Category Archives: Skincare

Product review: Filorga face cleanser

Filorga foam face cleanserThis foam face cleanser came in the lovely BBloggersXmas goody-bag. I had never heard about the brand, and found out M&S stocks the French company which concentrates in medical aesthetic solutions for home use, focusing on anti-ageing.

This is what Filorga says about their cleanser: ” The first anti-ageing cleanser that dissolves the slightest traces of sebum, make-up and pollution while intensely hydrating the skin and protecting it from free radicals. In addition to an ultra-gentle latest generation surfactant of plant origin, it features the following guest stars: high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, well-known for its moisturising properties, smoothes dehydration fine-lines and Madonna Lily, which soothes irritation and protects the skin from free-radical attacks.”

Filorga foam face cleanserI found this cleanser very nice; the foam is thick and one pump gives you enough to wash your face. It cleans deeply, removing make up and leaving the skin feeling clean. It is non-drying and I felt it was really gentle on my face. The fact it has hyaluronic is a bonus for me, as I usually leave anti-ageing on the second plan to concentrate on anti-acne skin products!

It retails at £20 for 150ml at Marks & Spencer.

My 2012 beauty revelation

Yes, you read it right. It is 2012. I know, it is indeed a bit too late for this kind of post, I am still getting back to my blogging saddle after the holidays (yeah, maybe I am a bit lazy).

I use many beauty and make-up products on a daily basis. Foundation, eye shadow, mascara, face wash and moisturiser are staples I cannot think about living without.

However, I get really excited when I get a new product, something completely different that works for me. So for 2012 I have two highlights: face serum and pre-cleanse oil.

credit maccosmeticsI will start with the serum. This thing goes on your face before your primer. Yes, before. And there was me, at some point, thinking foundation was the first thing. Then something before the foundation came into my life – the primer – and that was a game changer. Now, there is something before the primer (I thought the clue was on the name, but no. My primer shall be renamed “seconder”). Jokes aside, I really enjoy using the serum: it kinda prepares and protects your skin to receive all the rest. It is refreshing and light. And mine is also brightening. I have been using the MAC Prep+Prime Skin Brightening serum since July last year and love it. One little bottle lasted me all this time – I just purchased another one in January 2013. You can read my full review here.

image credit: dermalogicaNow, a true revelation was the  pre-cleanse. Seriously, I keep adding layers of complication to my beauty routines, and the trend for ’12 was to introduce steps in preparation… What really surprised me about it is this is an oil. Yes, oil. I never, ever in a zillion years considered slapping oil in my more than problematic skin. Oil. On acne skin. No. That shows I’ve suffered from this for too long, Technology is an amazing thing and it was love at first rub. I put it on my face and was sold. Applied to dry skin, it melts make-up with no need for vigorous rubbing or repeated washing, Those of you out there with sensitive (and often irritated skin by acne products, acne itself and other delights), know how much a difference no rubbing to remove heavy make up makes. Gentle circular motions sees all the slap coming off. Miracle. Delicate rubbing on the lashes removes most of mascara and liner, cutting the eye make up remover job in half at least. As it warms into the skin, you can almost feel it sinking in and removing the grub.

Once I am done massaging it in (and have grey, red and skin colour patches of molten make up all over my face), I wash it off with water and it turns into a milky consistency, washing away easily, not sticking as oil to your face. Trust me. I was scared I’d throw water in it and it would just slip away. That wasn’t the case.  I then proceed to use my normal face wash and the work is quick and effortless. I use Dermalogica precleanse and love it – a bottle goes a long way, bought in September and it is probably still halfway. I use it, on average, 4 times a week.

So there you have it – those two were my best beauty discoveries of 2012. What are yours?

Fighting acne

woman with hands on face - credit: www.amhc.org

image credit: amhc.org

First, apologies for the long post. This is not an easy post for me. I don’t use my blog to vent, or to moan. I have hung on to this unpublished post for almost three months now and although the situation has improved since I wrote it, I am far from happy. My blog is beauty related, and there you go, I don’t really feel beautiful sometimes because of this. I don’t think I ever spoke this openly and in-depth about this issue that has accompanied me for about 18 years now. To me, it is always visible,  its scars are ever so present, as a painful reminder of everything I had to work through all these years.

I started suffering from acne at around 15. There were just pimples in the beginning but soon they became huge painful boils under my skin, which was always red and swollen. My face was always the only place where they would appear.

When I was 17, I had my first treatment with Roaccutane, a powerful retinoid from the vitamin A family. I took it for six months and the side effects were horrendous: body aches, soft tissue extreme dryness, cracked and bleeding lips. It was awful, but I came off the other side with great skin, and thought I had won.

However, six years on, when I moved to London my skin reached a state it had never been before; the boils were back, bigger, deeper and more painful than ever. So much so that the GP suggested I saw a dermatologist. And they told me what I really dreaded: Roaccutane was the only way out. Terrified of the side effects, I said I didn’t want to go through all that again. Once is enough and I would rather live with the acne. I was lying. nothing is as bad as living with it. So I entered another course, this time during a whole year on a lower dosage, so cut down the side effects. Once again, the medication worked its magic and I had a spot-free face.

But the two violent bouts of acne cost me dearly, I was left with the scars to remember, everyday, all the pain it had inflicted on me during the best years of my life. I am not saying I lost my confidence; although there were lows, I have always been an outspoken, extrovert, confident woman who never let the acne define me. It could’ve been much worse in that respect – but I remain sensitive about it.

One good thing it gave me is my love of make up, which stems from the need to hide myself for years. I had a long fringe that would conveniently cover my cheeks most of the time. I think most of my acne trauma is in fact, due to the incessant treatments, and the physical pain of the boils. As only the scars were left, I decided it was time to face the world, however ugly I believe they are. And I did. I left all those feelings in the past and embraced a pull back do.

But recently my skin hasn’t been happy and the breakouts are re-occurring. Not the monthly ones, which I learnt to ignore. They are cystic again, they are growing on top of each other, a classic sign of when things are going bad…. you wouldn’t probably be able to see them, but I know they are there. Hurting.

So I went to the doctor and I was told I could get a referral to a dermatologist, who would probably put me on Roaccutane, I broke down in tears. I cannot do that to myself again. So I went on antibiotics for a while – and improvement is pathetic for me to be pumping myself up with drugs everyday. I hate my scars. I always hated them so much, but now it’s serious. I had enough.

The final low was this bright red, sore spot bang on my cheek.Why won’t it just leave me alone? I should be worrying about wrinkles at this age… not freaking acne!

This time it is really affecting me. I want it to go away, I want the scars to go away and I never want to remember this was part of me for all this time. It is more than half my life. And I got myself thinking about taking Roaccutane again… and that makes me really sad. It looks like acne cornered me again…

I tried everything. Products do help, recently Skinetica and the Elemis range have been helping to control it without being too aggressive (yeah, I am also tired of slapping things on that make me red, flaky, horrible). However, it is always there and suddenly, I have an awful bout and it gets much worse. Medical advice that is not Roaccutane seem to be useless.

This is haunting me and I thought it was finally time to put it out there. I cannot keep this to myself anymore. Lots of stuff now cross my mind. Could Roaccutane be the way, again? Being such a strong medication, is it safe for me to have it for the third time? If I decide to get pregnant in the next couple of years (I am no spring chicken, I really need to decide soon if I am to), could it affect my baby? I know the textbook answer to those questions, as I read extensively on the drug. But the questions will always be in the back of my head. “Am I giving myself a bigger risk of liver disease?” “Am I jeopardising my fertility?” . Also, is there something I have not found yet that can help me?

I have decided I will not take it again. There *must* be another way.  But the biggest question of all still remains: “Will I ever be free from it?”.

HEEEELP!!!!

ps. I’d like to thank Grace from All that Slap, who has talked openly on her blog about a highly sensitive issue she faces – it inspired me to talk seconda and she encouraged me to do the same. Thank you for the support! x

Product review: Skinetica anti-blemish

skinetica blemish treatmentI was really excited to receive Skinetica – the promise to fight acne alone makes it go half way up in my good books! Having struggled for more than half of my life time with acne, this is an extremely touchy subject for me. Heart pouring posts have been written only to never see the light of day. Maybe one day they will….

But for now, let’s talk about Skinetica, an anti-blemish treatment with no harsh chemicals, no side effects, gentle to the skin, non-toxic, non-staining and non-greasy. Yes, sounds way too good.

The active ingredient is Quaternary Ammonium Chloride with a Sylyl base, to stick to the skin – none of the usual benzoyl peroxides and salicylic acids. Basically, it means that this is straight from a chemistry lab to work at a molecular level on the skin (the particles are really small and absorbed quickly by the skin, staying put) and killing the bacteria.

The packaging is simple: a plastic tube, flip open top, nothing fancy, all functional. It looks like water, the smell is almost nonexistent. The indication is to apply to clean skin (if you apply over a product, it won’t work!) with a cotton wool pad twice a day and let it dry. Once dried, it is chemically inert (it won’t come off or dilute) and you won’t feel anything. You should re-apply every 12 hours, as this is the time one application will keep working, even if you wash your face. I use it morning and evening – I apply it in the morning and after the product is completely dry I put my make-up on as usual and at night, I cleanse my face, let it dry and then apply moisturiser. I have been using it daily fora month now.

This product caught me at the bitter end of my worst breakout in eight years. Yes, awful. I stopped the antibiotics and topical solution (which didn’t seem to be doing much anyway) and  in a brave move, stuck to this. Just this. I must point out that my spots are usually quite deep, medium to large in size and extremely persistent.

So, does it work? Well, for me, I felt it really made spots go away quicker. They don’t become sore and angry anymore. I usually have the type of spots that takes weeks, sometimes months, to vanish, and occasionally culminate in a yellow tip (eeew, I know). I could really feel a difference with this product..

Do I think it prevented  new spots from coming up? Well, I cannot say for sure. I tend to think it did. I certainly have less than I had at the time I started – it is worth pointing out that was an unusually bad patch for me, but the improvement could well be due to the product. I still have a couple, but who knows how it would be now?

Having said all that, what really makes like this even more is that it’s really gentle to the skin. In a sad way, I am used to harsh products – peeling, tightness and redness have been part of my life for a long time. With this product, I had nothing. It has been great; my skin is not dry, irritated or sensitive – just normal. Also, for the first time in my life, I am using only one acne related product on my face on a daily basis. This, for me, is quite something.

At the retail price (under £10 for one bottle, including p&p), there is no way you shouldn’t try if you suffer from blemishes – superficial or deep. I really recommend it, it is really worth a go – and that is coming from someone who tried everything. I mean EVERYTHING. And my skin seems very happy with it.

I will purchase another bottle to keep using, as regular use will have no long term undesired effects – anything to keep the spots at bay, better if it is only one product that works and is not aggressive!

You can find more information about the product and purchase it here.

This post contains PR samples, however, this review is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Genoa cosmetics and make-up trolley from Beauty Boxes

Genoa Cosmetics & Make Up Trolley from Beauty Boxes - So Many Lovely Things

A girl’s beauty dream

If you are a make-up mad person as I am, I doubt you never dreamt about having all your lovely cosmetics organised in a gorgeous beauty trolley.

I mean, just think about having everything visible, in one safe place that is mobile. Well, I no longer have to dream.

The Genoa trolley from Beauty Boxes is a “workstation on wheels” and it is suitable for make-up artists and beauticians, as well as to have at home. It’s not too big and bulky, so it sits comfortably even in homes that don’t have that much space (like mine), and because it is very pretty, it can (and should) be on show!

The delivery service was exceptional – next day and I got an email on the day specifying an hour time slot for delivery, and it came 5 minutes into the slot. In all my excitement, I opened the box to find an amazingly sturdy, finished to a high standard trolley, with very smooth hinges and sliders. There are two mirrors inside and it also comes with two make-up brushes holders which can be hung on the trolley when open. The top compartments have a good depth and the bottom part too – it’s deep enough to fit hair tools. It also has a key.

I fit most of my make-up in it, well, the usual suspects that is, leaving out many odds and sods, some palettes and a few products I haven’t opened yet! At the top I put my face and lip products. In the second fold of drawers I put my single eye shadows and all eye stuff. In the compartments at the bottom, I put my beloved Urban Decay palettes and bags with the other eyes, lips and face stuff I use less often. There were two empty compartments where I could put my other eye shadow palettes, skincare and/or hair dryer, straighteners, curlers and products. On top of it, when closed, I had the brush holders and my lovely Revlon mirror with lights, so the trolley is really versatile!

In terms of mobility, I found it is not too heavy when loaded. The wheels are smooth, and the handle strongly built.

It comes in three colours; mine, rose, a lovely bright-ish pink with a snake skin-like texture, baby pink and silver, both with a metal finish – all in 38.5cm width, 62cm height, 30cm depth and 7.4kg of fabulousness.

Would I recommended that anyone that has a considerable amount of make-up and cosmetics buy one? Definitely. If you don’t have that much, Beauty Boxes has an exciting range of practical, durable and versatile beauty boxes and trolleys which are also very pretty and stylish, to cater for varied needs – oh, and with free delivery!

Beauty Boxes kindly sent me this as a PR sample, and I could not be happier. Serious amount of excitement. Views are my own, based on honest experience with the product.

Product review: Elemis freshskin skin clear

Sometime ago, I went to the Elemis freshskin event. It was a lovely evening and I left with some great products to try, and met some lovely people.

When trying skin care, I like to use for a few weeks to have a real sense on how my skin likes it, how it reacts to the goodness slapped on it, and if I can see an improvement.

I have been using four products of the freshskin Skin Clear line for the past few weeks now and they have treated my skin very well. If you have been here before, you probably know that although I am not that young, I suffered from severe acne and to this day, I can suffer from breakouts and this is a very touchy subject for me. This event came at a time I had been very upset about the bad breakouts appearing.

I introduced the range to my routine, so I am going to breakdown by product and tell you what I think:

Purifying face wash

What they say: “helps detox and purify the skin. With antiseptic properties, the wash promotes healthy cell growth to repair damaged tissue. White Willow Bark provides gentle exfoliation whilst Cedarwood and Cucumber soothe the skin. Experience an extreme clean.”

What I thought of it: smells very fresh and give you the impression of a really clean skin. A small quantity goes a long way and the smell is fresh, without being overpowering. It does not dry my skin.

Key active ingredients: extract of iris, zinc salt and vitamin A.

Mattifying moisturiser

What they say: “helps control the shine of oily skins. A skin multi-tasker, this reduces T-zone shine within one hour of application and maintains a matt finish for up to 8 hours. Shea Butter helps promote cell renewal, hydrates and protects all day long, whilst reducing redness, inflammation and helps minimise post blemish imperfections.”

What I thought of it: has a rich consistency, but not too much. What I really like about this is that it feels nourishing, is absorbed by the skin very nicely and doesn’t feel greasy. Good to use under make up.

Key active ingredients: seamat, shea butter, bergamot.

Treatment gel:

What they say: “gel to powerfully bust blemishes. With Salicylic Acid to de-clog pores, allowing spots to shrink this multi-tasker reduces swelling and redness around spots, clears blemishes without over drying the skin and encourages fast and effective healing.”

What I thought of it: really like this! It feels a little bit tingly when applied over the spot, and has a calming effect. It doesn’t dry the area, so it can be used over and over again in the same place.

Key active ingredients: extract of iris, zinc salt, vitamin A.

Overnight serum:

What they say: “helps de-clog pores, allowing spots to shrink, without causing sensitivity. It reduces swelling and redness around troublesome spots whilst tightening pores. Whilst powerful anti-oxidant properties aid skin repair and help minimise post blemish imperfections.”

What I thought of it: Can also be used under make up, actually, I used this more during the day than overnight!!! Feels like a good overall healing and maintenance for the whole face, opposed to the “on the spot” gel.

Key active ingredients: slow release salicylic acid, renovhyal and vitamins C & E.

My skin has really calmed down, it is quite visible. Admittedly I’ve been on medication too, but it is the first time I take meds and my skin feels nourished, not dry and flaky, and more plump, healthier.

For me, it seems like a great range to maintain your skin under control, healing and preventing “daily” spots. Of course, if you, like me, suffer(ed) from severe acne, you might have to resort to powerful oral medication or more aggressive topical products. This range, however, seemed to keep my skin happier, even though it was receiving a more aggressive treatment.

The packaging is simple, nice and the blue colour also appeals to the boys! The smells are subtle and herbs-like. All products are free from parabens, SLS, SLES, DEA, mineral oils, artificial colours and silicons.

I do recommend it, not only for younger skin, but also for adults who may still suffer from acne and need a non-aggressive daily treatment line. If you are in this situation, well worth a go, I do know how difficult it is to find something that will agree with problematic skin.

I am keeping them on my daily routine, and I am fully stocked, as I won their competition after the event. Lucky me!

All images are from the Elemis website, where you can also find more information on the products reviewed.

This post contains PR samples, however, this review is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.