My favourite face mask, music and a little ramble!

My poor skin . . , it was only a couple of years ago that I started to pay it any attention at all and even then, I tended to focus purely on the moisturisers.

Then for the first time in a decade I started to breakout and I went on the defence piling one harsh anti-blemish product on after another.

Lesson learnt!

When things started to settle down (and they did but it took a while, a lot longer then I would have hoped), I vowed to start looking after my skin properly.

As well as plenty of blog posts (search skincare, skin routine), there were a few mistakes and disappointments along the way but gentle products and routine seemed to be key (though I know I should drink more water too, I WILL start tomorrow) in maintaining a clear, hydrated complexion and harbouring some glow.

I have done a few posts about my skincare routine and faves but I will quickly list here the few skincare products that I will (and do!) return to again and again.

Cleanser: The No 7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser

Toner: The Botanics Rosewater and Skin Brightening ones; The Lush Tea Tree Water

Moisturiser: La Roche-Posay Hydreane Riche; Embryolisse

I have also started to develop a weekly skincare routine. I try to use masks at least two or three times a week. I have tried and liked the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush. Likewise, the Manuka Honey one from Doctor Organic. I find both of these refresh the face and while they might not always heal a blemish. The skin does feel soothed after use and problem areas appear less red and appear a little more discreet.

However, there is only one mask that wows me and my dry skin enough to suggest that you all give it a shot and that is the Brightening Facial Moisture Boosting Mask from The Sanctuary who bill it as the 'ultimate moisture boost to revive thirsty skin for a glowing skin'.

This mask contains organic shea butter and honey and organic rosehip oil. Consequently, it is supposed to nourish the skin and protect it from ageing.

The Moisture Boosting Mask can be left on clean skin for ten minutes or as an overnight mask. I tend to go for the latter, overnight option. When I wash it away in the morning, my skin always looks better. I personally thinks it looks a little plumper and polished. Any red areas have gone while my under eye area looks so smooth and bag free. My skin also feels so soft to touch and any dry patches appear to have gone (Hydreane Riche is fab for dry patches too).

When a mask reaps such rewards, I'm obviously going to feel a little better about waking up in the morning. The lavender scent is supposed to relax the senses too. Bonus, bonus, bonus. I certainly need any extra help I can get in the mornings.

The only other skin mask that I have found to give such good results is Dragons Blood from Rodial. That one certainly gave me pepped up skin in the morning but I don't think it was quite as moisturising (my parched skin can never have enough moisture) and it was a lot more expensive.

At the moment, you can pick up a sachet of the Sanctuary mask (and I can normally get two or three uses from one sachet) for £2.03 from Boots online and I really suggest you all do if you want a little hydration, some glow or just a little skin kick.

Lately I have been doing as I believe Caroline and Anna do and use a couple of different masks one after another to give my skin the ultimate treat. I try to do this twice a week. Usually I use The Sanctuary Deep Cleanse 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask then the Moisture Boosting one. More often then not, I will also use the Botanics new Microdermabrasion Polish to gently exfoliate my skin before slapping the masks on.

Ah, the Botanics Microdermabrasion Polish. Now that's another product I currently love and can see becoming a staple in my skincare routine. We will have to talk a little more about that one soon. Talking of post teasers, I have started a list of ones I want to write and I'm determined to get on it. One thing which will feature heavily in a couple of posts is ink . . .

I hope you've all had a good few days. I've done some mooching and window (both glass and computer) shopping. I'm more then a little obsessed with these gold skinny belts from the 'Go Wild' collection in Warehouse stores and just need to choose which animal I want now. Which is your favourite?


The Jaguar



The Kissing Birds

The Lion Head

 

I'm also trying to finish, Beautiful Disaster, which I could not put down to start with but over the last few days and more then halfway through, I'm not quite as excited to pick it up again. I will though and I'm sure given a solid hour or so of reading, I will get back in to it again.

Music-wise, I'm loving 'Anything Could Happen' from Ellie Goulding and got to say loving Adam Levine (again!) in the video for 'One More Night'.

What are you loving right now? What skin treatments do you love?

 

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Five little obsessions!

Some of you may be used to my passing phases now. Sometimes I get all obsessed with some item or regime and then one morning, I wake up and it is all forgotten.

Remember, the Shred?!

Ouch!

However, when I'm indulging in the passing phases, they become the cornerstones of my beauty routines.


Here are five phases that I'm currently entertaining.

1/ Bitter Chocolate from Botanics

Over the last two or three months, I keep returning to this colour. Yes, the colour payoff (in the semi-permanent) does not last very long maybe only a couple of weeks but I do love the shade that emerges after the first shampoo. Dark hair may seem a little boring or blah but there is no doubt that the darker my hair is, the healthier and shinier it looks.

Sometimes my hair colour seems half-hearted and just a mish mash of lifeless browns. For once, my hair looks solid, shiny and polished. I initally took note of this colour after Carolyn Bax commented used a Boots Semi-Permanent Chocolate dye recently.

2/ The Teeth Whitening

It was back in the summer when I last became obsessed with my white pearlies. That was in the BlanX era. The BlanX product that I used did seem to work. However, the full white results do not seem quite so lasting so now I am using the Beverly Hills Toothpaste. Sarah has raved about one of their toothpastes before. I'm hoping my new habit will keep my teeth on the right side of white economically. I really do lay stock in the fact that Sarah believes in it and also that Watchdog have given it a thumbs up.

3/ RapidLash

For me, this year has been all about the lashes. Lash enhancers and mascara. I have just fallen for yet another mascara which I will tell you about soon but I have also started using another lash growth product. So far, I have used Lipocils, Ardell, the L'Oreal Lash serum and now I have started to use RapidLash. I must admit that I am using this very tentatively after reading an earlier post of Laura's. However, there are so many positive reviews out there for this product and as I'm so desperate for Bambi lashes. I am now applying this little product each evening and keeping my fingers crossed that firstly, I do not lose my lashes altogether and secondly, that I infact gain more lusterous, fluttery lashes.

4/ The Probiotics

After reading in the amazing Beauty Bible, that an annual 90 day course of probiotics could be of benefit to troublesome skin. I have been glugging the old Actimels down. I'm not sure if they are helping but this habit is a lot cheaper then some of the other regimes and creams that I have tried this year and at the very worse, the daily dose is probably only of benefit to my general health.

5/ Manuka Honey

Some of you may have read my earlier post on the benefits of honey. Well, now I'm going further and trying Manuka Honey. I will do a post on this soon but apparently Manuka Honey has special antibacterial properties which can be of benefit to your well-being which of course, will be reflected in your appearence. This phase has struck at the right time as there are few things that can get me out of my warm bed in these cold, cold mornings like the promise of hot porridge and honey.

Do you have daily beauty habits? What are they?

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