New Video: Summer Makeup Tutorial for Acne

It has been longer than I'd care to admit but a new video has just landed freshly from the bakery of my imagination!

It's a very simple makeup tutorial for the summertime, here I'm using a BB cream which I never really got on board with until now. This one has salicylic acid which was the primary reason that I got it. I can't say that I've noticed it helping my skin, but similarly, I haven't noticed it breaking me out either.

 The standard before shot, the main problematic areas are uneven texture and redness around the chin, by the temples and the forehead.

 As a BB cream it hasn't done a bad job of concealing most of the problems, but I of course had some help from my best friend concealer! I use the heavy stuff by Kryolan that comes in a colour wheel.

Eyeshadow courtesy of the Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay!
For step by step, keep watching:

Lumie Clear Acne Light- Review, First Impressions, Before & Afters

The long awaited Lumie Clear Acne light review! This is by no means a cheap product and deserved a whole review in it's own right. It is a light with a self timer of 15 minutes that activates when pressing a power button. The light is then shone on the face for the entire 15 minute duration, during which time the light is supposed to do all kind of great things including kill bacteria, reduce inflammation and generally a whole host of great things. It's an unusual product and one that I hadn't heard a lot about, however I'd seen some really great reviews and made the plunge.

The pros and cons turned out to be as follows:

Pros:
Lightweaight product that is very portable
Reduction of whiteheads (presumably down to it bacteria killing properties)
Non contact, so great for sensitive skin

Cons:
The price... Over £100!
Time consuming, 15 minutes per day, which sometimes could take up to 1 hour once I had dedicated 15 minutes to each portion of my face
Results are slow, and quite unspectacular - I dedicated 4 months to this baby, and by dedicated I mean dedicated like my life depended on it.

 If 9 more minutes of spending time with me (i.e wathcing the video above) makes you feel like you want to pull your hair out then I will give you the summary as follows: This is a last resort product due to the price, I found the results to be too small to justify the price and had I known I would not have purchased this one... sad faces all around...

How to: Flawless Makeup Base for Acne and blemishes

If you are on the ball, which I know that you are otherwise why else would you be here?
You may have seen my 'Flawless Makeup base for Acne' tutorial - Say that 5 times fast

I skipped the eye makeup filming as you've seen a lot of the same before. It's a funny thing, when I started implementing a skin primer into my routine I didn't ever really notice a difference, it's not until I accidentally forget it that I notice my foundation just does not sit right and my blemishes just look more gross, more bulbous and more hideous than they ever have done, so if you learn nothing from this video it is that Primers should not be underestimated!

Just because everyone likes pictures, here is a little before and after for you:

Magical transformation...
All attempts at sophistication fall flat once you stray away from the forefront to the cartoon filled background... yes Mr Men bed sheets, Hello Kitty Posters...

Peaches and Clean Soap and Glory Review

I've just finished up using my Nelsons natural face wash. While it's just perfect for my oily skin, the scent is so medicinal despite it being 100% natural that I felt like treating myself to something that would make my nose sing in the morning with the delicious fragrance of my face wash. - Perhaps I take my face washing too seriously...

The answer to what I was looking for came in a beautiful, peach scented creamy face wash from Soap and Glory.
It's name?
Peaches and Clean, their products always have the best names!
It definitely smells like peaches, but perhaps artificial peaches, my initial reaction to smelling this was that it smells like Archers and Lemonade, you know that beautiful sweet drink that kind of tastes like something you had when you were a child? Archers and Lemonade is definitely not for children though, incase you don't know what it is...

As for the cream aspect? It certainly is creamy. I am an oily skinned girl and always have been, but as it is winter time and I felt like giving my skin a bit of TLC I decided to take a break from the gels and foams I normally use. This is lovely and creamy in texture but not too rich, it's certainly appropriate for daily use, and I do, twice daily in fact.
It does not leave my skin with an oily residue like other creamy washes and the smell (Did I mention the smell yet?)
It's sensational, believe me.

 Although
If you like a face wash with a good lather behind it (think bubbles and foam galore) then this is not the face wash for you, one thing that this does not do is lather up, it stays transparent to your face and has the texture of rubbing in a moisturiser, except you wash it off after.

A possible drawback of Peaches and Clean is that I may exfoliate my face more often, I get concerned about long term clogging of pores if a face wash doesn't feel like it is stripping my skin of every natural oil each time I use it. Perhaps that is just me.

I got this from Boots online, I can not for the life of me see it in their stores and it cost £5.33!

This face wash is in a huge pump bottle, it's going to take me a long time to get through this, and who knows? Perhaps I'll be sick of the scent by then

But I doubt it!

Full Face coverage - Before and After

It's true, all foundations are not made equal, and it's even more true that you do get what you pay for. If I had to suggest one area to 'splurge' in your makeup bag over all the others- I would hands down say go in big on your foundation and loosen the purse strings a little. Eyeliners and blushes, lipsticks and mascara are very tricky to distinguish the £6 from the £16 or the £26! But the foundation is the foundation for your makeup, your face and your look. The foundation is out under the most pressure and has the toughest job to do, create a seamless, flawless natural looking canvas that can withstand it all. Cheap foundations, like the cheap foundation on a house, may look okay at first but the first sign of a grey cloud it crumbles and melts away.

I have dabbled back and fourth with all sorts of foundation and concealer combinations but often return to the Revlon Colorstay in the oily combination skin formula and the Mac Studio Sculpt concealer.
However, not wanting to miss out on anything better out there I am currently using:

Mac Studio Fix Fluid in NC15

Kryolan Dermacolor Wheel Rainbow Circle

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and this is the completely unedited, as-it-is, result that this little combination gives me!

The foundation I have gone back and fourth with, it's full coverage with a matte finish and I wear shade NC15 to even out my complexion, with the Kryolan colour wheel I use all of them, mostly a combination of the two palest colours for under my eyes and the rest I darken according to the contours of my face. The formula of the concealers are almost on the dry side as they are very thick, and feel like face paint. Although on the skin they do not look cakey like you might imagine face to paint to look, but it is the fullest coverage that I have ever gotten from a concealer and super resiliant to wear.

Sometimes straying from what you're used to is a good thing!

The Lumie Clear: What IS this?

Well, that's a really great question, and the very same one that I was faced with when looking for a way to put an end to all this acne nonsense on my face.
Light therapy, that brings two thoughts to mind one being 'that sounds a bit hippyish' and the other being 'that sounds a bit 'overly medical'

As far as I understand it is a mains powered, combined light therapy treatment for the skin with the red lights doing one thing (attacking the spots, killing bacteria) and the blue lights doing another (healing the skin) I may have got those in the wrong order...
Combined it creates a violet coloured light that yes IS harmful if you look directly into it, beyond just dazzling my eyes and hurting, it can cause serious long term damage so it is absolutely best that if any light can and is getting into your eyes to use the gorgeous goggles provided (they are horrific).

So, this is what you do:

• Press the one and only button on the side of the machine

• When the light illuminates decide if you want to target it at the whole face, or pick it up out of the stand and hold it against a particularly troublesome area (I prefer the second option)

• Wait for the light to automatically switch off after 15 minutes

• Repeat daily

I've been using this for a week now, of course video recording my progress to compile into a YouTube video at some point to let you guys know if it is worth it's £100+ price tag *gulp*

I have not noticed any difference at all, but it's not fair to judge this properly without giving it at least 4 weeks to work it's light magic.

Back to School Makeup - Discreetly cover spots, blemishes, imperfections and acne!

There are a lot of beautiful back to school makeup looks floating around the internet (is it weird I hate talking about 'back to school' even though I no longer go to school! It just makes me feel gloomy and like Summer is over!)
Anywho, as I was saying. There are a lot of wonderful makeup looks on Youtube that are titled 'back to school' or 'great teen school makeup' or other variations on those titles. But if your school is anything like mine then makeup was a big fat NO NO. To get caught with makeup on was a complete sin worthy of death as a punishment (or so it felt) So while all these beautiful quick back to school looks might be okay for some school policies, not mine. And maybe not yours too.
I've been plagued with spots and blemishes since what felt like time began, although it was probably when I turned around 13. Eyeliner and mascara can wait, I just want to cover those spots up!
Here's how I did it, I tried and tested it for 3+ years and not once did my school catch me. The tip here is less is more and not to cover the whole face, target the individual spots directly.
Also, this is great for boys who want to wear a little discreet cover up too, my tip would be to apply it in front of a window with a mirror so that you can see exactly how it looks in natural light and to other people.
The key here is subtle, subtle subtle. I feel like this is almost a SECRET makeup tutorial that I'm only sharing with a select few!

Just to reiterate...
I use the following: 
Collection 2000 Concealer Lasting Perfection and I am using shade Light! It retails for £3.99 from Superdrug
I'm using loose finishing powder from Bare Minerals, but this is the optional step!

Neutrogena Wave: First impressions and Review

The Neutrogena Wave was something of a unique product on the shelves of Boots etc, it looked like it did the job of a Clarisonic but for a much more affordable price. It must have been a year or two since this first came to the UK but I'm inclined to say that it cost around £12. Currently at Boots it's £9.99.
I was super lucky to stumble across this at Home Bargains about a month ago for £2 or £3. I almost choked on my own tongue at the price as it was something I had my eye on for a while, but couldn't justify the price if it was going to be another gimmick.
Today I opened and tried the Neutrogena Wave, here are my thoughts:

The cleanser itself fits raelly nicely into the hand, it has curved edges and holds well whether you are left or right handed, in regards to the placement of the power button.

Inside you get the cleaner itself, a battery which I thought was a nice touch and about 20 pads for the cleanser in a sealed plastic bag.

It's super simple to insert the battery into the holder, this takes 1 AA battery and only requires unclipping the side, no annoying or fiddly screws which is great since it's waterproof.

I was at first confused at how to apply the pad but it is as simple as placing it on and the head of the cleanser essentially 'grabs' onto the pad and is easily pulled off.

I had no idea what to do with the remaining pads, although the pads need water to be properly activated and foam, I feel certain the quality of cleanser built into the pad will deplete a little if exposed to air for long periods of time, so In a feeble attempt to preserve them I just used a lot of cling film which I'm sure will get messy after a while, so this is just a short term solution.

The cleansing itself:
I used this in the shower but stuck my head out so that I could accurately judge the amount of product in each pad. I ran it under water for about five seconds while holding the power button on but not a lot of foaming seemed to happen, never mind, I began on my face. While the buzzing is a nice sensation on the skin, it's not super strong, nor do I feel like my skin is getting exfoliated, but it does feel better than a regular flannel. I wonder if I'm doing something wrong as I've done two circuits of my face and still there's no foam, then suddenly the foam gates open and there is a whole lot of product, more than I know what to do with. I do another probably five rounds of my face to use up as much product as possible which was a lot better than there being hardly any product. The cleanser has a distinct 'tingle' feel to it which is rather pleasant and does feel like your face is being super cleansed but I imagine this makes it too strong as a product to use daily for people with sensitive skin. My skin is super oily, and I love the way this made my skin feel both during and after. After I'd finished using the cleanser (and with a numb thumb... the button should be 1 push to switch on, 1 push to switch off system rather than having to hold it in for a minute or two) I rinsed my face with warm water and a flannel and patted dry.
I must say, my skin does feel extremely smooth! I'm very happy with the result for the price I paid. I'm not yet sure if this is a product that would be better for my skin as a daily, every other day, or weekly treatment as once I'd finished my skin was crying out for moisturiser which doesn't often happen.
It's too soon to tell if this has changed my skin, but I will enjoy using this until I find out.

Acne: What doesn't work

There are so (so so so so so) many products available to treat acne and most of them are not cheap so it's good to do your research beforehand on what you think would be best to suit your specific needs.

While I have not yet found my cure (and I've been looking for five years or more) I'll focus on letting you guys know what hasn't worked for me yet, since nothing has worked in the way the reviews promise. This is not a full and complete list, but since I've been home I've come across lots of empty jars and almost empty containers of products that I gave up on or that gave up on me!
So, the breakout breakdown:
1. Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink grapefruit face wash
2. Cupcake face mask by Lush
3. Oxy Facial scrub
4. Oxy moisturiser
5.Witch oil-control foaming face wash
6. Boots own brand foaming facial wash
7. Bio-Oil (I was told to compensate for a lack of oil that I may be stripping from my skin)
8. Nelsons Pure and Clear anti-blemish balancing moisturiser (designed for oily skin)
9.HRI Clear Complexion tablets
10. Weleda homeopathy sulphur tablets
11. Yasmin contraceptive pill (along with some other brands but I can't remember the names)
12.Aknemin (Minocycline) - This worked for about 6 months quite well but then it stopped working, once I came off it I had headaches and all sorts- I had been on it for maybe a year)

That's probably around half of what I have used, I do sometimes feel at the end of my tether, I've gone down the highly medicinal and the herbal route, I have to say that the medicinal route is the only one that has provided any results, no matter how small.

Feel free to leave any questions about specific products in that list, if I went into detail on them all this post would send you to sleep!

Twas the night before Cupid

I don't think Cupid was actually born tomorrow, I'm not entirely sure, I just wanted the title to sound festive really!
Maybe you have special plans tomorrow, or maybe you just want a quick insight into how you can go from looking like you just woke up to looking like you fell over and was dragged backwards through a bush to looking like you just had 12 hours of sleep and a month of spa treatments.
It's all coming your way as a Valentines day present tomorrow!

Yes it really does work and here is the before and after to prove it!



I know what you're thinking... you're thinking 'gosh...which one is the 'before' and which one is the 'after'....
Okay that was a joke (a bad one)

If there's hope for flawless skin and fresh face for me then there's hope for you!

Soothing acne & clearing skin

It's been a long time coming that I've felt like I have a skincare routine that just 'works' and does exactly what it is supposed to do and keep my skin clear, healthy and fresh.

I have extremely oily skin and the answer to my acne woes is not specific to one product, but to one approach: consistency.

If you've read my blog before you might remember this post:
http://www.alexiaesque.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/dudedont-you-ever-wash-your-face.html

I go into a bit of detail about how I often have many many face washes on the go and switch all about to get the benefits of them all. It wasn't until they slowly ran out and I decided to just purchase one, and stick to using that one morning and night that things began improving.

This is a mens face wash, again, in my earlier blog post I talk about why I like mens facial washes.

 It's not even this facial wash specifically that I am going to label 'The Miracle Product' because I don't think it is, I think it's just the fact that I only use this product and only have for a few weeks now, which I think now with hidsight is much kinder on my skin and over time the product is given the chance to work with my skin rather than against it because tomorrow I'd be using something else.

My other top tip and change I've made in my face washing routine is that I wet my face with a flannel, apply the face wash and massage it in but rather than washing it immediately off I brush my teeth while letting the face wash do it's thing, then when I've finished brushing my teeth, I wash off the face wash.

I suppose it's a bit like the difference between rinsing your hair with conditioner, or lathering it in conditioner for 3-5 minutes before washing it out.

In the past I have also been a moisturiser sceptic but I've found this one and like it, it's light, doesnt make me look greasy, absorbs straight in without a clogged or caked feeling.

So there you go, my straightfoward and super cheap acne solution:
Use one facial wash consistently
Leave it on for minutes not second before rinsing
Use a moisturiser even if you have oily skin

"Dude...don't you ever wash your face?"



That line is from Friends - 10 Brownie points to anyone who knows the name of the episode!

Today we're talking face washes:
I became a bit of a face wash nut around the age of fifteen when my spots got real unpleasant. I think I went into a bit of a panic frenzy and I was most worried that people would think I didn't wash my face thorough enough and therefore when I bought face washes I would buy the ones that smelt the most chemically, as in my mind they would be strongest, and I even bought mens facial washes because I was under the impression that they would be better at blitzing my skin- basically I liked it when I felt as though it was too harsh for my skin, I liked the burning because in my head it meant it was working!?!
Also, I'd never buy one at a time I'd buy two or three or four at a time so that I could try them all and see which worked best- I now realise that this method is highly flawed and certainly not one that I recommend!
Anywho, thankfully I'm much kinder to my skin but I still havent got out of the habit of having multiple face washes on the go, here's my current set:

I really am truly not buying anymore until I'm down to one, and then I'm only buying one more as a back up!

I try to use no more than one or two face washes consistantly as I know it can take up to 6 weeks or more for the face wash to have positive affects on your skin and if I keep switching then I won't be able to keep track of how successful a specific face wash is

Currently I'm using the Loreal face wash in the morning- I like the little scrubber as it feels like it's getting deep into the pores.

Then at night I use the clearasil facial wash because it's specifically designed for night time use and is a little more moisturising and has a kind of 'milk' consistency.

The general rule for face washes is if its a gel it's good for cleansing oily skin, if it's a white-ish then it's better for moisturising while cleansing- even oily skin needs a moisturising cleanse once in a while.

These ones have not got a whole lot of mentioning:

...and there's a reason for that!
The MAC facial wash cost a grand total of £7 and it's a little bottle (but I use it when I'm travelling, but pretty much only then)
I would not re-buy for the following reason:
Does it cleanse my face? Yes
Does it cleanse my face two times better than a facewash that cost £3.50? Nuh-uh

If your a MAC junkie and like to try everything then I don't want to put you off buying it, I'm just saying that it's nothing special that Clearasil, Clean & Clear, L'oreal or Burts Bees can't give you already for much better value.

The last little things are my twice weekly facial scrubs- I'll use them before I go to sleep and they just polish everything up ever so nicely.
Lush's Sea Salt however is worth the investment, a big ol' tub this size works out cheaper than buying the little ones and it really does just make your face feel FRESH, fresher than any other facial scrub I used before.

little WARNING: This facial scrub is abbrasive so if you have sensitive/dry/flaky skin have a little test first to check it's not too drying on your skin!

So there you go, despite what I believed the world thought of me at the tender age of fifteen- I am a little cray cray with my face wash cleansing.

What's your favourite facial cleanser?

Oranges to eat and orange bags to buff!

There was once upon a time when those little mesh fruit holer bags for your oranges were just practical to hold fruit, but not anymore!
Let the fruit make your insides pretty and the packaging make your outsides pretty!

You can buff your face to beautifulness with just a simple scrunch of the meshy stuff and a gentle hand. Here's my more in depth how to:



Remember!
-This is not a daily treatment, unless you want to scrub away every layer of your skin, haha!
-If you have dry skin be sure to use a face wash with natural moisturising properties
-All skin types should avoid combining this tough trick with a facial scrub as it'll be too much 'scrubby-ness'
-Have fun and let me know if it made your skin feel fabulous and fresh too!