Easy Steps To Acne Fighting, Wrinkle Smoothing Facial.

by lovesandluxuriesJanuary 29, 2017

Anyone who has been to salon to have facial knows how amazing they are.If you havn’t had 1 already …YOU NEED TO!! Not only do you come out feeling super relaxed but your skin looks amazing! Its fresher, clearer and glowing. If you have ever had micro-dermabrasion you will totally understand when I say it takes years off! The only problem is, its another expense to add to all the little things we like to treat ourselves to every month. Don’t worry.Its all totally achievable at home. You may have the products or might find them in the kitchen cupboard. I’ve also added my favorite products that are easily accessible if your looking for good products on a budget.

I give my self a facial once a week. It helps to maintain a healthy glowing complexion and will ease acne. It will also alleviate the tension build up which can help to cause fine lines and wrinkles. However, it can also have a negative effect if you do them to often. Stripping the natural oils from your skin can increase sebum production and dehydrate your skin. Dehydrated skin can be itchy and can cause problems when applying make up.

So firstly, you need to remove all your make up. I would use a face wipe then use the wash to ensure all oil and make up remover residue is not sitting on the surface of you skin.

.Facial Wash/Cleanser

Boots Tea Tree and Witch HazelFoam Face Wash

I’ve been using this face wash a while now. Its quick and easy to use and ideal for using daily. Its not going to remove your make up, but I would use after I have used a face wipe/makeup remover.

Lush 9-5 is a great cleanser to use if you would prefer.Again this is not the best product to use to remove make up but its amazing. Massage into skin and remove with cotton pads.

Steaming

Facial steamers are cheap and easy to pick up they usually come with an attachment which you would use to concentrate on your nose. Facial steamers are great but they are not necessary. You can do the same with a bowl filled with hot water (needs to be hot enough to have steam) and a towel. Half fill your bowl with water (I boil the kettle and use that) lean over and put towel over you and the bowl. Just chill for 10 mins or as long as you can manage. If your leaning over a bowl rather then having your face in the steamer I would recommend you pop into Lush and pick up a Tea Tree Tab. They are only £1 and a skincare must have. Its perfect for acne. Tea Tree is a natural antiseptic so will help to fight the bacteria that can cause acne. Read my little review here.

Gently steaming your face helps to soften the layer of dead skin cells which is clogging your skin.It will open the pores which in turn will help release toxins, enhance blood circulation and allow other products to become absorbed and do their job properly.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating the skin is another important essential with skincare. Gently scrubbing your face aids desquamation. It removes the dead skin cells that are making your skin look dull and tired. If you have angry, sore acne I would not advise exfoliating or avoid the area if its limited.

One of my favourite Face scrubs is Lush Dark Angels. Read about it Here.

Rolled oats are perfect as a Natural alternative and are ideal for mild acne or sensitive skin. Mix you oats with Manuka Honey , Raspberries , Blueberries the list is endless or even add a few drops of TeaTree to help it fight the acne causing bacteria like I said earlier.

As with all scrubs apply to skin and massage in circular movements. Don’t for get lips aswel! Rinse off with plenty of warm water.

Steam

I know we have already done it, and it really is not necessary to steam again but I do for a few minutes. If you have sensitive skin maybe skip this part.

If you want to use Pore Clearing strips to remove blackheads (mostly common on your nose) now would be the time. You skin, well your nose really has been steamed and scrubbed so they will remove much easier now. Follow the instructions on the strips.

Face Mask

Now that the skin has been cleaned, steamed and scrubbed we can now relax a little with a face mask.

I do like sheet masks but I prefer face mask you leave on for facials. I feel they work better at removing any impurities.

As with all masks apply even amount, sit back and relax…

There are so many masks you can choose from. If you don’t have a favorite I would recommend

L’oreal Clay Mask (read about it here )

Or read my Lush Fresh Mask Review.

For Natural and Organic Masks you can make your self, have a read through my previous blog posts. My favourite Oraganic DIY mask is Manuka Honey

Once you’ve rinsed your mask off gently pat dry.

Moisturise

Its important to keep your skin hydrated. Moisturiser is something you should be using daily. Cream or oil based does not matter as long as you are using the best for your skin type. When you apply you should be massaging it in. It takes a few minutes but massaging will not only improve blood circulation but the massage will relax tightened muscles in your face. Tense muscles lead to more deeper lines and wrinkles.

Spend about 5 minutes using a combination of light tapping and small circular movements. I’m using BioOil at the moment. Using Daily can help to reduce acne scars, and fine lines and wrinkles.

They you are. The same process as you would get in the salon but obviously not as relaxing as your having to do it yourself. You skin will look fresher and more radiant as you have removed all the dead skin cells and impurities and re hydrated your skin. To maintain a weekly facial can be hard with our busy lives but it is essential to skin care. The more you do it the more you will benefit.

There are plenty of skin care recommendations on my other blog posts, check them out or late me know any products you think are essential.

Blueberries

by lovesandluxuriesAugust 5, 2016August 5, 2016

Continuing with my skin care obsession, Organic DIY products are cheap, easy and good enough to eat. So this post is about Blueberries.

Blueberries are full of Vitamin A and C. Vitamin A can help to reduce wrinkles and get rid of blotchy patches and dark spots while Vitamin C is said to reduce free radicals found in the environment which can be harmful to skin. Acne is mostly caused by hormones but applying and eating blueberries can help to control hormones especially during that time of the month. They also give a boost to your circulatory system which can help to prevent any unwanted lines, varicose veins and cellulite.

You want to be using Fresh Organic products as much as possible. The less pesticides the better. This time of year Blueberries can be so cheap to buy especially if you have a PYO close to you. The small size punnet i brought cost me £1 (that’s right £1 for a punnet of Blueberries AND Raspberries)

Hair Mask

Handful Blueberries

1-2 tablespoons Olive oil or Coconut oil

Mash up your blueberries and add the the oil

Apply to shampooed towel dried hair,massaging into the scalp to promote healthy new hair growth

leave for about 20 mins

rinse with plenty of warm water. Because its oil based you will need to do a lot of rinsing. Let your hair dry naturally avoiding any heated appliances.

Acne Fighting Face Mask

Handful Blueberries

Teaspoon Lemon Juice

Teaspoon Manuka Honey

Mash up your Blueberries, add the lemon juice and honey.

Apply to clean damp skin and relax for 10-20 mins

rinse off with plenty of warm water

The lemon juice can be drying so make sure you use a moisturiser after.

Soothing Face mask

Handful Blueberries

Teaspoon Manuka honey

Teaspoon Organic yoghurt.

As with the others mash the blueberries and add the yoghurt and honey.

leave on for 10-20 mins. rinse with plenty of warm water.

You can also add essential oils to the mask like Rose oil to reduce redness and even out skin tone or TeaTree oil to help fight any bacteria on the skin

Raspberries

by lovesandluxuriesJuly 24, 2016

I prefer fresh, organic DIY skincare over any chemical based skincare. The fresher and more Organic the better the results. If its good enough to eat then its going to be great for your skin.

This little post is about Fresh Organic Raspberries. Their overall health benefits are endless from helping to eliminate wrinkles, helping to loose weight and even said to prevent Cancer due to their high concentration of Ellagic acid. Raspberries have the highest antioxident strength then in all fruits.

The best way to get your fruit particularly is summer would be to find your nearest PYO.

You can help yourself, have as much as you like knowing they use a lot less pesticides and is going to be cheaper then your local supermarket. I went to Blofield PYO Norwich where I paid less then £2 for my punnet.

Simple FaceMask

Approx 5 large Raspberries

I used a pestal and morta to squash my Raspberries. I find it makes a nice consisitancy to put on my face. thats it…put it on!

Leave on for about 10 mins and rinse with plenty of clean warm water.

Raspberry and Milk (or Yoghurt)

Approx 5 large Raspberries

1 tablespoons Fresh Full Fat Milk (Or Live Organic Yoghurt)

As above, squash your raspberries and add milk (i use yoghurt) leave on about 15 mins and rinse with plenty of warm water.

Manuka Honey and Raspberry mask

If you’ve read my post on Manuka Honey you’ll know how great this is for your skin as well.

So you could substitute the milk or Yoghurt from the mask above to 1 Tablespoon of Manuka Honey. This will make it a little more sticky so makes sure you rinse well with plenty of warm water.

These masks are great for dry or combination skin. They will tone, hydrate, cleanse and reduce inflammation. You can do these twice a week. However, they only have a shelf life of about 6 hours when kept if fridge. So only make up enough for 1 mask at a time and eat whats left.

Don’t forget if you have any essential oils (like rose – check out my post on using rose in skincare Reusing your roses in skincare) you can add a few drops to give your masks a boost.

Reusing your roses in skincare

by lovesandluxuriesJuly 11, 2016

If you’ve read my other post’s or seen my Instagram you’ll know i’m obsessed with skin care. Particularly if its fresh and organic. And roses. They are so beautiful, smell amazing and have many benefits to being part of a skin care routine.

So this post is about re using your rose’s and adding them to your skincare.

Rose is used in beauty products to help refresh and rejuvenate skin. Its anti bacterial properties make it ideal to help clear up acne. It can also reduce swelling of acne and rosacea due to its anti inflammatory properties. Rose is also high in vitamin C which is a great anti oxidant.Rose water is a great alternative to alcohol based toners particularly for sensitive skin as its not as dehydrating for your skin like alcohol.

Rose Body Scrub

You will need:

Himalayan Rose Salt (Great for exfoliating)

Rose Petals

Sweet Almond Oil (or you can use olive oil or coconut oil)

Rose essential Oil

Grind up about a table spoon of salt and set aside. I used a pestle and mortar to do this. using the pestle and morta again, add rose petals and grind them till they become pulpy.i used the petals from 1 rose. Add salt, about 2 tablespoons of your oil and 3-4 drops of essence till well mixed. You want to make sure the mixture isn’t too dry or too runny.when its at the consistency you would like add to an airtight container.

using rose petals i would only keep for a few days. If your making the scrub without the petals its will last a few months as long as is in an airtight container

Rose and Manuka Honey Face Mask

You will need

Rose petals

Manuka Honey (read my Manuka Honey post)

rose oil

Using a pestle and morta i pulped the petals from 1 rose. transferred to an airtight container and added 1-2 teaspoons of Manuka Honey and 3-4 drops of Rose essential oil.

The more honey you add the thicker and sticker the mixture will be.

Apply to clean damp face and leave on 10-15 mins. rinse with plenty of warm water and pat dry.

Soothing Eye Pads

Soak cotton pads in water with a few drops of essential oil. squeeze out excess water and leave on eyes for few minutes to reduce redness and puffiness.

You don’t need to have rose petals to make the scrubs or mask, its just nice to recycle something natural to make these home made skin care products even more special. You can just add your rose essential oil to any of your skin care essentials. Not only will it smell amazing but will also help to improve your skin texture.

Lush Fresh Mask Review

by lovesandluxuriesJune 3, 2016

File 03-06-2016, 23 17 22 I am obsessed with skincare. Anything that promises to even out and perfect my complexion, I’m happy to give a ago. Particularly if its fresh and organic. I love Lush Cosmetics. Fresh Homemade affordable cosmetics from a company who pride themselves on being against animal testing. They have a wide range of cosmetics from hair care to pedicures. You all know the high street stores, you can smell them before you see it. Their stores are always packed with shoppers testing out the products and eager sales assistants armed full of information about their products and ingredients . And as a little bonus if you return 5 clean full size pots or tubes you get a free fresh mask!

The masks need to be kept in the fridge to maintain their freshness and will last around 3 weeks. Don’t worry they come with a best before sticker.

I use them 2-3 times a week. I remove my make up and exfoliate (you don’t have to, but I do to remove any dead skin and to allow the product to work more effectively) and cleanse. I also put them on while I’m in the bath. It makes it so much easier and less messy to take them off.

So here’s what I thought….

Mask of Magnaminty

125g £5.75

Honey – Antiseptic

Peppermint – Removes dirt build up

African Marigold oil – Anti-Inflammatory

Green, thick, slightly lumpy with a Strong Peppermint fragrance (almost enough to make your eyes water). Not to messy to apply, but it is thick so you end up putting a lot on. While its on it does feel slightly tingly but nothing unbearable. It does dry out a little during the 10mins but doesn’t completely set.

I found it easier to massage the mask with wet hands just before I take it off. It breaks down the mask a little easier and then just keep rinsing.

My skin did look cleaner, refreshed and moisturised. Angry spots seemed calmer and skin felt a little tighter.

I did like this mask. I think if you have acne prone skin you’ll love it. The peppermint was too much for me. so it isn’t my favourite of the masks.

Cupcake

75g £6.75

Vanilla – Calm’s redness

Spearmint oil – Tones skin

Rhassoul mud – Deep cleansing

Dark, chocolaty thick and smooth. With a slight refreshing smell of spearmint.

Due to it being so thick it is a little difficult to evenly apply to your skin and is a little messy. Once its on it dries quickly. You get a little tightening sensation but its all quite nice.

Again I massaged this with a little water after 10mins to break down the mask. And then used plenty of water to rinse it off.

I noticed my skin felt tighter and softer. It felt clean and clear. The more I used this, the smaller my pores seemed.

This was originally designed for teenagers to help with breakouts and absorb oil. I loved it. I also felt my skin was well hydrated for a couple of days after using.

Rosey Cheeks File 02-06-2016, 23 31 20

75g £6.75

Calamine – Soothing

Kaolin clay – Removes dirt and impurities

Rose – Nourish and tone

This smells Amazing!! I love it just for the smell.

Its a thick pink clay like consistency and smells so beautiful. Once its on its so relaxing. No tingling or tightening. just this amazing rose smell

Once i washed it off my skin felt amazing. Soft but a little matte and did i mention the smell..

I loved this mask yes mostly because of the fragrance but also it hydrated and softened my skin. If I used the mask during the day and then applied make up I felt my skin looked smoother and make up lasted a little longer. Although I do usually put the masks on in the evenings as it gives my skin a chance to breathe.

Ayesha

75g £6.75

Kiwi Fruit – Cleanse and brighten

Asparagus – For its nutrients

Fullers Earth – Absorbs oil

Rosemary oil – Antiseptic

Greyish, Greenish colour with a fresh fragrance. Not as dense and thick as the other masks so much easier to apply. This one is said to ‘smooth away wrinkles’ so I’m happy to smother it on!

As the mask dries, your skin absorbs what it needs and it looks patchy. I left it on a little longer then recommended and it made it a little harder to get off.

My skin did seem a little smoother in appearance and a little brighter but it didnt feel as clean and moisturised as the others. As for the wrinkles i do think it helped with some of the finer lines. Overall i felt it was more of a general relaxing face mask rather then compared to other which were more targeted to specific problems.

File 03-06-2016, 23 18 17

Over all I would say my skin seems more smoother, hydrated and cleaner since using Lush FreshFace Masks . I’ve enjoyed using all of them. some I would definitely buy again and some i wouldn’t as they just wasn’t suited to my skin.

let me know what you think of the masks or any you would recommend xx

Loves and Luxuries

homemade cosmetics

Easy Steps To Acne Fighting, Wrinkle Smoothing Facial.

Blueberries

Raspberries

Reusing your roses in skincare

Lush Fresh Mask Review