A Day In The Life Of My Face

At the moment I'm not using loads of facial products but my skin does seem to be behaving so I don't want to risk upsetting the routine!

This is what I am using on a daily basis.

7:30am Dirty Works Wake Up Call Face Wash

I've been using this face wash for quite a few weeks now and I'm really liking it. I'm not so keen on using exfoliators in the morning as they just encourage my skin to become oily throughout the day, so I find this gentle wash to be perfect alternative as it leaves my face feeling thoroughly cleansed. 

8.00am No7 Toner & Shiseido Moisturiser

I use this toner out of habit more than anything else, but I do like the soft, refreshed feeling it gives my skin. 

I only use a tiny amount of this moisturiser over my face in the mornings - probably about half a pump. You can read my full review here, but basically I love it as it doesn't make my skin oily and it acts as a pretty good primer for make up.

8:15am Make Up
I don't tend to wear loads of make up to work and I like to keep it quite natural. I also wear glasses in the week so I keep my eyes very minimal - literally only eye liner on my top lid and mascara - and either focus on a pop of colour on my cheeks, or a bright lipstick.

1.00pm Make Up Touch Up 

Lunchtime! This is the time to whip out the mirror and check how my face it holding up! Usually I don't need much - just a dusting of translucent powder and another coat of lipstick if I'm wearing any.

5:30pm Baby Wipes & Body Shop Vitamin E Cleanser

If I see my boyfriend after work I'm a bit naughty/lazy and just layer some more make up on over the top of what I've had on all day. However, if I'm going to the gym after work I need to make sure all of my make up is removed. People at the gym are probably the only people (apart from family and the boy) who see me make up-less. Lucky them! I love these baby wipes - they remove the vast majority of my make up, but I do like to make sure its all gone with a quick wash using The Body Shop's Vitamin E cleanser. This is also great for hydrating my skin, full review here.

7:30pm No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser

This cleanser has only recently become a daily part of my routine. I used to only use it once a week but after seeing people have amazing results with daily use I decided to up my game with it! I've already noticed my skin feels so much cleaner and softer for using it. The gentle exfoliation with the muslin cloth seems to be a lot better for my skin than a scrub so I'm going to continue with this daily.

7:45pm Avon Toner & Shiseido moisturiser

 When I first got this toner I was bit reluctant to try it but I'm glad it's part of my routine now. It's slightly harsher than the No7 toner but leaves my skin refreshed without drying it out.

I like to use a full pump to a pump and a half of this moisturiser at night to ensure my face is well hydrated. I never used to like moisturising at night as whenever I did I would wake up with skin so oily I would just end up getting upset over it. This sinks into my skin overnight and I wake up with a soft, smooth, healthy looking face!

So that's my daily routine - I'm glad I've found one that is working for me and manages to keep my skin under control!

Makeup [Mini] Haul

The long weekend and the boy's birthday has come to an end and I'm exhausted! We've packed so much into the last couple of days, eaten so much food and drank far too much alcohol and I've enjoyed every single minute of it!

 I've been sat in my pj's since 7pm writing this post, drinking tea and having a well deserved relax!

Over the last couple of days I have treated myself to a few new bits of makeup so I thought I'd do a tiny haul post to show you what I've bought.

Sleek Original i-Divine Palette £6.49

I know I'm probably the last one on the Sleek bandwagon but my local Superdrug doesn't stock the brand. I could have purchased online but I was feeling cheap and didn't fancy paying £3 delivery. On Thursday the boy and I visited the Bull Ring so I nipped into Superdrug and picked up the Original Palette. So far I have only used a couple of the colours (you can see some usage in the photo) but I love it! I can see myself buying a few more of these palettes in the future.

17 Photo Flawless Primer £4.99

Recently I've been loving Mac's Prep & Prime but my tube is almost coming to an end and, after and expensive month I couldn't face paying out another £15 for a teeny tube so I picked this one up instead. I don't like the texture of this as much as Prep & Prime - it feels like too much of a powdery finish - but it seems to do the job just as well so I'll definitely continue to use it until I can splash out on Mac again.

Revlon Colourstay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin in Buff £12.49

My regular foundation is coming to an end and I'd heard good things about Revlon so I picked this one up to try out. I've never used a foundation without a pump before but so far I'm not finding it too much of a problem - I'm not sure how I'll feel about it when it's coming to the end though! I'm quite pale most of the time so I chose Buff, the second lightest in the range. It gives a good coverage without feeling heavy even though the foundation itself feels quite thick when I'm applying it. The colour is a good match for my skin and it stays looking fresh all day. I'm really pleased I've bought this!

Bourjois Bronzing Powder £6.99

Swatch below.

I've been tanning quite a bit recently as the sun has been shining so bronzer has been a must! This gives my face a lovely healthy glow without looking orange and it doesn't have any glittery, shimmery bits in it that so many other bronzers seem to have! A few sweeps with a large brush is all you need for a gorgeous glow.

Sleek Blush in Flamingo and Coral £4.30 each

Swatches below.

I bought these in a blog sale a couple of weeks ago but though I'd include them here anyway. So far, Flamingo has been my go-to blush in the mornings as it gives my cheeks a lovely pop of colour and stays put all day. Coral is a more toned down, natural colour and looks lovely over a bit of tan.

Have you all had a lovely long weekend?



Saturday Night Face & Sunday Nails

Last night was the boy's birthday night out - a group of about seventeen of us all went out for Thai food and then on into town for drinks. The food was delicious and I think I ate so much it just soaked up all the alcohol because I am hangover free this morning! The boy on the other hand is rather worse for wear! We've got a BBQ to look forward to this afternoon though!

This was my makeup for last night, and in case anyone was wondering, I wore dress number 3 from this post.

Face:

17 Photo Flawless Skin Primer

Revlon Colourstay Foundation in Buff

No7 Quick Cover Concealer in Medium

Sleek Blush in Flamingo

Bourjois Bronzing Powder

Benefit High Beam

Eyes:

Sleek Original Palette - Black and Navy Blue

Bourjois Felt Tip Eyeliner in Noir

No7 Exquisite Curl Mascara in Black

False Eyelashes from Ebay

Benefit Bad Gal Eye Pencil

No 17 Beautiful Brows Pencil in Brown/Black

I kept my nails bare last night, but today I wanted something bright!

I've used George Buttercup Shine and George Sunset Orange - the quality of these polishes is pretty high considering they are from a supermarket range. Buttercup Shine took two coats and Sunset Orange only needed one coat. They dry really fast and look very glossy on the nails without a topcoat.

I hope you are all having a lovely long weekend!

Fit Friday - Post Workout Breakfast

On weekdays I always go the gym in the evenings after work, but on a Saturday I like to get my workout out of the way first thing in the morning. This is usually a five mile run on an empty stomach so I'm pretty starved by the time I've finished and cooled down. This bowl of yummy goodness really hits the spot for me and keeps me going for a good couple of hours afterwards so I'm not snacking on sugary badness and ruining my hard work!

Ingredients:

2tbsp porridge oats

1tbsp oatbran

125ml milk (or water, your choice)

Toppings:

Sprinkle of cinnamon - to boost the metabolism

1tsp peanut butter - great for protein and also satisfies my sweet tooth!

Half a banana

Handful of raisins - again for the sweet tooth!

I'm seriously addicted to this breakfast, I could easily eat it for all of my meals!

Dressing Up

Tomorrow the boy and I are hitting the Bull Ring (hard) for his birthday, which seems to have become something of an annual tradition! 

Obviously I will have to treat myself to a little something - we're going out for  a meal/drink of Saturday night so a new dress is in order! I thought I'd start searching out a few ideas in my lunch hour and, together with some very questionable Photoshop skills, I've put together some of my favourites!

1.Miss Selfridge £36 2.Miss Selfridge £32 3.Miss Selfridge £36

4.H&M £19.99; 5.Topshop £45; 6.River Island £39.99

Which one would you pick??

1 Week To Pretty Feet! Scholl Nail Brightening System

Scholl Healthy Nails Nail Brightening System 2x5ml £10.20

The last step to achieving gorgeous feet is making sure your toes are super pretty! Wearing dark nail polish on your toes may look nice but it can stain even if you wear a base coat - if you want to go colourless you certainly don't want your nails to have a yellowish tint - not pretty!

This little treatment promises healthy looking nails in an instant!

They Say: "Scholl Nail Brightening System is a 3 in 1 clinically proven, gentle and easy way to care, condition and treat discoloured toe nails caused by nail varnish stain or thickening of the nail."

Directions:

Step 1: Gently file the thickened/discoloured part of the nail, moving the file in a circular motion until the majority of discolouration is removed. Further treatment should require less filing.
This is the only part I don't like - the nail file is quite harsh and made me cringe when I was using it - I much prefer a four way nail file which is a lot more gentle and still produces the same results.

Step 2: Turn clockwise to open. Apply nail gel using sponge applicator. Allow to dry completely before following step 3.
It doesn't matter how neatly you apply this gel as the aim is just to get the entire nail covered. The sponge applicator makes it easy to cover a large area with one swipe and it picks up quite a lot of product so you can do a couple of toes with just one dip in the gel.

Step 3: Apply nail brightener. Allow to dry. Apply second coat of nail brightener or coloured varnish as required.
This is no different to applying a base coat to your nails. The brush is a good size, but the length of the handle makes it a bit difficult to keep it neat.

Overall I am really pleased with this product! I saw a result after just one use, and after my second use a week later my nails look to be pretty much perfect, with no traces of polish stain. The directions specify to use once a week to reduce discolouration and then as often as needed to maintain the condition of the nail. I think I will continue with it once a week so my toes can look their very best when I show them off to the world!

So that's it for my three week guide to pretty feet - your feet should be looking beautiful! I hope you've enjoyed reading it!

Sunday Nails - Kate Sapphire

Avon Nailwear Pro in Kate Sapphire 12ml £2.99

I know the sun has been out but I couldn't resist this stunning blue polish from Avon - when it catches the light the flecks of sparkles really stand out. One coat of this would have been perfect but I used two coats, mainly out of habit and as you can see it is lovely and glossy without a topcoat.

I've not been disappointed with an Avon nail polish yet - smooth application, fast drying time and beautiful colours - and at £2.99 for a 12ml bottle you really can't go wrong!

Fit Friday - Basic Interval Training

I've often mentioned the gym and healthy eating in my posts as it's become part of my daily routine - I do love food so I make sure I do enough exercise to compensate it, but I always try to eat as healthily as possible during the week so I can allow myself the odd treat of five over the weekend. When I eat rubbish I feel rubbish and I worry about gaining weight but when I get a good balance of diet and exercise I feel good within myself, my skin thanks me for it and I generally feel a lot more energized - use energy to make energy - it's true!

 

I am, however, the first to admit that keeping fit and healthy can sometimes be hard - the gym gets monotonous, other plans get in the way, you really really want that chocolate bar...so I thought I'd create a weekly series of exercise tips, recipes and good for you snacks that hopefully you will enjoy!

Obviously I'm not trained in nutrition and exercise, but I have learnt what works for my body and I spend a lot of time looking up and trying out delicious yet super healthy foods!

 

Tonight I'm just going to share a basic interval training session that I found on www.fitsugar.com.

 

They claim it burns 500 calories, but having tried it, it actually burns between 250 and 300 depending on your incline.

This is a great working if you're new to the treadmill or if you just want a gentle session - you're unlikely to break too much of a sweat and you can make it as easy or hard as you like with the inclines.

 

Here you go, enjoy!

 

What are your thoughts on weekly fitness posts?

New Avon Purchases

I made a cheeky Avon order just over a week ago and I came home from the gym last night to find that it had arrived!

Avon Big Colour Eye Pencil Duo Blue Azure & Frosted Ice £7.00

They Say: "Dual-ended creamy waterproof eye pencil for shading an highlighting. Creamy pencil blends easily and evenly, leaving a long-lasting, shimmery, crease resistant, powder finish."

Avon Nailwear Pro Enamel in Kate Sapphire 12ml £2.99

They Say: "Contains diamond dust and acrylic for strength and protection. Gives a high gloss finish."

 

Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact Lipstick in Fuchsia Fun £8.50

They Say: "Colour magnifiers boost the colour by highlighting and reflecting the true colour so what you see is richer and more impactful. Rich, creamy formula, wears for hours."

I'll post some reviews once I've had a chance to try everything out properly.

Have you used any of these products?

Shiseido Matifying Moisturiser

Shiseido Pureness Matifying Moisturizer Oil Free 50ml £28.00

I've only just rediscovered this little gem, otherwise I would have raved about it sooner!

Shiseido Pureness skincare range has been specifically designed to address excess oil and a lack of moisture that can often occur together and upset the skin's normal functioning.

They Say: "A lightweight moisturiser, with oil absorbing powder, that helps reduce surface shine as it provides exceptional hydration to skin. Feels refreshing and ultra sheer. Promotes a smooth texture.

Recommended for morning and evening; oily, blemish prone and combination skin."

I purchased a set of Shiseido products during my microdermabrasion treatments that also contained Shiseido Balancing Softener 150ml £23.00 and Shiseido Deep Cleaning Foam 100ml £21.50. It's fair to say this period of my life cost me an absolute fortune!

I originally purchased mine from the salon that did my microderms, but it can also be purchased from John Lewis and House of Frasier.

The moisturiser is housed in a pretty glass bottle with a not so pretty plastic lid, and has a pump dispenser which is ideal for getting just the right amount with no waste.

It comes out of the pump as a very light, slightly runny liquid and as it's massaged in I can feel the barest hint of powder. It instantly dries on my skin, leaving no oily, sticky residue that you so often get with moisturisers. 

I find this to be ideal as a primer - it leaves my skin soft, smooth and matte and foundation just glides over the top of it. I still use a small dab of primer over my cheeks on top of this, but I would say I am using a third of the amount I would have used on bare skin.

It's the only moisturiser I can wear under my makeup without ending up with a shiny face by the end of the day.

A little bit of this will go a long way! One pump covers my whole face for daytime use, but I do use a little bit more in the evenings just to make sure my face is thoroughly moisturised.

It does seem very pricey, but the amazing results justify the price for me and I would repurchase this again - however my current bottle will easily last another six months so it's definitely value for money. I don't know if I'd purchase the foam and softener again as I have other products that do the same job just as well, but this is the only moisturiser I have had such positive results with.

I'm not sure why I stopped using it, but I'm so pleased to have it back in my daily routine!

2 Weeks To Pretty Feet! Moisturisers & Butters

Are you wearing your flip flops yet?

I am, but I'm still working on making my feet even prettier for when we really get into the summer months!

This week, along with my Ped-Egg, I have been slathering my feet in a range of lovely moisturisers and butters in a bid to soften my heels and get beautiful glowing feet.

Here's what I have been loving this week:

Boots Gorgeous Feet Rapid Cracked Heel Repair 100ml £5.10

They Say: "Simply massage this balm into cracked heels for an overnight improvement. Continue for three days and you'll see a real difference as the special rejuvenating formulation works to repair damage and promote soft smooth heels once more."

First of all, the floral, vanilla smell of this cream is so delicious I could eat it! This is my newest foot purchase and I have been using it twice a day as directed. Maybe my heels were in quite a bad state, but it took between 5 and 7 days to see a noticeable difference, rather than the stated 3 days. Despite this, I really recommend this product! I usually apply quite a thick layer in the evening and pop some socks on overnight (does anyone else love wearing socks in bed? Just me?) and use a thinner layer for the daytime, and it really has worked wonders - the skin on the back of my feet looks a lot softer and smoother.

Body Shop Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion 60ml £3.00

They Say: "Fights odour causing bacteria, and promotes a cooling sensation on the skin to leave feet feeling refreshed."

I tend to use this after my post gym shower as running often leaves me with weary feet and this is a pretty good pick me up. I'm not a great fan of the smell - peppermint is a bit too overpowering for me, but it doesn't linger too much and once I've put my cotton socks on the smell is pretty much covered up anyway. At £3 for 60ml this little tube is a bargain - I only use it three times a week so it lasts well.

Avon Foot Works Heel Softening Cream 75ml £2.50

They Say: "Cracking up? Give you heels some sanity. Relieves extremely dry, cracked skin on feet, providing 24 hour moisturisation. Helps heal and guard against skin infection in tender, cracked skin."

I purchased this a couple of months ago and despite the price, and the not so pretty packaging, it actually works quite well - just as well as the Boots Heel Repair in fact. I find that I don't reach for this as much now that I have a Boots version, but it's definitely a handy backup to have.

Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter 50ml £5.00

They Say: "An intensive creamy all over body moisturiser, offering up to 24 hours moisturisation with a sweet berry fragrance."

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter 50ml £2.35
They Say: "Smooth, creamy and velvety. With skin softening shea butter and aloe vera to attract moisture."

These are my weekend luxury treatments! I love the thickness of these body butters and on a Sunday night I like to slather a thick layer of one on before covering up with cotton socks and my feet are left feeling gorgeous on Monday morning. A real treat for the feet!

Which foot creams have you been using? Do you mind wearing socks in bed?!