Finding your skin type

A lot of people get fustrated when they cant find the right product for them (make up or skincare) or when something doesnt work for them as it does for someone else.. its all about your skin, obviously application helps too!

Which is why i wamted to write this.

 Something that may seem easy, but actuallly can be very more confusing than one might think. Although i have a beauty qualification, it is still something i found very baffling until i did some more research and took the time to actually care about it! BUT I am no means a expert or specialist.

Many types of skin and soo many types of products but which one is right for you?

Firstly if you are struggling i would suggest going to see someone (more than one actually) at a skincare counter and get their opinion. 

☆ Just because your skin may not feel dry doesn't mean it isnt dehydrated- some people mistake them for the same thing.

  Dry skin may feel rough or only come up in certain patches of flaky/scaly textures, it might look slightly more coarse than normal nd products may stick to patches. Whacking aload of cream on it isnt going to help, it helps if you use a oil or serum and a cream that is oil based to bring moisture back. When it comes to cleansing, i have found foam cleansers tend to dry your skin out more, so i would stick to a cleansing balm or something you know isnt drying.

 Dehydrated skin may mean your skin looks slightly duller and can some times be noticed if you have fine lines on your forhead from not drinking enough and staying, well... hydrated. This means you cant necerssarily use the same product as you would for dry skin, its best to use a serum and a moisturiser that is water based. 

☆ You could have a certain shine to your skin, it could sometimes be released sweat and not necessarily oily skin.

Oily skin is excess oil (excess meaning over producing natural oils) which can cause black heads and spots. Majority of people with oily skin will have open or bigger pores which causes it to clog easier sometimes causing said spots and black heads. Over cleansing your skin will not help this as your skin once its clean, has to restore the natural oils and starts to work harder the more it gets taken away.

Combination skin is probably the hardest to maintain as it requires you to balance your skin. You may sometimes be oily or some days you might have drier skin, like wise you could get an oily T-zone and the rest of your skin is dry. I find what is best is giving it products for dry skin and oily skin, so if you cleanse your skin with something oil free then your moisturiser could be oil based to balance o

ut your skin so you're hitting the right amount for each skin types.

Obviously a lot of people know when it comes to make up oil free products are normally for oily skin so you're not adding to the mass and your makeup wont go south and oil based products tend to be good for drier skin.. putting a oil free primer on oily skin is good because it normally means you've got bigger pores so a primer for oily skin tend to be oil free and mattifying whereas dry skin works better with a tackier textured, oil based primer so your makeup with press into your primer instead of your dry skin.

Again.. combination skin just means you need to combined a variation of products, so a mattifying primer with a dewy foundation or vice versa, if you really wanted to apply certain products to certain parts of your skin to counteract you skin type.

Having the right skin care routine can work wonders but what I will say is :

1. Try to switch your products up every now and then just so your skin doesn't get used to it (because that may cause problems)

2. Sometimes a simple skin routine could be what you need, why feed your skin more than it needs? When it could occasionally benefit from the minority of products on your bathroom shelf.

Again I'd like to say im not a professional, this is just what I have learnt and somethings that I find work.

If you are still intrigued about what your skin is truly like, you can always visit a few skincare counters to get a few different opinions.

Thankyou for reading.

Meg x

Seasonal transitions

Going through the seasons there are many transitions eg. Weather, temperature, colours etc. I for one love the fashion transitions, especially when it comes to Autumn/Winter, the colours start matching the trees and the clothing starts getting thicker.

Skin gets drier, sky gets darker and the days getting colder but everything gets a little more seasonal!!

So we've established fashion is my fave thing in winter, but so is the beauty aspect of it all.. lets talk about that a bit more.

 Makeup: The lips and nails start getting darker and the eyeshadow tones start to match the leaves. I have been looking a dark red/purple eye with a nude lip and a manicure to match, to create this looking i have been using the Revolution Resurrection palette mixed with the Mac burgundy x9 palette, i pair this all with Nyx soft matte cream in the shade London.

Fashion:
Red is a big part of autumn/winter fashion this year, however i am still addicted to my mustard threads and as usual anything grey!! Most of my outfits have consisted of my mustard suede jacket but i am sure i will be converting to my faux fur coat during the colder days.

Skincare: This season i will be trading in my simple skincare routine for a routine packed full of thick moisurising products and one of my faves.. Clarins HydraQuench mask which is great for feeding the moisture back into my skin in the colder months where my skin tends to be very desert-esque.

Obviously I have to mention the chang in decor.. ALL THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

If you love winter as much as I do, give this a share!
Thankyou for reading!
Meg x

My night time routine

Beauty sleep is one thing we all need a great deal of, whether its to revitalise you for the day ahead or as part of your chilled night in.
I have a few things that I do before I get into a nice snug bed that helps me to wind down and relax to enhance my maximum beauty sleep.

After a long day of doing whatever I've been doing first thing is to run a nice relaxing bath, this is my wind down time with a candle and maybe a glass of wine or a nice hot drink .. time to catch up on some YouTube videos. Of course I use my much loved Soap and Glory scrub and body wash and my trusty Wilkinson Silk razor to feel refreshed an like a women again.

Then its time for my skincare routine. I start out with my Liz Earle cleanse and polish to remove any left over dirt or makeup and follow it up with using a scrub, I like to use Garniers Pure Active 3 in 1 scrub or Clarins Gentle Refiner.
On to the most important face product which is a night cream, I've been loving No7 Protect and Perfect Night cream but some nights I'll pop Clarins Hydra Quench cream face mask on and let that sink in through the night, its good to switch it up a little!

Time to get in some Pjs and hop in to bed with a glass of water and I like to do some light reading before I sleep so I have a scroll through some blog posts and jobs a gooden, BUT there is no point of trying to get a good night sleep if you're tackling a lumpy mattress in your dreams, that's why its important to make sure you have a great up to date mattress that's going to help you sleep not prevent it, like the Leesa Mattress.

Each step is on your way to a better beauty sleep that's why I love having a night time routine that will help me conquer the morning to come.. especially a Monday!

More information about Leesa Mattress here.

Night Night Lovelies

Meg x

A faux tan to start the summer off

I haven't posted for a little while but I thought I would talk to you today about a fake tan.
Fake tan is definitely a hit or miss! There's so many disappointments out there that leave you with a oompa loompa glow or have that 'covered in jam' feel.
I however have found one that I am loving recently!

Superdrugs Solait tan.
They don't really have a specific name and im not 100% sure whether these are new
Or if they have just been repackaged. If you don't know Solait is Superdrugs own range of sun care and if I am totally honest I seen a photo on someones instagram and I just thought the packaging was super cute so when I went in to Superdrug to pick up a few bits, again the packaging just drew me in, I couldn't decided which formula to get but then I realised it was on buy one get one half price (wooo!) So I picked up the dark foam and the medium lotion.
I used the foam first because im slightly more used to a foam tan so I gave that one ago, first impression was the smell (IT IS NOT A FAKE TAN SMELL!!) It smells slightly tropically so that's always good. So this one is an instant then after a few hours the colour builds up, the initial colour is a tad orange because its quite dark but once I had washed it off the next morning if was such a lovely streak less colour which im really happy with.

I then tried the lotion which is also instant but this is a wash off formula so great to use for a night out or if you need a quick faux tan, I wouldn't really recommend putting this on top of another tan to darken it up... it doesn't work well, but on its own it actually works quite nicely and rubs in really well, I found it is good to use on the face because you don't use alot and it rubs in without leaving your face like a wotsit.

I am actually very surprised by the results of these tans and I am now in love especially with the foam tan, normally with own stores brands you'd think they would be a little crap but these fake tans work just as good as some bigger brand but a a quarter of the price...bonus!

Let me know whether you've tried them? I think they are going to be a gem in peoples lives!

Also if you didn't see my last video click Here.
What's your fave tan?

See you soon lovelies x

Empties // Beauty products

So i thought i would do my first Empties post, so you can see whether i've been loving these products or not. I thought this time i would do it as a video instead of a blog post, so here is my very first You Tube video. Be patient. Here.

Thanks for stopping by.
Meg x

A pamper before the party

Going out, whether that be with the boyfriend, friends or family is great but what i find is the best part of going on a night out is getting ready before hand, if anything it gets me more excited and i love feeling relaxed and refreshed. A few steps i find a must before i go out:

I tend to do my body first before my hair and face so.. First things first (im a realist) i have to jump in the shower, make sure my body is fully exfoliated with Soap and Glory's Flake away and my legs are hairless, after washing my hair i let most of it naturally dry before blow-drying.

I use Garnier ultimate blends body lotion all over my body before tanning or if i want something thicker i use Soap and Glory's righteous butter especially on my elbows, knees, hands and feet where tan tends to stick a bit more. I tend to use Bondi sands Foam Tan but i sometimes substitute it for St Moritz medium foam rubbing in circular motions with a tanning mitt excluding my face.
 After the majority of my body is dry and the tan has set in, i make sure my toenails are painted, even if im not wearing sandals or peep toes it still makes me feel a bit more put together when my tootsies are painted and it saves me doing it another day.

 If needed i'll wax my eyebrows and upper lip before cleansing my face with my Liz Earle cleanse and polish and then finish my cleansing routine which you can see here. I then apply a gradual tan to my face like the dove face and body Dermaspa summer revived mainly because its a tinted lotion so it works alot better on the face.

  My go to hair style when i go out is big curls, i do love big curl and i create this look really simply with my Nicky Clarke heated rollers and i just leave them in until the rest of me is completely ready and they have fully cooled down.
Lastly i'll do my makeup and after I've done everything i'll do my nails, sometimes i'll just paint them or have acrylics depends what i'm feeling.

I love the feeling of getting all made up it really puts me in the mood to go out and just lifts my spirits, a spritz of perfume and im ready to go.

What extra bits do you do before you go out?
Meg x

daily cleansing routine

My skincare routine I do on a daily basis when I am not too tired and just grab a face wipe!

First steps first i always take my make up off before i cleanse just to make sure its all off and feel extra refreshed, the product i go to for that is, surprise surprise, the Garnier Micellar water, i am currently stocked up on this product for the next few months, the bottle lasts a while so its not one that you have to spend loads on every few weeks, if like me, you find this is your staple product them they also do a 700 ml that i tend to stock up on also the travel size fr times im not at home.

 I find this product completely refreshes my face, I wouldn't say it 100% cleans my skin but i can happily go to bed just using this product as it does a very god job! Its very refreshing and very gentle on your skin, another great point is it actually takes your eye makeup off (even waterproof!).

I then go in with cleanser, which i am currently using Liz Earle cleanse and polish. I have used this product for a very long time because it does the job, i wouldn't say its amazing but its lovely and creamy which keeps your skin moisturised and soft but definitely greasy, i like the fact it kinda strips your skin in good way without it feeling dry, that's how clean you feel!

Most days i will use one of my two favourite exfoliators depending on what im feeling. I have loved them both for a long time and i think I've got to the point where i am very comfortable with them at the moment so i haven't recently branched out. They are both very cleansing and leave your skin feeling super soft. The Garnier Pure Active Blackhead scrub is a harsher scrub so i tend to use this when i need a skin detox, whereas the Garnier Pure Active 3-in-1, so its a mask, scrub and wash in one but i only really use it as a scrub, its clay based so i find its quite gentle and the beads are quite fine.

After all of that i use the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer which i have only recently used for the past few months, its a great product to use during my makeup routine to spritz on my beauty blender as i go also when im finished to keep that radiant look on my skin. If you are anything like me and hate the feeling of your makeup drying through out the or starting to feel a tad uncomfortable then this mist is great for refreshing your skin and hydrating it.

Megan x

Pamper night

We all get to that point where we need a night of luxury to pamper are selves, with just the right products they can make you feel like a new woman.

A few products i like to use to revive myself and refresh.

Cup o' Coffee- A great face and body scrub/mask for those coffee addicts that like a good cleanse, i have wrote a full post on what i think abut this product here.

Dove Derma Spa Summer Revived Body lotion- A very good alternative to fake tan or in England.. sun. I really like this product because it doesn't feel as fake tan sometimes can when it starts to wear off, being a tinted body lotion it gives you all the moisture you need instead of dancing around trying to dry your body buttered body. i would recommend to go for the medium/dark.

Umberto Giannini Beauty Secrets Moisture Mask- A bit of a mouthful, saving the best till last-  one of my new favourite products. Having very long mermaid hair it can always get me in a tangle also having quite fine hair it tends to look quite limp not luscious. Before i laid my hands on this i had never found a product that quite does the job well enough, This hair mask instantly makes my hair feel smoother after applying it to the lengths of my hair (not the roots) and leaves it looking super shiny- basically a salon finish! It is also a great miracle worker fr those tedious knots in my locks, as it will for anyone with quite thick or long hair, or just tangle prone. Definitely a product i recommend!

Which are your go to pamper products?

Meg x

My go to brand

I think we all have a brand that we always go back to, no matter how many products we try it just doesn't match up to that product that we just cant get out of our heads. i find that regardless of how many things i try there is one brand that works for me best in a lot of ways. Garnier was one of the first brands i tried, hair, beauty, everything. I find that it they are quite gentle products with not too harsh and in a nutshell they do what they say on the the tin.

These are a few products from Garnier's ranges that i always repurchase:

Garnier Micellar Water- 

How can this not be in this blog post, I mean i have two back up bottles in my drawer for when i run out so its an understatement to say i like this product. A very gentle product with a few variations for everyone, although it is very popular, i love this product because quite frankly it does everything you need in a cleansing water - No more panda eyes!

Ultimate Blends-

Here i have a few different products from the Ultimate Blends hair range, The Marvelous Transformer shampoo, the Weightless Nourisher conditioner and the mask (which still doesn't quite beat Umberto Giannini Beauty Secrets hair mask) i also have the Strength Restorer serum which i find works really well at putting moisture back in to my hair and beating the dry ends.

 Another one from the Ultimate Blends range is The Marvelous Oils Hydrating body lotion, i will be quite honest i am very bad at remembering to look after my skin on my body, rubbing body lotions in just seem so time consuming, but after buying this one as it was on offer.. it is nearly gone, i have used this nearly every time i have got out of the shower to keep my skin hydrated, its not very thick so its very easy to apply and quick drying, plus it also comes in a pump to make it that little bit easier.

Moisture Match-

Garnier Moisture Match + Goodbye Dry Is one of the first moisturisers i bought as a teenager and still continue take it into my adult hood as i feel it is a very simple product and sometimes that's what your skin needs... simple, Its mainly for sensitive skin and contains rose so it isn't harsh on your skin but it is also very creamy to hydrate your skin so a definite to those who have de-hydrated or dry skin, it brings back all your moisture and makes your skin feel super soft.

Such a coincidence that i happened to use all of these products just before writing this up haha. 

What is your go to brand? Let me know.

Meg x

Cup o' Coffee

Wow. So its been a month since my last post and i apologise for being vacant, i have lost my phone and any form of being able to write up content but i am back, hopefully.

For all you coffee addicts and face mask lovers, this one is for you!
we all know Lush products are fab, aside from the bath bombs the face masks are alot of peoples favourites, Despite having never tried one from Lush until a few days ago, i am very much so in love with them.

This lovely 'wake me up' face and body mask is filled with coffee infusions to give you that caffeine boost, vanilla, multiple oils to nourish the skin, agave syrup and ground coffee to exfoliate your skin.
Cup o' Coffee leaves your face feeling soft and very clean, it also gives you a desired radiant, awake look to beat the fatigue blues. This scrub mask can be used on your face and body, to revive your whole body and give it the ultimate deep clean.
A lot of exfoliating face mask tend to have tiny beads in to work the dry skin or they go the extreme and have quite coarse beads that can sometimes feel like gravel and be a bit to harsh on your delicate facial skin, however this one is a happy medium which is both light enough for your face and body but at the same time its not too light that you cant feel anything.

I, myself picked up the smaller size (150g) just to try out but there is also a size that is slightly bigger costing a little bit more, which i think is great when a company make a couple of sizes to start you off and repurchase the larger pot after fa

lling in love, i mean that is definitely what i am going to do anyway.

Over all it is such a good product and i would recommend this one if you have been um-ing and ar-ing over which Lush mask to buy.
Please let me know which Lush masks you have tried as i am very keen to try more!

Meg x

The Friday Line up // Beauty

This months line up of must have beauty products. A slightly delayed post on my behalf.

This August i have accumulated quite a few new products that i have bought and ended up loving, in which i have probably spend alot of money but in my eyes it is totally worth it because i have discovered new products i may of not of used before. Although they are products that have been out for a while they are products that i have never ventured into trying.

 No7 Gel finish Nail colour- Ginger
I am not really a massive fan of No7 makeup, never the less I decided to try it as No7 is on offer a lot, this shade (Ginger)  is from the new collection that just came out, it is a lovely brick red/brown colour ready for the autumn season that's just around the corner. The gel colour lasts quite a while and doesn't start chipping after a day or two, the colours in the collection are very glossy and rarely need a top up.
MUA Trio eye shadow- Innocence-
Although they are quite small eye shadows they are definitely worth it, they are very pigmented for the price they are, the shimmers are lovely and iridescent, i didn't expect them to be as good as they are for the small price of £2.50, they also apply to the eye very easy and a dream too blend. It includes three shades a white/champagne colour that brightens the eye, a grey toned brown and a dark brown colour with blue flecks going through it: very similar to MAC's Blue Brown Pigment, all shimmer shades.

MUA Undress your skin- Pink Shimmer-
I can not rate this product enough, i didn't want to give in to the hype at first but i wanted a new highlighter and there is nothing better than having one that looks great with a great price tag too.
I finally gave in a bought it in the shade Pink shimmer, it can be a very subtle glow or you can build it up for a gleaming cheek bone, it doesn't leave streaks in your foundation and can look lovely and natural. it has undertones of blue and pink with a pearl base. I'm in love.

Got2Be Happy Hour 24 Hour hairspray
Having long hair is a pain when you have straight hair, i don't know about you but any time i try and curl it, the weight of my hair weighs it down and it stays curly for about 0.5 seconds or it drops as soon as i leave the house, which is quite frankly a pain and a waste of time. This hairspray is pretty much a cure for limp, flat hair without making it rock hard or sticky. It locks the volume and bounce in all day, i have finally found one.

Garnier Pure Active Intensive anti-spot exfoliator scrub
A great product that's made my skin as soft as silk, you only need a small amount to rub in to your face and leave for a few minutes and you feel a cool tingling sensation on your skin, it helps reduce my redness and my skin has never felt so soft, i use this every time i have a shower as the scrub is not too harsh for my face, but you could also use it weekly, a lovely, affordable product.

A few favourites i have been using in august.

Meg x

No7 Perfectly Bronzed 360 Self Tan

Now we're in to summer and the legs are coming out, despite the fact the weather hasn't been great (hence the reason for fake tan) here where i live i thought it would be a good opportunity to try a few new tans, Although i didn't end up trying as many as i'd planned after finding this one.

I picked this tan up in boots for a crazy price of £4 as it was on offer at the time from £12.75. Not knowing what to expect from a spray tan as i have always used a mousse formula but because of  the really low price i couldn't miss the chance, as No7 is usually a very good brand.

I picked up the light/medium spray because i am fairly pale, i would recommend picking up the medium/dark if you prefer a darker tan as the lighter shade is very natural, however saying that with my ghostly skin it made my legs look very glowy and naturally more tanned without being orange and leaving no streaks at all because of the aresol holes being more spaced out, giving it an even finish. With it being a spray formula i felt like i didn't need to moisturise as much as i normally would because its very hydrating itself.
Personally i would still use a mitt to rub it in with as it suggests on the box just so you know you are definitely streak safe. This No7 develops in a couple hours (although you can see it lightly straight away) and washes off, o it would be a great one to use for an occasion or if you were going out.

One more plus i have to add, is that i finally found a self tan with a great smell which is rare!

What tan would you recommend?

Meg x

My skincare routine

So I have a whole new skincare routine being as I've never really had set products that I always go to; I thought I would try to find some. So here I am with my daily products!

Clarins intense eye makeup remover-
It does 100% of what it says: takes off  heavy eye make up and waterproof with out having to pull every eyelash out while doing it.

Emma Hardie moringa cleansing balm-
I swear by this cleanser! This is definitely a product I will keep on buying. My skin has honestly been the softest its ever been, it definitely does its job and takes off every bit of my makeup. I just apply a bit o my face and then remover with a cloth and warm water, until clean.

I often use a scrub every other couple of days after i cleanse but i don't have a specific exfoliator that i use, i tend to switch between a couple depending on my skin that day. 

the origins ginzin moisturizer-
I then take my moisturiser, I must say this is a good face cream but the smell just makes this above any other. It is definitely a water based face cream, it is very hydrating.

If I feel like I need a little extra hydration I go to the Clarins hydra-quench which is slightly thicker and i tend to use this as a night cream because although my T-zone can get quite oily my skin can still be really dehydrated.

so that is basically what i do to my skin everyday to take my makeup off, nothing too complicated just a simple routine. let me know what products you like to use?

meg x