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.

Beauty Essentials Under £5

by lovesandluxuriesOctober 23, 2016

We all love a good bargain and money never stretches as far as you want it to so, following my last post My under £10 Favorites i’m sharing my must have’s under £5.

You’ll have to keep an eye on my post or hit the follow button (wink wink) for updates where I will be adding more essentials under £5

Vasaline Lip Therapy

Weather your a matte lipstick kinda girl or love a glamarous gloss. Dry, flakey lips are not a good look . These are perfect to instantly smooth and hydrate your lips.

Stick or tin. Original, Aloe, Cocoa, sugar coated or my fav with a slight tint, rosey.

Original and Aloe are great for this time of year when you have a cold and your nose gets sore and flakey on the sides. Rub a little vaseline to re hydrate. Vasaline has so many uses, You can use it on your hair to smooth split ends, helps remove make up from clothes, great to use for cuticle care or around your nail to stop the nail varnish drying on your skin its really worth keeping one in your bag. And at the moment Superdrug are running an offer. 2 for £3. Direct link in Shop My Feed

Barry M Nail Paint

From £2.99 – £4.99

Classic,Gelly, Coconut Infused and Speedy in a variety of colours, textures and sparkles.I would be surprised if you didn’t find a colour you’ll fall in love with. For me Raspberry is my Favourite. So much so I have just finished a pot. And I never usually make it to the end!

You’ll need to apply two coats as with all brands. And make sure you let the first coat dry before applying the second. Some colours are more dense then others, but nothing another coat won’t fix.

If you use a base and top coat you will get a week out of your nails but that obviously depends how much washing up you have to suffer during the week.

For what your paying I think they are great buys, even if you just want your nail colour to last one night! Cheaper then getting a manicure for your girls night out.

Teatree Oil

£2.99

So I briefly spoke about Tea Tree oil in my Manuka Honey post.

Its a natural antiseptic derived from the Australian native plant

Its most common use is to treat acne. I add a few drops to most of my skin care products particularly moisturiser I use at nighttime to give it extra power. If you suffer from bad acne this could be your best friend. I also tend to mix it with Manuka Honey , the miracle product as a face mask.

Another great tip for acne prone skin is to add a few drops to clean warm water and dip in some cotton pads. Squeeze out extra liquid and use all over the face (mind your eyes) as a toner.

Tea tree oil has many other usefull benefits. If you have a dry itchy scalp this will help clear it up. You can add it to coconut oil/milk or i just add a few drops to your shampoo.

The antibacterial properties will also help to get of headlice. Its well worth getting this oil. It will fast becone your go to product.

Lush Teatree Tab

£1

Ive spoke about this lush little treat in a previous post Lush Cosmetics Facial Review

Its made from Tea Tree, which is antibacterial and antiseptic and AloeVera which helps to rejuvenate and hydrate

Drop into a bowl of hot water and steam your face for 10mins. By steaming your face you open up the pores.Which then allows the oils to become absorbed. Follow with a face mask . Once the water has cooled down transfer into bottles and use twice a day as toner. Its such a great product and only a pound. Perfect excuse to at least try it. and then you can continue to use it for a good few weeks after. Its such a good product, I would pay so much more for it and would get one everytime I pass a lush store.

H&M Masks

£1.99

Such a variety of masks available.

I haven’t tried all of them but have to say I wasn’t impressed until I tried this one, the Manuka, chamomile and jasmine blossom for combination skin.

So you want to be applying to clean dry skin. The perfect time would be after a hot bath or shower or a 10 minute facial steam. That way your pores are already open to allow the product to work. Apply a nice thin layer. I find with peel off mask, if I apply them too thick they don’t peel off properly.

Leave on 15-20 mins

I like peel off masks, I like to see what its removed and WOW! is all I can say about this mask. This is the best peel of mask I have used.It removed a lot, more so from my nose. My skin was a lot clearer, brighter and very soft. I don’t know how well it would work without steaming my face first but for £1.99 I will be getting a couple next time i’m in H&M.

I couldnt find this mask on their website but i’ve included a store locator in my Shop My Feed.

Colour Tattoo 24hr eyeshadow

£4.99

So I thought I would try out the ON AND ON BRONZE. Its such a beautiful metallic shade, very pigmented. Its a cream shadow but applies beautifully.There are 6 shades available and they make the most beautiful smokey eye looks. They do remind me of the Mac Paint pots but a lot cheaper.

I find I use my finger rather then a brush to apply the eyeshadow if I want a softer finish and it blends really well. For more colour, use a brush. I love them. will definitely be adding more to the collection.

Dr Bronner castille soap

Prices starting from £1.99 for 59ml

9 varieties (including teatree)

A combination of Organic extra virgin coconut, Olive oil, jojoba, hemp and essential oils.

The uses for this magic soap are endless.The ecologically friendly soaps can be used on body, face or hair. There is even a fragrance free if you have sensitive skin.

I mostly use mine to wash my hair and make up brushes. You don’t need much product. A little goes a long way. After a good rinse they leave no residue. Which is perfect for beauty sponges.

You really can use this product on ANYTHING inc washing the floor. All just depends on how diluted it is.

Its really worth trying. Once you have you’ll love it and will use it on everything!!

So that’s it for this post,but remember this is a ongoing post.

Follow me on twitter and/or Instagram for when the post will be updated with more essentials under £5 xx

My under £10 Favorites

by lovesandluxuriesOctober 16, 2016October 16, 2016

I’m obsessed with skincare and make up. But with so much choice its hard to decide what to buy when your looking for a new product. Drugstore products are easily accessible and not too expensive. Superdrug is definitely my go to for drugstore products. Don’t forget to use your beauty card to collect points and register on line for exclusives offers and discounts that might not be available in store. My recommendations are drugstore based with 1 online purchases but they are all under £10

L’oreal Nude Magique

£9.99

5in1 BB cream. Available in light, medium and dark.

I love this! Its a white cream product that transforms to a lightweight foundation on application.. Its amazing. I use the medium complexion and it evens out and smooths my complexion leaving a dewy glow.

Its great on its own as a light coverage foundation or perfect as a base under your usual foundation. It has a spf 20 and 24 hr hydration. For the price its well worth investing in.

Just remember if you are using this as a base, you wont need to use as much foundation.

For me i’m sold on this product and will add this to my make up bag as an essential.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

£5.99 available (on line) in 6 shades

Gel concealer no waxes or fillers to help even complexion.

I love this concealer, well actually there are 2 I love both by Maybelline but, this one does exactly what it promises without leaving a massive dent in your bank balance.

Its a wand applicator which I find gives me better control of where i’m putting the product and how much. It blends out perfectly with a damp beauty sponge. Maybelline are killing it with their affordable easily accessible products and I would recommend you at least give this a try.

Maybelline Age Rewind

£7.99 available in light or nude

So the difference I would say between this and the Fit Me concealer is that this concealer is more pigmented and probably better suited for mature skin.. If you’ve got tired looking eyes from having a heavy night this is going to be your hangover cure for your eyes. Like the other concealer it blends perfectly with a damp beauty sponge. It is a wind up, soft sponge applicator but the only down side to this is that there is always a little product left that you cant get to as you’ll see in the photo. but other then that a really good product. A permanent resident in my make up bag.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

£5.99

looking for flawless finish from concealer and foundation? Look no further. Even with the most expensive products we all know its about application and this sponge makes it fool proof.

So you need to dampen the sponge until it doubles in size. squeeze out excess water and dab/stipple . yep that’s it. Flawless application of makeup and perfectly blended contouring.

This sponge has a tip to help cover imperfections and blemishes, Flat edge for eyes, nose and contours and a rounded edge to blend larger areas or great for blending in cheek tint.

You can apply liquid foundation or powder with it and its just perfect.

As with all make up brushes you should be washing this after every use to prevent build up of product and germs. Squeeze excess water and let air dry.

Real Techniques advise you to replace after no more then 3 month, which is affordable at only £6.99

They have increased their miracle complexion range now including Mini eraser sponges (£5.99) and Miracle sculpting sponge (5.99) that is designed with 6 surfaces for easy contouring which can be used wet or dry.

L’oreal Pure Clay Detox Mask

£7.99 10 applications

‘The creamy texture detoxifies the skins surface by cleansing deep into the pores, leaving the skin looking clarified and beautiful without drying it out’

I wasn’t very optimistic about this mask. I had already tried the Pure Clay Glow Mask and wasn’t blown away.

But wow. I can honestly say this mask does everything L’Oreal promises. My skin was brighter, clearer and smoother. So much so my other half noticed and commented!

It is recommend to use 2-3 times a week however i would only use twice a week.

With deep cleansing masks you don’t want to over do it. If you strip the skin of its natural oils it can have the opposite effect.It will either become dry and flakey or your sebaceous glands will try to compensate by producing more natural oils.

Currently they are on offer at superdrug for £5.25. so even more reason to try this mask now and save a few pennies

Kiko Extra Sculpt Volume Mascara

£8.90

So this is a on line purchase but you also have free standard shipping so what you save on postage you can spend on some other beauty goodies (your welcome )

I go between 2 Mascaras. This one and a stupidly expensive higher end masacara. I’m not keen on false lashs but want a mascara that will give me the same effect. This one I love right down to the last application left. Kiko promise ‘ Volumising mascara for fuller looking lashs with a panoramic effect ‘

The creamy texture applies beautifully and is build-able without leaving you with clumpy spider leg looking lashes.It has am ‘hourglass’ wand which perfectly catches all lashes and coats in mascara leaving you with lovely long dark lashes.

use small horizontal zigzag movements.

Its Paraben and fragrence free and i have no problem with my sensitive eyes.

Remember all make up products have a shelf life. This mascara has 6 months shelf life and at £8.90 the price rivals most drugstore mascaras.

Maybelline Master contour V Stick

£6.99

Another Maybelline product (told you they were killing it)

This comes in 2 shades. Half for contouring and half to highlight making it super easy to apply. If you like a heavy dramatic contour this is not the product for you.unless you want to layer it and add a matte bronzing powder on top. If your looking for a light contour to accentuate your features or are new to contouring then this is perfect.Its a creamy matte texture which is easy to blend out so your not left with harsh lines and lasts all day.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

£8.99

Another great buy from Real Techniques and one i use daily. I apply my BB cream or primer and stipple using this brush. Same again with my foundation. Stipple product on and buff out with this brush. Then i apply concealer and then use the Miracle Complexion sponge all over for THE perfect flawLess finish.

I love this brush. Its not too heavy to use and is perfect for both liquid or cream products. The synthetic bristles are so soft and easy to clean and they air dry back to shape with no effort. It is a real must have brush. once you’ve tried it I would be surprised if you buy any other foundation brush.You can get the Real Technique range in Superdrug although they might only hold the best sellers in your nearest store.check out on- line first in case they are running an offer.

Rimmel Match Perfection Loose Powder

£6.99

This Translucent lightweight loose powder is perfect for every skin type.

Blends in perfectly as its translucent. It doesn’t leave skin cakey or the powder visible on top of the skin.

The only down side I found was if its a really hot day you will probably need to re apply.

The shelf life on this is 30months! its well worth £6.99.

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

£5.99

I wasn’t sure of this foundation at first. I don’t like mousse textures. I usually find they are hard to blend or don’t react well with some bb creams or primers. But I didn’t have any problems with this one. It doesn’t feel greasy on, its very lightweight. If you like matte foundations you’ll love this.

Its a really great price for 30ml. I do find Rimmel colours are really warm, so take some time matching your skin colour.

So they are my under a tenner must haves. Next week i’ll do a run down of the best buys under a fiver (that’s right under a fiver!).Check out my Shop My Feed for direct links to everything i’ve spoken about. Let me know if use or try any of these or if there are any you would recommend trying xx

Loves and Luxuries

makeup reviews

Easy Steps To Acne Fighting, Wrinkle Smoothing Facial.

Beauty Essentials Under £5

My under £10 Favorites