Ok, sounds like a clickbait headline, but it is true: there is one consistent action that pretty much vanished melasma from my face.
For the record, mine was never that bad. Low level, it was always there, on the edges of my eyebrows, patches on forehead and around the bottom of the eyes.
During the warmer months or a nice holiday, the pigmentation would become very visible, and harder to hide with usual make up.
They’d fade in the colder months but always be there. For my already acne scarred face, that was yet another reminder of my terrible skin and I wasn’t quite sure why.
If my make up had SPF and I was wearing 30+ on holidays, with frequent application, why was it still there???
Once I read that the light from laptops and electronic devices also cause ageing and all made sense.
I started wearing “real” SPF 30+ and not make up or skincare with added SPF, which usually are low 10-15, even on the days I wasn’t leaving the house, my hormonal pigmentation vanished, and never returned.
It became a fixed step in my morning routine, regardless of the exposure I was expecting for that day, or time of the year.
While I appreciate some cases are more severe than mine, this was life changing in my skincare routine.
I’m constantly trialling different ones as sunscreen can cause even more havoc to my acneic, sensitive skin.
So far I’ve been very impressed with Skinceauticals Sheer Mineral UV Defense SPF50, Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF50 (also available with a light tint), Image Skincare Prevention+ SPF32+, (surprisingly) Nivea Cellular Luminous anti dark spot day fluid SPF50, Sunsense daily face invisible tint finish SPF 50+, Garnier Ambre Solaire Over makeup Super UV SPF50, La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL tinted fluid SPF50+, Piz Buin Mountain Suncream SPF50+ (great for the winter) and a few more gems I encountered since I adopted the new habit.
Next on my list to try? SOS Serum SPF 30 and 50 and the Bioderma Photoderm Anti Melasma tinted SPF50+ both great value for money at under £20. What’s not to love?
You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains some mentions to PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post, but the majority were purchased with my own money. Opinions are honest and my own.
We all love makeup. And we need (ok, we do love it too) skincare.
I raved about the 
Skin hydration as become a huge issue for me and I am always welcoming products that not only deliver that but also maintain it.
I do love a serum, and this one has a water-like consistency and applies extremely well, being absorbed really quickly by the skin.
Always worth remembering La Roche-Posay cares for sensitive skin types. It contains thermal spring water associated with hyaluronic acid fragments alongside arginine and serine. It does not contain parabens.
Many a times I said I’m not a fan of BB creams and other multi-function products.
Durability wise, it’s not amazing in the long haul (10 hours on a work day), so I wouldn’t say it will replace my foundation, but it’s perfect for less makeup days and speedy makeup. Because it is from the Effaclar range, not only does it make my skin look good, but it’s also looking after my blemish prone skin.
I must admit that I notice all benefits above, but mainly even tone, a slight radiance and better texture, which is quite amazing, bearing in mind it is one product.
In 2015 I fell in love with skincare even more. I really drilled onto the nurturing aspect of dealing with my difficult and acneic skin, and the results, overall, are amazing.
Dr Jackson Facial Oil
Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Broad Spectrum anti-wrinkle protect cream:
This works light time skin plumper
Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus
Liz Earle Superskin Face Serum
Bee Good Hydrate, Smooth and Prime Serum:
Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster
Nivea lip butter
Dermalogica intensive eye repair
S5 renew eye cream
S5 Clarity Cleanser:
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream
Caudalie Instant Detox Mask: a pink clay mask that purifies and tightens without drying. In fact, all Caudalie masks are ace, I also use the Glycolic Peel and the Moisturizing mask which are fab.
I love a good toner, and the Pixi Glow Tonic is just that. Slightly exfoliating, it delivers radiance within days of use. And has a great price.
I wasn’t sure how to call the 
Can’t live without a face mist, and in the winter even more so. The 
2015. What a fabulous year for the blog. I never expected all the amazing things that happened, brands, products and, above all, people I met.
Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Love bite lipstick: usually a finish I don’t go for, a kind of lustre, but oh, boy, this is pretty. An orange red, with a fab sheen, but not too much, and great durability.
And a special mention to my favourite budget highlighter: 
So Many Lovely Things 