Tea Tree Pore Minimiser

I love The Body Shop skin care ranges, they have something for everything from extremely dry skin to acne prone blemished skin. The Tea Tree range was one of the first items I tried, my mum bought them home from a Body Shop party (eh remember them!) once and I loved the cooling feeling they had on my acne ridden skin. They were perhaps a bit too drying for my skin but I still slathered them on in the hope of perfect skin.

Fast forward 10 years and the range has also moved on a bit, they ahem everything from day creams to night lotions. The newest member of the family is the Pore Minimiser, promising to make pores smaller and at the same time instantly mattifying skin with the added benefits of tea tree oil. 

Now firstly it does nothing to the size of my pores, especially compared to something like Benefit's pore minimising POREfessional. For a product that promises as to minimise pores this is pretty crap. It's second promise is to leave skin feeling fresh and pore, it does this. There are better products that leave a perfect base for makeup. That said it is nice to smooth on if my skin is feeling particularly warm and oily.

Mainly though this is a big fail from me, sorry Body Shop.

Four Things That Saved My Skin

My skin is a constant battle, these are just some of the things that have helped turn my forever blemished skin into blemish prone but still red / acne scarred skin. It is a work in progress! Next up to tackle is scarring..

Cleansing Properly

This might sound so simple to most hardened beauty bloggers. But simply ensuring I removed my make up properly (without using face wipes) has made such a difference. I now have a ridiculous collection if cleansers to use depending on my mood. I even double cleanse these days, who knew! First I use an oil cleanser which helps remove every trace of makeup, the oil just clings to all the dirt and makeup.  I love The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil. Second up I use a balm or gel cleanser. Emma Hardie Moringa Balm will forever be my luxury choice but the The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter is equally as effective. On lazy nights I use a micellar water, such as Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water before cleansing to really make sure all my makeup is removed instead of double cleansing. 

Chemical Exfoliator 

I used to use harsh alcohol based toners, in a way they were exfoliating but also stripping my skin. I first tried the Alpha H Liquid Gold that every blogger flipping adored (not so much I see!) but now I am onto my third bottle of the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner. The fruit acids really help finally remove any left over dirt as well as boosting the skins renewal. On my wish list is the PIXI Glow Tonic however it is never in stock when I can buy it. (It is right now and I am resisting all temptation to tap in my card details)

La Roche Posay

I know I know. Stop harping on about them. Effaclar Duo has honestly improved my skin ten fold. I don't know the magic behind the white cream but if I don't apply this to my cheeks, chin and jawline at night by the morning I always have a pesky spot appearing from somewhere. My understanding is  LHAs and Salicylic Acid exfoliate the skin with added Niacinamide to soothe the inflammation. 

Moisturising

Having oily skin I was always too scared to add extra oil to my skin. I would strip all the oil from my skin leaving it red and sore but at least I had no spots! I would barely even moisturise my skin in fear that I would cause more breakouts. Now I swear by the Vitamin E range from The Body Shop, which I have raved about before. It is for very dry skin but find it perfect for my forehead that really struggles from dehydration lines. 

Honourable Mentions
The Body Shop Facial Massager, really helps with the under the skin spots. Read Caroline Hirons' directions here. The Caudalie Beauty Elixir was in every bloggers wish list / holy grail / hand bag a year ago. As always I'm slow to the trends but this is perfect for soothing redness and just smells amazing. The REN ClearCalm Clay Cleanser is amazing. I find it too drying to use every night but find it perfect to use in the morning before applying make up. The clay really helps clean my skin, I tend to massage it on for a few minutes before washing off with a hot flannel.

Hair Basket

I have already written about about my thick hair and how I tame it, this is just an extended version of my current favourite hair products (new and old!).

I have got far too comfortable wearing my hair in a massive bun on the top of my hair, it is just so easy. Last week I had a few inches cut off and have vowed to make a bit more effort drying and styling it properly. In fact I did the whole routine this morning only to tie it in a top knot without an hour. Baby steps.

Before drying my hair I tend to use a oil but at the minute I am favouring the Macademia Straightening Balm from The Body Shop as recommended by a friend on twitter. It seems to have vanished from their website so hope this means it hasn't been discontinued. It is heat activated so perfect for use before hair drying. If my hair is extra tangled, as normal, I tend to give a quick spritz of L'Oreal Kids Detangling Spray before running a Tangle Teezer through it. 

I dry my hair with the GHD Air hair drier which deserves its own special post, after all I did spend a ridiculous amount of money on a hair drier. I love using a big round brush to half blow dry bits when I can be bothered.

I use the amazing Cloud Nine Wide Plate Straighteners. After borrowing my friends wide plate straighteners I was hooked, so much quicker for long hair. These were a Christmas present but also a bargain with 25% in the pre-christmas sales! The adjustable heat is wonderful as I really don't need the full 220 degrees C to smooth my already mostly straight hair. Before using them I spritz them with Lee Stafford Flat Iron Protection Mist which gives such good protection against heat, my only problem is the smell which is a bit too chemically for my likening. I prefer the Argan Oil version as it leaves my hair so smooth, except it is double the price. 

One of my longest used products is After Party from TIGI Bed Head. It smells amazing, comes in a wonderful pink bottle and is the perfect finishing smoothing cream. I tend to tip my hair upside down and run this through from the middle to the ends which helps smooth the ends. I like big hair, so if I am going out I tend to add a matte powder such as Toni & Guy's Sculpting Powder, it doesn't feel as tacky in my hair as some do and gives wonderful volume. I do really love the Osis + version which was the first I used but the high street versions are just as good and more readily available.

If just a normal day I tend to spray dry shampoo through the roots, yes even on clean hair, to give it that two day wash feel. Batiste are the ultimate in the dry shampoo world and only ever buy their version. And look, leopard print bottle!

Lip Balm Obsession

I have an unhealthy lipbalm addiction, always searching for the perfect one or desperately needing one when I am out and picking up an an extra one. We would be here forever if I went through all of these so here are my 5 favourites.

 

Nuxe Reve de Miel - Is my utter most favourite lip balm, might even call it a holy grail. I suffer from chronic dry lips and this has really helped. With healing honey it really helps repair my chapped lips and the perfect base for lipstick.

Blistex Relief Cream - When my lips are really really sore this is the only thing that heals them, it has the most frustrating packaging in the world but I forgive it for how soothing the camphor it contains is.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Lips * - I wrote about this in my Escentual wish list and the kind people at La Roche Posay sent me this to try. Even after a few days I am in love. It really helps my extremely dry lips but also creates a barrier to prevent further chapping. Love love!

Lush Honey Trap - This is another lip balm containing honey which I really think is a magical ingredient in lip balms. With added wheat germ, olive and almond oils to moisturise - it also tastes amazing. 

The Body Shop Hemp Lip Protector - It was hard to pick my fifth favourite, the Ginger Sparkle lipbalm from The Body Shop smells amazing however it was a limited edition and no longer available. Equally as wonderful is the Hemp Lip Protector. For work I need a stick lip balm for hygiene purposes and this is wonderfully hydrating. 

x

Vitamin E Overnight Serum in Oil

Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil - Vitamin E Intense Cream - Vitamin E Daily Moisture Cream

This little pink pot is amazing. No other way to explain it. Massively favoured by the wonderful Caroline Hirons and I can see why. The Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil promises to "replenish and recharge skin with moisture overnight" and gets to work while you have your 8 hour beauty sleep. (8 hours? I wish). With a high concentration of wheat germ oil and traditionally produced soya oil it has a lot of claims to live up to. The Body Shop is a firm favourite of mine for all things beauty, their showers gels are some of the only ones that don't irritate my skin and at the same time smell awesome. They often run sales or offers and at the minute they have a £25 off £50 spend until 28th February as I posted here.

 My skin has been very dry recently, even with a good smoothing primer my foundation has clung to dry spots especially on my forehead. It was starting to resemble sand paper, for someone who has suffered from oily skin for most of my teenage years this was a shock. From the very first use this made my skin feel amazing. It instantly sunk into my skin and I woke up with beautiful smooth skin. After one use. Imagine how lovely and glowing my skin will be after using this every night. The Body Shop website recommends pairing this with a night cream, I have been using the Vitamin E Intense Cream for a while. I still use my trusted Effaclar Duo + on my cheeks.

I have full on combination skin, dry patches and oily patches. Neither have suffered at the hands of this little oil. Perfectly packaged with a glass pipette which helps dispense the perfect amount. I am addicted and have already bought my sister one as part of her birthday present! Seriously, just go buy this. Even at full price it is worth every penny.

Even Muffin enjoys it

The Body Shop - £25 off £50

The Body Shop often run discounts online and in their stores, in fact I never actually buy anything from them full price as I know just around the corner there will be a 40% discount code that lands in my inbox. I also have a Love Your Body Card which costs £5 but you get 10% discount for the year and gift for your birthday as well as gifts throughout the year. Well worth it in my opinion, you can use your discount online just cannot collect stamps.

At the minute The Body Shop are running £10 of a £25 spend and £25 off a £50 spend, available online with the code Catwalk or in store by just showing this voucher on your phone.

I have had a rough couple of weeks so decided a treat was in order, so popped to the store in town as I was too impatient to wait for delivery and picked up some bits. Came to £20 in all thanks to my Love Your Body Discount and the £25 off. Can't complain at that!

Hair Chalk in Falling for Blue

These are only available in store, I haven't actually used this yet but reviews around the internet are positive just ensure you set it with hairspray. Looking forward to having a play now I've dyed my hair back dark

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

I like to use an oil cleanser especially when my skin is suffering with the cold. This quickly removes all my makeup, smells wonderful and leaves no residue. I still follow with a second cleanse but that's just me and my endless quest for perfect skin. Have to ensure all that make up and product is removed!

Warming Mineral Mask

My favourite mask from Sanctuary at last ran out last week, this is very similar apart from no charcoal. It contains kaolin clay which my skin loves, it draws out any impurities and the warming sensation leaves my face feeling wonderfully clean. 

Honey Bronzing Powder in Light Matte

All my bronzer powders have started to look dirty on my skin thanks to my skin getting even paler from seeing no sunlight for months. This is a perfect no shimmer bronzer, the lightest shade is perfect to add a little bit of shape to my round cheeks. It is also really buildable so would be able to use in summer when i sometimes become a NW15 instead of a NW13 ;) And just look at the lovely packaging!

Vitamin E Serum in Oil

I'll leave this short and sweet as I've also written up a little review of this beauty for later in the week. My skin instantly felt softer the next morning after applying this. Caroline Hirons raves about it. Go buy it.

Yes, this doesn't fit into my beauty challenge, but after the last 3 weeks I've had I deserve a little treat. And it was quite a thrift treat!

Skimlinks Test

These Boots Were Made For Walking

Feet. Not the most glamorous of topics. I spend my working days on my feet traipsing up and down a ward. They take a battering and I am often in pain. I tend to get hard skin on my heels which can hurt more and sometimes they just want some pampering. I have some amazingly comfy shoes from Hotter which I think is the most important thing first but to help even more there arethese three beauties.

Soap and Glory Heel Genius - S&G usually have amazing smelling products, Smoothie Star smells just wonderful. I think however that the combination of menthol, lemon fruit acid and orange doesn't create the best smell. It is perfect for every day moisturising especially after a pedicure. Besides the smell I love this, a lovely thick cream with a slightly blue tinge. It is in the normal S&G packaging promising a "miraculous moisturising mix".

CCS Foot Care Cream - This is the real deal and a heavy duty cream. My aunt originally recommended this to my mum, as a podiatrist I'm willing to take her word for it. I apply this at night  under a pair of socks and leave it to do its thing. It really helps soften the skin on my heels without the need for a good old skin grating session, shudder. It doesn't have a strong smell unlike S&G's offering. Covering my feet in this every night in hope I end up with beautiful soft feet.

Body Shop Peppermint Soothing Foot Scrub - The peppermint is hard to miss, as soon as you open the lid you can smell it. It exfoliates your foot as well as soothes and freshens, I found it really cooled my feet down and helped ease any burning pain. I tend to apply this before a shower so it is easy to wash off, the first time I rubbed it on my feet before bed and then had to do a rather glamorous manoeuvre of getting my foot in the sink to wash it off.  

Next on my foot care wish list is the Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion from Body Shop, I can see it being perfect at the end of a long day. 

(PS How beautiful is the scarf? It was my grandmothers and is in beautiful condition)

Sweet Like Chocolate

 Body Butter / Lip Butter / Body Scrub / Shower Cream 

I love chocolate, when I was little the two things I would eat were macaroni cheese and toblerone. I was a horrible child. I still love the scent. In step The Body Shop and my sister, she bought me a wee Chocomania set as part of my Christmas present and I was hooked. 

The body butter is pretty standard Body Shop however it does promise "48 hour feel good hydration" which I don't think the rest of their famous range do. I am always dubious of promises like this, but this does keep my legs feeling lovely and smooth . It is the body scrub which is the winner for me, I love exfoliating. I'm odd like that. I've tried some that are full of salt (Ted Baker, I'm looking at you) and some that just don't do anything. This scrub however smells divine - almost nutty, has a lovely texture of sugar works well to get rid of dead skin ready for moisturising or fake tan if I am feeling adventurous.

The lip butter is always in my handbag, it is not as heavy duty as my Nivea SOS or Carmex but is a fine the rest of the time. It doesn't taste of chocolate though, c'mon I wasn't the only one hoping. I love that LUSH's lip scrubs taste amazing, but then remember I am also eating my own dry skin. Yum. Last but not least is the shower cream. Now I usually buy the cheapest body wash in the supermarket, or anything on offer. Except for Snow Fairy but that's a once a year thing. So to become hooked to a shower cream that is more than £1 is something for me. It is lovely and moisturising, doesn't irritate my eczema prone areas and has the same scent. 

I have since bought another set from The Body Shop Outlet store at Cheshire Oaks, they offer 40% off RRP when you buy 3 or more items. They also gave us an extra 10% for having a Body Shop Love Your Body card. Basically I bought them for cheap. Would I pay full price? For the body scrub maybe. Then again they always seem to have offers on their website.

xoxo