of the original tube BB, however when I've tried it, all of my scepticisms have been blown away. I cannot get enough. And here's more...it SETS!!! It gives my skin a glow and then stays there. It doesn't move around the skin like it's compact cream sister, but stays where I put it. Better still, the colours are so gorgeous! Golden, refined golden and amber all give gorgeous bronze glows with a slight shimmer - perfect for the summer! I've just bought Amber so far as I've yet to try the others but I have a feeling that refined golden (the darkest of the three) will be coming with me on holiday this year. They're just to die for. 

I haven't tried the compact on anybody yet with it just having came out yesterday but I'm sure it will be gorgeous! And they're permanent! LOVE!

Bridal Makeup - How much should I expect to pay?

Ahh bridal make up. It's a make up artist's bread and butter, but most of all, especially for me, it's the best part of a make up artist's job. I love the buzz on the morning of a wedding but also, it's such a nice feeling to know that you have been a part of somebody's big day in such a special way. Just think about your hair and make up on your average night out - if it goes wrong, it has an effect on the way your whole night goes because the way you feel about the way you look effects your attitude for the whole day. As shallow as it sounds, it's the foundation on which my whole job is built. Making somebody feel good about themselves is addictive. And on no other day is this more important than on your wedding day. And, it's the reason why people seem to get away with charging so much for bridal make up.

That having been said, I completely agree with a higher charge for a bridal application. Bridal make up is not your average Saturday night make up. I have had various people say to me that they want their make up the exact same way that they wore it last Saturday and despite the fact that it may look the same, there will be subtle changes such as a different primer, or highlighter to avoid flashback. A different texture lipstick to avoid an awkward hair stuck to the lip situation as well as waterproof eyeliner and mascaras. Not to mention the fact that more time, care and effort is taken to ensure that the makeup fits in perfectly to your theme. 

I ask where you're getting married, what style of dress you're having, the colour of the bridesmaids dresses, the time of day, the flowers. I want to know every little detail, and not just because I'm being nosey, but because all of this adds to my thought and creativity process when designing a look just for you. Say for example, you are having peach bridesmaids and soft peach and white flowers and I put a pink blusher and lipstick on you, this will be glaringly obvious and will stand out a mile. 

Then there's the weather on the day! Last July saw one of the hottest days on record for us in the UK and as I was on my way  to my bride that day, I could feel the sweat on my forehead and knew I would have to make changes to her make up so that it would stay all day. And it did. Because she hired a professional who charged her that little bit more for her expertise. I do charge more for a bride than for a bridesmaid because that extra time and effort goes on the bride on her big day. I will of course give the mother of the bride and bridesmaids a fabulous service that they will not be unhappy with, but there's no denying that it's the bride's  day and it's so important that they are happy with their make up and how they feel on the day. They are going to be photographed more than they have ever been in their lives. 

So you should expect to pay more for your bridal make up - not a ridiculous amount but if a make up artist was giving you the same service that they give you on a Saturday night, then they're not doing their job properly. 

Body Shop Tea Tree Range

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we all know my skin is problematic and very, very oily. We all know I do the odd stint at MAC - put the two together and it spells disaster for my skin. I'm now used to wearing minimal makeup when going about my daily business and only ever really wear it when I'm going somewhere nice, like having lunch with friends etc. Wearing it every day really took its toll on my skin and I had a breakout. I feel like I've tried every product on the planet. 

I didn't go into the body shop for skincare. I went into the body shop for a facial massager. Which I got, and I've got to admit, despite not really having used it enough to see a difference, I'm not really sure what the point is. Perhaps it's one of those things that needs to be used regularly enough to see a difference. It feels nice though. However, I'm waffling. I saw a bottle of Tea Tree Facial Wash (£5) and thought it couldn't hurt to give it a whirl. I saw an instant difference in my skin. The next day my skin was visibly clearer. I had two massive spots on my cheek and they had almost completely gone. So much so that my boyfriend, who knows to tip-toe around the whole skin issue, mentioned how clear my skin looked. He even used it himself and was so impressed that he asked me to buy him a bottle for his own house. He loves it too. 

I use it every morning and every night. In the morning as a first cleanse and in the evening as a second cleanse, once I have removed my makeup. Loving it. And so cheap! I want to buy some other bits in the range. The website says the evening lotion is a best seller so I may give that a try next time I'm passing The Body Shop. It's so cheap, and I've honestly not found anything that has been so effective for a while!

Give it a try if you have oily, problematic skin!

On a side note, I have been using simple moisturiser throughout my dermaroller process but reverted back to my Clarins Hydraquench lotion again last week - my skin came out in a million tiny little bumps. I think it's just too rich for my skin, which is a shame as I have a full £40 tube of it left!

Dermaroller Update!

I had my second dermaroller treatment a few week ago. It was definitely more painful than last time, but Paula was more intense with the roller this time, given that my skin is quite resilient and she did want some pin-point bleeding. The down time for this treatment was about 2 weeks, so much longer than last time. At first, I was scared that I had made a huge mistake because my skin was red and flaking so much after it, not to mention the fact that I had got it into my head that it would cause more scarring because it makes the skin bleed! Instead of stressing, I chose to just have a really good skin care regime and do some more research - whilst some skincare specialists say that the skin doesn't have to bleed, a lot say it is necessary to see any real effect. 

However, 2 weeks after treatment, my skin has calmed down so much, and by continuing with my good skincare regime, I've not had any breakouts. My skin is looking fresher and more even in tone. The red scars have really started to disappear. The atrophic scars however are still quite prominent, although my mum says that my skin definitely looks smoother. I will take her word for it, as she is my biggest critic and also looks at my face every day. After the first treatment, I definitely believe that the biggest difference was seen after the microdermabrasion session, and I've just had my second one of those today. Hopefully I will see even more of a difference than I did last time. I'm happy with my results so far and I've come to realise that it's a slow process and I'm not going to see any overnight success. It can only get better though!

Lisa x

My experience with Dermaroller so far!

I've had my first dermaroller treatment. Unfortunately life seems to have got in the way of blogging lately, as it so often does and so I come to you just over a month after having the first treatment. 

Firstly, let me start with all the details. Dermaroller is a treatment in which a roller covered in tiny needles is rolled all over your skin. The idea is that your skin is forced into trauma and therefore, your collagen is forced to reproduce, filling out any hole, lumps, bumps or fine lines that you might have. My main areas of concern are my cheeks, which have atrophic (indented) acne scarring, more so on my right cheek where the worst of my acne tends to flare up. There are various concerns that Dermaroller is recommended to treat for instance acne scarring as well as fine lines and I've even seen some amazing results on stretch marks. I am getting treatment with a 1.5mm needle at Transform's Liverpool clinic.  It's recommended that you get it done by a practitioner however, you can buy a dermaroller yourself and do it at home. Warning though, it may be the cheaper option, but it's pretty gruesome - I honestly don't think I have the balls or the stomach to do it myself at home. My lovely nurse Paula talked me through the process and said that you have to make the skin bleed in order to get some kind of result. All the official dermaroller videos I've watched on YouTube support this, so if I'm being honest, I couldn't do this to myself no matter how much money I was saving.

Speaking of money. It's expensive. Not as expensive as fraxel laser, or something more extreme like that, but it's not just a day's wages. The first treatment is £290 and all the ones thereafter are £260. Expensive. The benefit of going somewhere like Transform is that there is an amazing amount of support but also you build up points on a loyalty card which can be used for anything you want. I've chosen to use it for microdermabrasion treatments between rolling. 

So let me talk you through the process. Charlotte who works for transform is brilliant and knows her stuff about the treatment. She makes you feel really comfortable and like you have known her for years! She booked me in for a consultation with Paula, which due to car trouble, I couldn't attend. I was incredibly scared to get the treatment done (did I mention they roll needles across your face?) that I had almost decided not to do it. I remained however, really depressed about my skin and so I knew I had to do something about it. Charlotte was really kind, leaving me to have the Christmas break to think about it. I went into research overload and figured it really couldn't be that scary. 

So I booked in with Paula for the treatment with a consultation beforehand. She explained everything so thoroughly and took my before pictures. The brilliant thing is that I wasn't conned into having a course, or even more than I needed. She explained to me that it takes 6 weeks for your collagen to reproduce after there has been stimulation such as micro needling (the medical term for dermaroller - dermaroller is the brand) and that one treatment is going to see minimal difference. Two was recommended however it was completely on me.  She said that I can book as many, or as few as I wanted to, depending on how happy I was with the results that I was seeing. I've given myself a guideline of 3 and will see how I get on after that. I've seen some amazing results from the before and after pictures that she showed me. 

So I was numbed with a strong numbing cream for about half an hour. During this time I found out that one of my best friends had been successful for a really amazing job and I was jumping around the waiting room in excitement, unable to move my face. Attractive. Needless to say, I felt numb. Not as numb as when you go to the dentist, but sufficiently numb that I couldn't feel my nail when I dug it into my own face (I was about to stick needles in it, I had lost all rationality). Paula cleansed my skin and then got going. It was unpleasant. It stung. It wasn't unbearable. There were place in which it hurt more, like he forehead which is extra bony. I was left with pin-prick needle marks all over my face, which stayed for about 5-6 days. They say there's no downtime but I definitely think there is. I left make up off for 3 days. The needle marks heal over in 4 hours though, and I was given a lovely mask to wear on that night which really helps with the hydration of the skin after trauma. 

In the week or so after the treatment, my skin felt quite dry and tight and I was advised to avoid products with alcohol etc. I haven't noticed a massive difference in my skin, however, I have noticed that the redder marks have died down a lot - they used to look really angry but I don't even have to use much concealer on them anymore! I have my next one on Wednesday and I'm looking forward to it. I've communicated with a lot of people who've had it done and everybody seems to agree that the second treatment is definitely the one where you see the results start to come, and it only gets better from here. I have pictures on my instagram page - @hollywoodfaceliverpool 

I would upload them on here but I'm a complete technaphobe and don't know how to do it!

I will definitely keep you all updated, I can't wait to see my before and after pics after 3 sessions, I'm hopefully going to see a positive difference!

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

Soap and Glory Skincare

I absolutely LOVE soap and Glory. I think they're branded in such a clever and extremely appealing way. I have used their body stuff for years - its always a Christmas present that I look forward to getting. I love their packaging and the little bags that the sets come in are perfect. When I have used all of the product, I use them to store my false tan and even as a cute little lunch box for work. They're all waterproof too so you don't have to worry about spillages etc. 

So when I heard about the new make up and skincare range, I was dying to have a go. There are some things in the make up range that I love, and their are some things that I'm really not fussed over - but overall for the price, I don't think you can complain. 

I've got oily skin, as you may know by now from some of my other blog posts, and so i'm quite prone to the odd open pore. I'm usually quite lucky in that they aren't terrible considering how oily my skin is. Lately however, I have noticed them getting larger. So I decided to search out some products to help. I did a search on google and it brought a whole load of products up but I was particularly intrigued by the soap and glory ones. This is partly because I love their lotions and potions so much but partly because of the price. I know my skin is quite prone to breakouts and I didn't want to try anything super expensive just in case I wasted my money - they were also on boots 3 for 2, which was of course, an added bonus. They also had amazing reviews so I ordered some and couldn't wait to try them when they got here. 

I ordered 3 things:

• The Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser
• No Clogs Allowed face mask
• The Fab Pore facial peel

I started with The Fab Pore hot cloth cleanser - I wasn't deterred by the fact that it has orange and lavender oils in because they are natural oils and I use an oil cleanser as a rule anyway. I was however put off by the smell - it was a gorgeous smell but I just thought that it may have been too perfumed for my skin. It comes with a muslin cloth and my skin felt lovely afterwards. I didn't notice an immediate reduction in my pores however, like some of the reviews had said I would. 

I then used The Fab Pore Facial peel, which was more like a scrub than a peel. 

This also smelled amazing and made me skin feel amazing too. Once again, no visible reduction in pores. 

I then went on to use the final product that I bought, The No Clogs Allowed face mask. I had now cleansed and buffed my skin so I thought this would be a gorgeous final step to my routine. Ordinarily, I would use a cleanser everyday but use a face mask and a scrub about 2-3 times a week, sometimes less. It really depends on what my skin is like. 

Again, this felt amazing. It's actually a thermal mask so it feels hot as you apply it to the skin, and the cute little sponge that you get means it's easily removed as well. 

I suppose the real test was the next day when I woke up. Once again, I had no visible reduction in my pores, but my skin wasn't as oily as it usually was when I woke up. For this reason, I used Illamasqua Skin Base foundation, as I wanted a bit of a glow to my skin, which this foundation gives me. Before applying my make up however, I used the cleanser again.

By the end of the night, I had broke out in one of the worst breakouts that I had had in years. I was so disappointed because I absolutely loved the packaging and the feel of these products on my skin. The breakout was in every area of my face - my cheeks, chin, forehead - which makes me think that it must have been the new products  I had used. If I do suffer with any breakouts, it's usually the odd one here and there, not all over my face. I have also used illamasqua skin base hundreds of times before and it has never broken me out like this. 

I do have sensitive, acne prone skin, so maybe this skincare just wasn't for me despite the fact that it is geared towards my skin type. I'm going to ask my cousin, who also has oily skin to try it out and see how she gets on with it, but unfortunately, after just one use of most of it, I've decided it's not for me. :( 

Hair Loss

I don't care how vain it sounds, my hair was my thing. We all have things that we love and hate about ourselves. I'm not particularly in love with my body but I am confident and secure enough to be ok with it. I do my best with what I've got. I love food and I hate the gym so I can deal with a few rolls here and there. But my hair was always the one thing that I liked about myself. My mum is a hairdresser so I have had the luxury of having my hair professionally styled at the drop of a hat but despite this, even when I did my hair myself, it always did what it was told to do and I was always complimented on the colour or style. 

I wouldn't say that my hair was particularly thick, and I wouldn't sit there and think, "wow my hair is lovely", I just kind of took it for granted. It wasn't until I started losing my hair last year that you realise how precious your hair is. When you're having a day when you don't feel great, as long as your hair is done nicely and you have some nice baggy clothes or a nice winter coat to hide behind, everything would be fine. The more I washed my hair the more it fell out and the further into denial I fell. Until it got to the point where I simply could not ignore it anymore. My body was covered in hairs that were deciding to jump ship from my head. I was doing a client's make up one day when I looked down to my brush belt to find it completely covered in hairs. I was devastated, but quite frankly, without sounding cocky, I had it to lose. It got worse though. Having never had to wear extensions before, I now had to wear them all the time. This was more for my own confidence rather than anything else because I now know that so many people have got hair that is similar to mine. But I was used to having a mane and so this is probably why it has hit me so hard. 

Initially I was quite depressed over it because I didn't know if it was going to stop or whether it was just going to keep going until I looked like a female Matt Lucas. In addition to my hair falling out, I was also coming out in bruises all over my body, and was tired pretty much all of the time. I put this down to working 7 days a week but I thought it best to go to the doctors. They carried out all kinds of tests but they all came back saying that there wasn't anything wrong and that I was fit and healthy. Apart from a low b12 and iron count, I was fine.

I started taking vitamin b and iron supplements, which I think has helped a lot but also I have been using an amazing Shampoo called Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo. It has honestly been amazing. I have tried every hair loss shampoo under the sun but none of them really helped - this one has without a doubt. From the first usage, I could see that there was less hairs coming out, and then pretty soon my hair loss returned to the normal few that you lose when you wash your hair anyway. I'm absolutely over the moon. I also use the treatment, which you put in after you have towel dried your hair and it gives you this amazing tingling sensation across your head, which makes me think that good things are happening!

In addition to this, I've been taking Sea Kelp tablets from Holland and Barrett, which have also really helped my hair to grow, I now have little baby hair fluff all over my head. I may not get all my hair back but I'm absolutely over the moon that it's not falling out anymore and it's all thanks to this amazing Shampoo! 

TWO magazine

I know I've already posted about TWO magazine before, but just as a quick reminder to you all, TWO magazine is a FREE make up magazine, created by the amazing Pixiwoo. I was lucky enough to train with Sam and Nic, who have a youtube channel under the name of Pixiwoo and have had over a million hits. Since training with them, I have obtained an English degree and their fame has gone off into the stratosphere. They deserve all the praise that they receive, as they are truly fantastic make up artists and I'm very lucky to be writing for their magazine. 

If you haven't clicked already, go to www.two-magazine.com or you can also download the app on your iPhone or iPad. In the first issue, you will find my work on pages 38&39, a small piece about the Pantone colour institute in New York and how it influences our make up choices, and in the second issue, my piece is about one of the most prominent trends for AW12, a dark lip and a dark eye. You can find that on Pg 70 along with some amazing artwork by my friend Rebecca Adams, a fantastic illustrator who creates some amazing fashion images. 

Of course, it's not only about my work, the magazine contains amazing insight into the make up industry and is perfect for make-up artists (those who are learning, as well as those who have been in the industry for years) and generally just those who want a good fashion read. It's really a fantastic magazine and best of all, it's free. Please  check it out now!

TWO Magazine

Two is a fantastic new online magazine that has been created by Sam and Nic from Pixiwoo. I know very little about it, other than the fact that it is going to be a monthly magazine centred around all things make up! Anything that comes from these two is bound to be fantastic. 

What I do know, is I will be writing some short pieces for the magazine. I've already submitted the first piece, which is available for you all to read on Monday 1st October. It's free and will be the perfect companion for anybody who is interested in make up! 

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury has been my absolute favourite make-up artist for as far back as I can remember. Two of my favourite vogue covers are ones that she has worked on; the Rosie Huntington Whitely cover where she wore the red D&G blazer and had a beautiful red lip, as well as the most recent adele one, in which Charlotte used the most beautiful Tom Ford products to create Adele's defining look. I am forever youtubing Charlotte to explore her work and see the way in which she describes the looks that she has designed. 

You can imagine my excitement then when my all time favourite youtube make up artist Lisa Eldridge had Charlotte as a guest artist on her channel. She recreates THE most beautiful red lip that was originally done for Kate Moss on the cover on Paris Vogue. If you love make up and want to see a true genius at work, this is the place to see it. I honestly cannot thank Lisa enough for sharing Charlotte's talent with us, and hope there are more artists to come!

View the amazing tutorial here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKsJv0E7hgQ