The Weekly Selection

This one has been sitting in my drafts since the last time I blogged, and I thought I had might as well let it see the light of day, in spite of being a couple of weeks old. The only reason it wasn't posted earlier was because, as you may have noticed, I haven't posted everything. We've been on the move again, and unfortunately that meant that once again, I was without the luxury of internet - at least, on anything other than my phone, and personally, I find blogging solely through an iphone little short of a nightmare. The uploading of photos and the adding of links both become unnecessarily difficult, and I wanted to wait until I was all set up again, as I strongly dislike the feeling of not being able to do things properly.

Luckily, all of the products in today's post are still very much up there with my favourites - particularly the Revlon lipstick in Cherries in the Snow. I can honestly say that I have finally found my perfect shade of red - it suits me down to the ground, and has barely been off my lips since I picked it up a few weeks ago. A true cherry red, it's bright but wearable, and truly flattering. It's love.

I'm a die hard fan of Topshop's cream blushes, and with spring well and truly in the air, I've been only too happy to dig them out. Morning Dew is a new addition to my collection, and I couldn't be happier - it gives a subtle, dewy, peachy glow, and really wakes up my complexion.

I have often wished I could apply a perfect line of winged liner, and while I'm still a long way from perfecting the classic winged look, the L'oreal Blackbuster Superliner is the closest I've ever been. With a chunky felt-tip style nib, it's really easy to apply, and doesn't smudge or fade to grey like lots of similar formulations do. A definite winner for makeup on the go.

Last but not least, the Balance Me Radiance Oil* has been making something of a reappearance in my routine. A couple of drops, patted gently into the skin after my evening toner, leave me with a healthy glow come morning time, and have helped me through the seasonal transition no end.

In the background, you might have spotted my current favourite candle - Diptyque Noisetier. It's by far my favourite candle for spring. If you want to hear more of my thoughts on it then I'll be posting a review next week.

Now, time to enjoy the bank holiday weekend - my plans consist of a long hot bath (the water pressure is finally back to normal so I can actually fill the tub!) and catching up on some of my favourite blogs this evening. Tomorrow is breakfast, Body Balance and drinks with friends, and if the weather permits, a trip to the seaside on Sunday :) As for Monday, I think I'll wait and see.

Hope everyone has a lovely few days off work.

Which products have you been loving this week?

xx

Hydrating Skincare: From Winter to Spring

The weather may be getting warmer, and the evenings longer and lighter, but that doesn't always mean you can slack off on the skincare front. In fact, a sudden change in the climate, and weather that can't make up its mind can wreak havoc on the skin, making it more important than ever to ensure that it's taken care of.

When it comes to hydration, I have a few trusty favourites that I know I can reach for whatever the time of year, and they will always get things sorted in no time. A common mistake a lot of people make is to think that if they haven't got any dry or flaky patches, then their skin is not dehydrated, but actually, this is a long way from the truth in many cases. Personally, I don't tend to suffer from the former, but I'd definitely put a tick in the latter box from time to time. Usual triggers for me are leaving makeup on for too long or skipping on exfoliation (I tend to use AHA toners rather than manual scrubs), but often, an unstable climate is to blame.

The Elemental Herbology Cell Food Serum* is a favourite of mine when I feel that my skin could do with a boost. Containing a powerhouse of proteins, vitamins and minerals, a couple of drops of this applied after my toner and before my moisturiser in the mornings make all the difference when it comes to radiance and vitality. On its own, it doesn't pack enough of a moisturising punch though, so I follow up with my go-to morning and evening moisturiser, Origins Make a Difference Rejuvenating Treatment Plus. With a deliciously orangey fragrance, this is a gel-cream, so although it's incredibly hydrating, it won't feel heavy or greasy on the skin like some products can. It sinks in like a dream, leaving my skin soft and plump, and I know it's a product I can always rely on to keep things in check.

The Balance Me Radiance Oil* is an extra little night time treat, and if my skin is feeling particularly out of sorts then I often mix a couple of drops of this in with my night cream. With a divine herbal scent, it sinks in fairly well - but I'd always recommend pinning your fringe back if you don't want to have to wash it in the morning. The Radiance Oil really does do what it says on the tin, and my complexion looks brighter and healthier after a couple of uses.

I really do find that hydration makes the biggest difference to the appearance of my skin as a whole, as when it's in need of a little extra moisture I look tired and drawn by comparison. It doesn't take much to get things back on track, and it's always worth the extra effort.

What are your go-to products when it comes to giving your skin a moisture boost?

Have you added any new products to your skincare arsenal of late?

xx

Balance Me Radiance Oil review
Elemental Herbology Cell Food Serum Review

Review: Balance Me Radiance Oil

Hello my lovelies, now this one has been a long time coming. I was actually very kindly sent the Balance Me Radiance Face Oil to try some while ago, but thanks to my skin embarking on an unexpected year of insanity around about the same time, it's taken until now for me to actually be able to give it a fair trial. Most of you will know that my skin has been breakout central since around January, but has miraculously cleared up since returning to the UK to leave me, much to my delight, (dare I say it!?) spot free.  Beforehand, I was never really sure what it was that was causing all those blemishes, and went down pretty much every route I could think of in a bid to clear them, none of which were fruitful. I would go through phases of trying out new products, only to then become convinced that they were adding fuel to the breakout fire, but in hindsight I can now see that it really was all hormonal, and all the products in the world couldn't have solved the problem. I will be doing an in-depth post on the issue in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for that if you are one of the lucky people to be in a similar boat. I'll be talking all about how I finally came to have clear skin, and giving you the facts on what did and didn't help.

Now, as I'm finally in a position to be able to objectively try out skincare again.... onwards and upwards.

I do love a good facial oil, but I do understand the scepticism still surrounding them to some degree, especially in those who are already contending with excess oil production. The theory is though, that by slathering on the right oils, in other words, those which prove really beneficial for the skin, sebum production will in turn be reduced. If you're already giving it what it needs in the form of nourishing, hydrating oils which won't clog the pores, then the skin has no need to keep churning out it's own sticky, problematic version.

The Balance Me Radiance Face Oil is made from 100% natural ingredients, including super-emollient goodies such as jojoba, sweet almond, rosehip and camellia. Roman chamomile, yarrow and benzoin nourish skin, replenishing its natural lustre and, smoothing the skin and revealing a smoother and more radiant complexion.

A couple of drops is all you need, and the oil can be applied in place of your night-time moisturiser or, for an extra boost, mixed in with it - recommended if you do suffer from dry or chapped skin in the winter. Personally, I find anything too rich tends to do my skin more harm than good, so I prefer to use it on its own. You may also pop some on in the morning, but I wouldn't hugely recommend it if you're going to be applying makeup, as it doesn't help your slap to stay put in the least. For me, a night-time treat 2-3 times a week is all my skin needs, and the oil is absorbed easily into the skin without leaving any greasy residue.

One of my favourite things about the oil is the delightfully herbal scent - it might not be for everyone, but personally I adore it.

I find this to be a really hydrating product, and a pleasure to use. Since my breakouts have taken their leave, I've been using this from time to time in the hope that it will help to clear up the pesky scars left behind, and thanks to the healing rosehip oil I am already starting to notice some improvements. If you do have blemishes then I wouldn't recommend using it every day, but certainly a couple of times a week should help to get things on the mend without overloading your skin.

All in all, a fabulous product from Balance Me. I'm ashamed to say that this was my very first, but I'm certainly looking forward to delving a little bit deeper into their range of skincare goodies in the future.

The Radiance Face Oil is available from the Balance Me website, priced at £30.00 for 30ml. 

xx

The Weekly Selection

There hasn't really been anything to write home about this week in terms of new loves - I did go out and buy a few new beauty bits a couple of days ago, but I haven't had the chance to try anything more than once or twice, which means that my most reached-for products of late have definitely been the known and loved.

One product which has stood out to me, however is definitely the Balance Me Radiance Face Oil*, which has been lurking at the back of my collection for some time now, just begging to be loved. When I first received it, my skin was an absolute nightmare, and I had really scaled back my routine to the absolute basics as I was so afraid of making it worse. However, now that things are on a bit more of an even keel, I've been really enjoying slapping on a light layer of this before I turn in for the night. It's the nicest smelling facial oil I've ever had the pleasure of using, and leaves my skin feeling plump and nourished come morning. It also gives me a bit of an extra glow, which is something I'm always in the market for.

Next up is my beloved Mac Lipstick in Vegas Volt. This was my first ever Mac purchase many moons ago, and the vibrant coral shade still wows me as much now as it did back then. I actually went through a phase where I no longer thought this suited me, but when I found it at the bottom of my makeup bag last week and slicked some on, it was love - again. It's one of your typically perfect summer shades, and the creamy Amplified finish is an added bonus.
I've been enjoying using the Dove Summer Glow in light - medium to keep my limbs looking naturally bronzed of late (I know it has a different name in the picture, but that's because it's a foreign version!). I don't often go for this type of product, as I've had plenty of sunshine at my disposal for quite some time now. However, you do start to take it for granted after a while and before you know it you're looking a bit pale again as you haven't been out in it for a week.

Last but not least, it's the Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-In Treatment, which has been a godsend following the DIY re-ombre-ing of my hair earlier this week. I first had my hair done some time ago now, and some of you might remember that my locks were left in a very sorry state afterwards, with weeks of complaining and attempting to nurse them back to help in the aftermath. Over time, I'd trimmed and trimmed the ends to the point where there really wasn't much of the ombre effect left, so this time I decided to take matters into my own hands, and do it myself. I have to say, I'm really pleased with the results - more so than when I paid to have it done professionally. And this time, I am determined to do right by my locks and give them all the strength and nourishment they need from the off.

Which products have been floating your boat this week?

xx

Lipsticks and Heels: Skincare for Dry Skin (Guest Post)

First of all I would like to thank Mel for letting me write something for the blog!

So basically, my skin is REALLY dry all of the time. On the one hand, this does mean that I don't really get spots which is great. However, flaky skin isn't attractive either. The two main components of my skincare regime are therefore exfoliate and moisturise!

These are my most used products: Morrison's Sensitive Baby wipes, Johnson's Baby Lotion, Nivea Creme, Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream, Vichy Idealia Day Cream and a homemade sugar and oil exfoliator.

I make this scrub using around 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of oil. I use olive oil most of the time, but it would work with coconut oil, argan oil, anything! Obviously as this scrub has oil in it I wouldn't recommend it to you if you are prone to spots! I try to use this around every other day: I just prepare the scrub and massage my face, and then rinse! If I do this before bed, I will apply Nivea Creme to my face. I apply a generous layer and by morning it has sunk in and leaves my skin extremely soft. Nivea Creme is very thick so I never use it in the morning as it takes a long time to sink in.

I alternate the Vichy Idealia Day Cream and Johnson's Baby Lotion daily. I find that if you use the same moisturiser too often your skin gets used to it... I don't know if there's any science behind that but that's what I've found! The moisturising effects of both last all day unless it's very cold in which case I may need to reapply moisturiser at some point in the day!

To remove my makeup, I avoid using water and cleansers because the majority leave my skin feeling really tight. I simply use baby wipes. The reason I use baby wipes over makeup wipes is because: a) baby wipes are a lot cheaper, and b) they are a lot more gentle. Sometimes despite the packaging of makeup wipes saying they are fragrance free, a quick look at the ingredients list reveals that they do contain a fragrance! 

Obviously I must add that these products are simply something that work for me, you might be different. If you have dry skin, what products work for you?

Thank you very much to the lovely Alexandra for writing this post. She's new to blogging so do be sure to pop over to Lipstick and Heels and check out her page, where you will find a mix of product reviews, hair tutorials and suchlike. Find her on Twitter at @lipsticks_heels

xx