Top Tips For Hormonal Skin

Today's post isn't what I originally scheduled for today but I couldn't just get this subject off my mind. Hormonal skin is a pain in the ass. It messes with our routines, knocks our confidence and makes us lose our spark. I should know as I've been in a constant battle with my skin for the last few days, yet today as I write this, I've had a breakthrough and thought I'd share a few tips to help anyone who is struggling with hormonal skin.

Now everyone's skin reacts differently around that time of the month. For some their skin may become more reactive to products they've used for an age, whilst others could find that their skin becomes oilier the closer to their period they get. For me my skin get oilier, my pores become more visible and I'm more likely to have a cluster of break outs around my mouth and chin.

Some people instead of getting oilier go in the complete opposite direction and become dry and rough to the touch. And that's where a good acid based toner or skin treatment comes in. Now I personally use a acid based toner once a day, my skin loves them. And I find they work even better when it's coming up to that time of the month. And if you suffer from excess amounts of texture during the build up to your period or during it, then these two products are perfect for you. Alpha H's Liquid Gold and Pixi's Glow Tonic are both 5% Glycolic Acid solutions that weaken and remove dead skin cell, effectively reducing and retexturising skin's feel as well as it's radiance. Glow Tonic can be used everyday after a morning cleanse, make up removal or evening cleanse whereas the Liquid Gold is more suited as a twice a week treatment, mainly in the evenings so your skin benefits more from it.

Now I've found through talking to customers, friends and family that no matter what your skin does during that time of the month, it always needs soothing. Skin is such a fickle thing and can flare up at any time, no matter what time of the month it is but generally it always becomes more irritable and fickle around your period. And that's where this two products come in, in my routine. The Botanics Roswater Toning Spritz is the perfect toning mist to soothe and replenish skin. It's lightweight so it's not going to clog pores and it absorbs quickly and easily into the skin so it's not going to create excess sebum and make you look oilier than you may be. It's also brilliant at reducing redness which will not only make applying the rest of your skincare a dream but also make up and will give you a confidence boost. The B Essence Lotion does exactly the same as the Rosewater Spritz but it's also great at reducing the appearence of blemishes, including any redness that may be surronding it. It's lightweight enough to be layered underneath the rest of your skincare and whilst it's working to soothe skin and fight blemishes, it's also giving skin a deeper burst of hydration that'll last longer and leave skin feeling softer for longer. I really enjoying layering it under a sheet mask so it absorbs some of the product on the mask and allows it to work longer on the skin.

Masks are a god send for hormonal skin. There is one out there for everyone and I've got three that I think have really helped me with my skin. The first is a brand new mask that I tried today and for the purpose of this post. The B, B Detoxed Clay Face Mask is a charcoal based clay mask that works to open pores and pull any blemishes and crap out. It's also aims to reduce both the size and appearence of any exsisting blemishes. I've had two spots that just won't bugger off and they've been driving me crazy. And their both to do with hormones. So today I slathered myself in this and I'm so glad I did. After the allotted fifteen minutes, after I'd rinsed it, both blemishes looked reduced in size and looked less inflamed and visible on my skin. They're still not completely gone but this has really helped them on their way out. It's not just this mask that's good for it, any charcoal based mask will work wonders, especially if your skin is feeling a big clogged up and in need of a detox.

The second is a skin saviour. As I said, my skin tends to get oilier during my period and it drives me wild. On the off chance I tried the Soap and Glory Fab Pore Sheet Mask. It's aimed at combination/oily skins and contains Witch Hazel and Tea Tree to mattify and reduce the appearence and production of excess sebum. And it worked wonders, my skin felt less oily, looked more like it would normally and the combination of ingredients closed any open pores I had. It's a sheet mask so it's a lot less fuss than your standard mask and can be worn whilst you're watching TV so they're a great choice for giving your skin a bit of TLC.

And the last mask is from GlamGlow. Their Thirstymud mask is the perfect hydration boost for skin without having to wash it off or walk around with a bit of wet tissue stuck to your face. I can never remember what's in this mask but applying this leave on mask feels like you've splashed your face with water. It can be used as a night moisturiser or just as a pick me up throughout the day but no matter what, skin will hydrated from deep within and will have a radiance that'll definitely boost your confidence. Plus it smells like an exotic holiday and can deny that doesn't give them a boost.

Under eye patches are a necessity during the lead up to your period. Crying. That's all I'm going to say. A lot of people get emotional and have a good cry during the lead up to their periods. I'm the worst, the slightest thing and I'm crying like a baby. And that's where under eye patches come in. Not only do they hydrate the under area and help with the appearence of dark circles (lack of sleep, another thing to thank your hormones for) but they also reduce puffiness, especially if you've had a good cry. My favourites are the Rodial Dragon's Blood Under Eye Patches but I had none in the house so I went with my second favourite which comes from Soap and Glory. Their Puffy Eye Attack Hydrogel Patches work wonders at cooling, soothing and reducing puffiness from the under eye area. Because of the material they're made of they don't flap, fall off or become a general pain in the ass when you wear them. I love popping a pair on in the morning, especially if I've had a good cry the night before and let them work their magic. Concealer and any other make up I apply over top always applies better after using these and I always make sure to have two or three packs in the house at all times.

Now the last tip isn't skincare related but it is make up related. I know it may seem tempting to slap on the highest coverage foundation you have when you're skin is feeling crap and all you want to do is eat all the junk. But in fact that will actually make skin worse, especially in the long run. Trust me I know it seems daunting to go nowhere near a full coverage foundation when your skin is looking it's best but your skin will thank you in the end. Lightweight coverages that can be built with light layers are the better way to go. Cushion foundations and BB Creams are a good way of covering any imperfections you may not want the world to see, not only because they provide coverage but they also allow your skin to breathe. One of my favourite light coverages is the Rosie For Autograph Sheer Finish Complexion Enhancer. It's got the coverage of a lightweight foundation but feels like a BB Cream on the skin. It covers what I want it to cover but still allows my skin to look and feel like skin. It's a favourite of mine both during hormonal times and the rest of the month.

Cushion foundations are another option if you want coverage but don't want to overload skin. Maybelline's Dream Cushion foundation is a brilliant option. Not only is it travel friendly, easy to do touch ups with but it's lightweight, a buildable medium coverage that allows skin to breathe and it won't cling to any imperfections that you'd like to minimise. I tend to go for this when my skin's at it's worst, otherwise I reach for my Rosie For Autograph to do what I need it to do.

5 Products That Changed My Skin

As a blogger and self proclaimed skincare junkie I find myself trying new skincare products out regularly. Some of them work wonders on my skin and some of them are nice but don't show a drastic result. There have been five though that showed a brilliant change in my skin not only after the first use but also every use afterwards. And these products are the products I believe to be the ones that have helped give me good skin that I'm happy with.

 The first is a product that you've seen me talk about a lot on here and there's a very good reason for it. The Liz Earle Cleanse And Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is one of a few cleansers that have changed how my skin looks and feels after cleansing. I could have featured a few in this post but went with the Cleanse and Polish because it was the one that showed such a dramatic change in my skin. I suffer from redness that before Cleanse and Polish was unmanageable. I always thought that my cleanser wouldn't affect my skin so much but I was wrong. Packed full of ingredients such as Shea Butter, Aloe Vera, Calendula and Chamomile this cleanser not only breaks down make up and daily grime but also soothes skin and gently exfoliates at the same time. I'm not sure what it is in this cleanser but not only does it give skin a brilliant cleanse, it also soothes my skin and reduces the look of any redness my skin may have. Not only has this product made me more comfortable in my bare skin but it's also helped how make up applies and how it looks as a finished look. I never understood the hype around this product but now I can see why it's one of the best selling cleansers on the market.

The next product I was recommended because I loved Cleanse and Polish so much and whilst it works brilliant alongside it, it also works amazingly with other cleansers as well. It's another Liz Earle product and is their Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer. This is packed with all the same ingredients as the Cleanse and Polish but essentially comes in a spray form. This is the perfect morning toning mist as it really invigorates skin and wakes it up whilst simultaneously soothing skin and reducing the appearance of redness or uneven skintone. A few spritzes of this in the morning after I've cleansed rejuvenates my skin as well as soothes it and helps take down any redness that has appeared overnight. And I can certainly tell when I haven't used this as my skin will look lacklustre and my redness will be apparent than normal. It doesn't hurt that it smells divine either.

I love a good acid based product. Pixi Glow Tonic, Nip and Fab pre soaked pads, anything that is packed full of AHA's or BHA's is right up my street. And Alpha H's Liquid Gold is exactly that kind of product. Packed with Glycolic Acid this toner has not only changed the look of my skin but the feel of it as well. It only took one use of this to dramatically reduce any texture I had along my jawline and chin. And ever since then it's only ever improved the feel of my skin with every use. I use this twice a week after cleansing as a toner and love how it retexturises, rejuvenates and invigorates my skin. It's not for those with very sensitive/reactive skin but if you're skin reacts well to acid and your skin is need of a bit of retexturising this will be right up your street.

A cream that I can't live without because it's results are so astounding comes from Garnier. Their Miracle Sleeping Cream is one I spent a while using and then forgetting about but everytime I did use it the results were instantaneous and now I can't go a night without slathering my face in this. This thick, nourishing cream contains Hyaluronic Acid and Lavender Essential Oil that works as you sleep to hydrate skin and remove any signs of fatigue, no matter how bad a nights sleep you have. And in the morning skin looks plump, revitalised and hydrated. It's a brilliant cream for nights before big events or if like me, you just like skin to look perkier in the morning. I've lost counts of how many pots of this I've gone through but I know I will continue to go through countless more until the results change and I'm not wowed anymore.

And the last product is another one that I didn't think would change my skin so dramatically but it did and I can't get enough of it. The B Essence Lotion seemed like a lot of faff when I first saw it in the shops but I picked one up purely out of intrigue. And I'm so glad I did. This is my go to product on days when nothing else is doing anything for my skin and I need to soothe and hydrate my skin without overloading it with product. Lightweight in texture, it's just a case of pressing it into the skin where it easily absorbs and gets to work straight away. A small amount of this is enough to hydrate my skin, soothe any irritation and reduce the appearance of redness. And without clogging the skin either, this paired with something like the Loreal Hydra Genius is a guaranteed good skin day and I always find myself reaching for this combination when I'm having a lacklustre skin day or my skin is feeling particularly hormonal.

What's In My Everyday Make Up Bag

When I first saw this make up bag in Primark I had to have it. And to begin with I just popped the odd product I had lying around but then it turned into putting my daily make up in there so it was all in one place. And since then I've just used it day in, day out to keep my make up together and today I thought I'd share what I have in my everyday make up bag.

Before we start I must say that I keep an excess amount of the same product in this bag. And the first product I like to have options with is foundation. The two I keep in this bag are the Maybelline Dream Velvet and the Miss Sporty Instaglow. The Dream Velvet is a good foundation if you want a buildable coverage that lasts all day long. A soft gel formula foundation this is perfect for people with oily skin and people without aswell. I did a full review which you can find here. The Instaglow is a light to medium coverage foundation that blurs skin into looking like it has an instagram filter applied to it. It's not the best foundation on the market but I was testing it out for work and it just took it's place in my bag. A full review of it will be going up at some point.

Next up is concealers and this is one where I do go a bit extreme with. I don't just have one, I have four. I do admit that I do use these all on a regular basis. There is the Maybelline The Eraser Eye, Collection Lasting Perfection, Barry M Light Reflecting and Rimmel's Wake Me Up. The most used of the bunch are the Maybelline and the Collection. I use them both under my eyes and around my face on a daily basis. They are by far my favourite concealers on the market as they give great coverage, don't crease and don't wear away as the day goes on. Barry M's and Rimmel's concealers are both light reflecting concealers and whilst they're nice and work well on the skin they can leave skin looking glittery, something you don't want all over your face.

When it comes to pressed powder or powders of any kind I only keep one in my bag. This is the Rimel Clarifying Powder in Translucent. It's an okay powder and works to set my make up but it's not one that I think I'd purchase another one when this runs out. Before this I did keep my MUA Hydro Powder in this bag but it unfortunately met a dusty end when it fell off my bed and shattered.

If you thought I kept too many concealers in my make up bag then my mascaras will be totally over the top. Yes I keep five different mascaras in my bag but in my defence I do use them all on a regular basis. They're all aimed at what I'm feeling make up wise that day. The Maybelline Go Colossal Leather Black and the Barry M Showgirl mascaras are my two go to mascaras when I want a fluttery, volumised every day lash. They both have tapered bristle brushs that really fan lashes out. And then if I want something more dramatic I go for either the Maybelline Push Up Drama, Maybelline Lash Sensational or the Pur Minerals Volume Vixen. They all have plastic bristle brushes that give a more defined, volumised look that is usually more suited to the evening. However if I'm feeling a bit more dramatic with my make up during the day I opt for one of these. And of course with my mascaras comes my eye lash curler. This is just a simple Primark eye lash curler that really does give my lashes a good curl that doesn't droop during the day. Plus I like how the handles don't feel like they're going to slip out of my fingers when I'm giving my lashes that extra oomph.

Surprsingly when it comes to lip products in my make up bag there are only a few. The ones I reach for the most are the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks. They are the best liquid lipsticks I've tried and I'm definitely going to be purchasing some more shades as soon as possible. I have a mini set that includes the shades Beso, Baci and Ricco. Beso is my most worn shade being a bright red that dries down to a beautiful matte finish. To go along with Beso I have the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Red Diva. This can be worn by itself or under lipsticks, most of the time I wear it on it's own as they are so creamy and easy to apply. My other lip combo that I keep in the bag are my Gosh Lip Liner in Raspberry Dream and the Kate Moss for Rimmel lipstick in 107. This is my favourite plummy/berry toned lip shade and I'm constantly reaching for these.

And now it's onto the tools I keep in my make up bag. Before I got my bag I used about ten brushes everytime I did my make up but now I've narrowed it down to 5. My first two brushes are my two most used brushes. One is from H&M and is an angled buffing brush and the second is the F103, a stippling brush. These I use on a daily basis to attempt to give myself a flawless base. The angled buffing brush is a brilliant brush and didn't cost nearly as much as some of my others. For powder I use either my Real Techniques Cheek Brush or my B Powder Brush. And of course I have to have a spoolie for my brows. Yet again this is from H&M and I'm so impressed with the quality of their brushes.

And of course I wouldn't be a beauty junkie if I didn't have at least two beauty blenders in my bag. Please excuse the fact they're dirty, I did use them to get ready this morning. I have two and neither of them are from the actual Beauty Blender Brand. The top one is from B and the second one I picked up reduced from Cosmopolitan. I like my Cosmopolitan blender to use under my eyes as it has a bit more shape to help really blend in concealer or any product that you put under there.

The last thing in my make up bag may shock some of you as I'm so against using facial wipes but these are here not for my face. These are in there to remove any excess foundation from the back of my hand or lipstick if it doesn't look right. I've tried a few different brands but I've found I can only get along with the Simple Facial Wipes or the B Quick Facial Wipes. At the moment I've not got any Simple Wipes so I'm working my way through this pack of B Wipes. But don't worry, I'm not using them to cleanse my face.

So that's what's in my everyday make up bag. What's in your everyday make up bag? Do you have any of the same products as me? Let me know in the comments. 

Skincare Haul

Recently I've been buying quite a few skincare products and meaning to haul them but never getting round to it. So today when my New In Basket is overflowing I thought it was time to get everything together and haul it. So let's get going,

The first thing I've been picking up recently is the Masque Bar sheet masks. I've been looking to try these for a while now and just haven't gotten around to trying them. So when I saw them on offer in Boots I bit the bullet and picked up three packs. I picked up the Luminizing Charcoal Mask, the Anti Wrinkle Sheet Mask and the Dark Circle Reducer Patches. So far I've tried the luminizing mask and the dark circle reducers and I'd have to say that whilst I like them, they didn't do anything miraculous to my skin. I'm looking forward to trying the anti-wrinkle sheet mask and also the anti-blemish mud mask when I pick up a pack.

Next I repurchased two of my all time favourite skincare products. They are the Clearly Youthful Retexturising Glycolic Peel Off Mask and the Hydrating Day Serum. The Clearly Youthful Range is one of my favourite ranges on the high street and I've lost count of how many times I purchased products from it. The Hydrating Day Serum is the only serum I'll use as it's light enough to use in the morning as well as in the evening and soon as it's applied, it leaves skin feeling super hydrated and soft. The Glycolic Mask is one of my favourites out there as it completely changes the texture of my skin after every use. I plan on doing a full review of the mask but I have done a mini review over on the full review of this range here.

Soap And Glory have recently released a new scent in both their hand gel and hand food and it smells amazing. If you're a fan of the Sugar Crush Range then these new releases are going to be right up your street. There is nothing different about either of these products except the smell. Hand Food is my favourite hand cream out there as it leaves skin feeling ultra smooth but isn't greasy and doesn't leave skin feeling all slippy. The same goes for the hand gel, it's not one of those formulas that leaves hands feeling sticky for ages afterwards and you can get on with your day quicker than others.

Next up I've picked up a couple of things from Simple and before everyone screams at me, I do not use the face wipes all over my face, I just use them to take my lipstick off at the end of the day. I find no other wipe will remove all traces of my lipstick better than the Simple wipes and if (it's a big if) use these on my face they don't break me out which makes me feel happier about using them. Also I picked another Revitalising Age Resisting Face Wash. This contains Green Tea and is really soothing on my skin when I use it. I like to use this mid week instead of my Olay exfoliating face wash as it's gentler on the skin whilst giving the same results.

I also picked up another shampoo and conditioner. Yes I know it's not technically skincare but it happened to be in my pile as I photographing everything. This is the Garnier Ultimate Blends The Strength Restorer Shampoo and Conditioner. I absolutely love this combo when I wash my hair. It leaves my hair feeling soft and stronger than before. I also like the leave in mask but don't use it as much as I have so many hair masks to get through.

I actually brought this next product on my birthday which was nearly two weeks ago and I still haven't used it as I wanted to photograph it first. I've been wanting to try the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm for so long and when I was looking for gift ideas for my Gift Guides and spotted this, I knew I had to get one. In this stocking filler sized set you get one 15ml cleansing and a free muslin cloth as well. I can't wait to try this out as I've heard so many good things about it.

Another repurchase, another holy grail item. The Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream is my favourite night cream and actually does what it says on the box. A thick bouncy formula this cream doesn't take long to sink into the skin, leaving it feel soft and hydrated. And the next morning skin looks refreshed, dark circles are diminished and skin still feels as hydrated as it does when applied the night before. If you want a full review, you can find one here.

And finally two things I picked up today. The first is not a skincare item but I didn't take a picture of it seperately so I thought I'd put them together. I picked up the B Powder Brush as I've had my eye on it for a while now and it was reduced so I couldn't resist. It's so big and fluffy and I can't wait to use it to set my make up. And secondly I picked up the Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Treatment Pads. These are another thing I've had my eye on for a while and just haven't got round to picking them up. I hope these are as good as they say as I really love how my skin feels after I use products that contain Glycolic Acid.

So that's it for this haul. On Tuesday I'll be hauling all the make up I've brought recently so until then have a nice weekend.