November 2018 Favourites

Hello everyone! I really wanted to write a blog for you guys today but my creative juices are flowing as well as I would like them to do lately. With that I decided to a monthly favourites post, these are  not the most creative posts but I enjoy reading writing them as well as reading them. I have a good aul mixture to discuss today, from perfume to skincare to bodycare. I'll stop rambling now and just get on with it. Enjoy!

The first of my favourites this month is the Dermalogica Special Cleansing gel. I got this in New York whilst I was over there. I wanted to try this cleanser every since doing my beauty therapy course where we learned about the different Dermalogica products. This cleanser would be more suited to Oily/Combination skin types. It's a soap free foaming cleanser that leaves your skin feeling clean without that awful squeaky tight feeling. It smells mildly minty and a little goes a long way. You can buy it in the majority of beauty therapy salons or online. Currently www.beautyskincare.ie have it on sale for €32.99 for 250ml. I would highly recommend for anyone with oily/combination skin to try it

Keeping with skincare my next favourite is from the french brand Uriage. It's their water serum. I have seen this brand everywhere so I decided to give this serum a try. It's a hyaluronic acid serum made with thermal spring water to hydrate and brighten dehydrated skin. I am obsessed with this stuff! It feels so light putting is on so I know its going to reach the deeper layers of the skin and my skin has been looking more hydrated since using it. Its normally €25 but I got mine on sale in Bergins Pharmacy Newbridge for €12.50. If you are in the Newbridge area check them out as the water serum is always half price there.

Next up is a hair product. I got a little Kerastase travel set off my partner and brought it with me to New York. It's the mask from their Discipline range that I have been loving. This is designed for anti-frizz and is full of keratin. My hair isn't frizzy it just has a mind of it's own, so when I use that I feel that my hair is more relaxed and manageable. You can get a bigger 200ml pot from Feelunique for €26.50 on sale from €38. I know this is pricey but like skincare you pay for what you get and what you get is fab hair.

On to the body now. Ok so I know it is probably pointless showing you this as it was limited edition but I am loving it loads so... Its The Body Shop Vanilla Pumpkin shower gel. This scent is heavenly, it's a mixture if sweet vanilla and spicy pumpkin. A small bit lathers up your whole body and its such a creamy moisturising lather. You might be able to get it online still at thebodyshop.com. If not they have their christmas range out and that looks fab too.

Lastly for my November favourites is a perfume from the Brand Jenny Glow. This is an Irish brand inspired by the fragrances of Jo Malone. The fragrances Jenny Glow have out smell exactly like Jo Malone just without the extortionate price tag. I have been wanted to try the Myrrh and Bean fragrance for weeks before it's release and I finally got my hands on it. I loved Jo Malone's Myrrh and Tonka but could never justify the price, so I would only dowse myself in it at the airport or BT's . The myrrh and bean from Jenny Glow smells identical! I got my 80ml for €14.99 in my local pharmacy and Brown Thomas are selling the Jo Malone version for €90 for 50ml.. I mean come on.. You can get them online in sam mccauleys. Give their other fragrances a look too as you might see other well loved Jo Malone dupes there too.

So that was my November favs, I hope you enjoyed reading them. If ye have any questions about the products mentioned drop me a message. Also let me know what you have been loving this month. 

Byeeeeeeeeee :)

March Favourites

Hey guys! Today I'm going to write about my March favourites. I haven't done a monthly favourites in so long. This is just a post about what I've been loving throughout the month of March, whether it be beauty or clothes etc

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First up is the Sensitive Scalp conditioner from the Brand Human + Kind. I reviewed this on a previous post (link here) so I'll keep it short and sweet. I've been using this all month and it has helped my scalp so much. As ye may know I went silver from root to tip this month and It hurt my poor sensitive scalp. This conditioner with its aloe vera calmed it down instantly and helped improve the condition of my scalp as well as my hair. Hidden gem there guys.

Another hair care favourite this month is the Provoke Touch of Silver shampoo. Anytime I go blonde or silver this is my go to shampoo. In my opinion it's the best purple shampoo around. It keeps my silver hair from going brassy between toner applications. A major plus is price, it's one of the cheaper priced purple shampoos in the drugstores. I'm just finished a big bottle and have a little sample bottle from Dealz. This is a perfect size for people to try out but and are afraid to commit to buying the full size.

My next favourite is the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo +. I have this months now and I've only started using it religiously in the last 3 weeks. I was almost going to through it out because I saw no difference after using it in the past. This isn't an instant fix, you have to take your time with it. Now my skin is horrendous at the  moment as it's purging after the use of retinol products but this helps so much. It reduces the redness of any spots that appear. I pop a bit all over my face after my toner and before my moisturiser. One drawback is that it's expensive but a little goes a long way, well worth it.

Another skincare favourite this month has to be the P.S. Love To Glow face mask by Primark/Penneys. I have a review of this beauty on my blog (link here). This is one of the best dupes I have found in a while. Gorgeous glowy skin on a budget, what more could you ask for.

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Next is a body care product. I'm not one for spending time putting lotions on my body, I'm so lazy it's unbelievable but The Body Shop Black Musk body lotion is an exception. I'm obsessed! Any opportunity I have to put it on I will. I got the little travel sets in Tk maxx reduced to €1!!! Paul the bargain hunter strikes again guys!  So naturally enough I bought five sets. The smell is divine. It's earthy but still floral. They scent definitely lingers. I need to go to the Body Shop and get the full size ASAP!.

So that's what I have been loving in the month of March. I have picked up somethings in the last week or so that I'm trailing out and I know they will feature in my April favourites already so stay tuned for that. Thank you so much for reading.

Byeeeeeeeee :)

My Current Skincare Saviours

I think we can all agree that the holiday period can be really bad for your skin. Whether you are going hard on the chocolate and wine or stressed in the run up to Christmas, it can wreck havoc on your face. When I have a glass of wine in one hand and some cheese in the other, there's always a voice in my head saying "DEAR GOD STOP, THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES". Do I listen to that voice?.. no! What I have learned over this Christmas is that with a good consistent skincare routine, I'm allowed to eat a little more junk without paying the price. Finding what suits your skin and being consistent is key. So today I'm going to share some products that really helped clear my skin up and kept my spots at bay. My skin type would be combination spot prone.

Cleanser

The cleanser i have been using the past few weeks is the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion by No.7. I haven't used much of the No.7 skincare range until recently and i'm actually pleasantly surprised. I got the Beautiful skincare christmas set which came with a few minitures and it had this lotion in it. I immediately fell in love with it and ran out to buy the full size one. It retails for €13.00  for 200ml in boots. I got mine for €6.50 with the No.7 vouchers Boots give out. Seriously if more shops did money off vouchers i'd be like the crazy coupon lady!!. I like it for the fact it doesn't foam up but yet it gives a good clean. My Clearasil days are over, with those foaming harsh chemicals stripping my skin. I use 2 pumps and apply to a damp face. It might not feel as your are using much because it melts into your skin but a little goes along way. Its hypo-allergenic for us sensitive souls out there and it comes with a pump which is key for spot prone skin. I will be repurchasing!

Toner

This has made so many appearances on my blog before but with good reason, this toner is amazing. Its the Lush Cosmetics Tea Tree Toner Water. It has cleared up my skin better than anything i've used before. I spritz some onto a cotton pad and rub onto my skin after I cleanse. It gets off any excess dirt and oil, and the tea tree oil in it combats any breakouts. It retails for about €12.00 (ish) for 250ml and there's a mini travel-friendly version at €6.00 (ish) for 100ml. There are Lush stores in Dublin and Cork, or you can order online too. Every time i replace this with another toner i always end up coming back to it, it's just that good.

Moisturiser

Up next is probably one of the most important steps, Moisturising. I cannot stress enough how important it is to moisturise your skin. Everyone thinks (me included) that if you have oily or spot prone skin you shouldn't moisturise as it causes breakouts. This is so wrong. Applying the correct moisturiser daily means that your skin doesn't have to produce excess sebum after using your cleansers that strips the skin. That excess sebum causes breakouts. Sorry for biology lesson but moisturiser is key people! The one i'm using is the Elizabeth Arden Visible Deference mosituriser,

Its the combination one with SPF 15. I love it so far, it's light and sinks in very fast. It hasn't reacted bad to skin which is a major issue for me and skincare. I don't use it at night as it has SPF in it which can clog up pores when you sleep if worn overnight. I have been looking into more brands like Elizabeth Arden and Clarins who cater for more mature skin. Lets face it, i'm not getting any younger. I have the sample size which has done me for the past 2 months and i got it in a set for €12.99 in tkmaxx. I know the full size is in Debenhams for €21.00 on offer at the moment.

Serum

Serums are a new enough thing for me, but now since i'm in my mid 20's i need to be taking extra good care of my skin. I have seen this serum being mentioned so much on the internet i had to give it a try. It's the Vitamin C Skin Boost serum by The Body Shop. I bought it because it claimed to brighten up the skin and reduce blemishes. Well it does exactly what it claims. I've been using it 3 weeks and i've seen a major improvement in my blemishes and hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks. I mix a little bit with my moisturiser in the morning and then ill use 1 pump and massage it into my face before bed. It feels so oily at first but it dries down fast and soaks into the skin. It smells like oranges which is a plus! It retails for €23.50 in The Body Shop, but if you haven't already guessed I'm wise to all the bargains. I got mine for €9.99 in Tk Maxx. If ye need to find something for cheaper just ask me!

Mask

Masks seem like such a unnecessary step but i can't live without them. My name is Paul and i'm a maskaholic. The mask i have been lovely recently is the Dragon's Blood plumping mask by NIP+FAB. Once a week after i cleanse my face ill throw on this mask. I leave it on for 10 mins and then wash it off. Its a clear gel mask so there's no mess. I was a bit skeptical because anything that has such claims as "plumping" never works out. Now with this you are not going to get an instant face lift but it does give you a nice healthy glow and make the appearance of your skin look smoother. I put this on the night before I go out or have something on and the next day my skin looks perfect. Dragon's blood is not actual blood FYI. It retails for €19.99 in Boots. If you are in the mood to splurge it's worth it.

So yeah, that's my current skincare routine. It has really helped my skin over the christmas period to look somewhat normal. I do believe that you should spend the time and the extra bit of money perfecting your skincare routine. With skincare you pay for what you get. 

Thanks for reading guys!

Paul.