On the quest for youth...and a quick fix?

I've often said this and will repeat myself, we women are so hard on ourselves especially as we hit milestones like our 30's, 40's and 50's.  I do my damnedest to ignore these myself, its not easy but I don't beat the living daylights out of my growing older.  I often receive very harsh messages from friends, even friends of friends hitting a panic button to ask for advice on a 'turn the clock back now' product.
They must hate me, I begin with explaining how working on a routine, method and outlook is a healthy place to start.  It is often dashed with the 'but you must know a product that works?'

I do. I know plenty that work but like I say, this banishing the lines and open pores is part of an on going process and we are not all blessed with good genes, cheekbones and a non surgical skin specialist in the family.
Saying this I love my job and my dedication to the cause by testing out every skincare product I recommend, review and rave about, I honestly do.  I have to love it to love you to try it!  And I'm no snob about price either - there are star products out there and some are cheap as chips and other that are a good investment such as Gazelli Triple Youth White Oil REVIVING EYE CREAM.

At £40 for 15ml, I will start by saying a little amount on your ring finger tapped around the eye contours am and pm does mean a little goes a long way, in addition to it's qualities of soothing and nourishing the delicate eye area (bless the White Oil), de-puffing (thanks Black Tea) and one of my favourite things when it comes to these good skincare products, brightening (much obliged Rose Extract)!

Of course, I am not out slaying dragons, just testing the large youth pool of products for myself and whoever's reading or listening and I will keep repeating myself, a good place to start is with a routine, a method and attitude towards healthy skin not just quick fixes!

Check out Gazelli now if its not on your beauty radar!

www.gazelli.com 

Urban Retreat Harrods

The Josh Wood Atelier

Beauty Alert: Yes to it all!

Since the Summer, I've been using some Yes to products, after a long break of literally no use on myself or my kit, though they recently popped back into my life randomly and I realised then how much I had missed it!  You cannot beat the smell of Yes to Cucumber, its cool, fresh and its a scent that works for me when it comes to skincare and now too is Grapefruit!  It has never been my favourite fruit of choice but for face and body care, oh yeah!!!
And of course, Carrots for nourishing hydration is a 'no-brainer'.
Now that Autumn is here, think beyond your 5 a day and look ahead at the awful weather we are likely to suffer soon, up to 6 months of it and prepare oneself, ones skin and say Yes to this feast which has been foraged for all skin types from head to toe.

Beauty Alert: Melvita Plumping Radiance Duo.

The idea of a bi-phase product excites me, I champion them in skincare, mainly eye make up removers, after all they lift off the toughest make up.  Now imagine my delight when I walked into the Melvita Press Day about a month ago and clapped eyes on this, Plumping Radiance Duo.  It is true beauty, beauty dew and beauty nectar, right there!
This floral water and oil combo means softening and glow from the Damask Rose Oil, whilst the Damask Rose Floral Water hyrdates and soothes it continues to keep skin plump as the oil locks it in.  Et voila! Healthy, plump skin!
Its available to purchase as of this month and tis ideal for travel to far flung places in transit and as an After-Sun, it will lock in moisture intensely, something you will want if you are trying to keep your tan.
To use I would suggest a few pumps into the palms of your hand then press onto skin, however if you like a good 'after-sun spritz' you could spray generously over the face, shoulders and hair, at arms length, for a healthy sheen (and pretty envious one I should imagine!)

Sensory lift from Aromatherapy Associates!

The weather may not be warm and humid quite yet but I still find I get flustered on public transport and by the time I stumble into a studio or on location armed with a heavy load of some of beauty's best, I am looking rather hot and bothered.   Since I was introduced to Aromatherapy Associates Rose Hydrating Mist, my new secret weapon, I spritz away and instantly cool down adding a sensory lift from the Damask Rose fragrance, plus I've found it very useful addition to my kit for those ladies with a hot flush or dry, sensitive skins, as well as a cooling and hydrating spray which sets make up like a treat!

Beauty Alert: Illamasqua Hydra Veil!

No!  It's not a yummy jelly-fied dessert, it is a skin product new to the Illamasqua range and included in their Paranormal Collection and it is just that, something extraordinary!
Hydra Veil is a true innovation for skincare in terms of its formulation as it jelly-like texture, due to the marine algae (an anti-oxidant) is a cool, soothing gel which hydrates to reveal an effortless radiance to skin.  Plus its an absolutely good place to start if you are not keen on having to use an additional primer before your foundation, so it cuts of the middle man so to speak as it leaves you with the ideal base!  I love the cooling sensation and would imagine it would be kind to sensitive, flushed skins too, so, I am hooked.  Are you?

Going beyond Bioderma!

Hands up who recognises this! 

Yes, many of you 'in the know' have been on the edge of your seats waiting for Bioderma Sensibio H20 to arrive on the shelves of your nearest pharmacy, well now it has at leading Pharmacists nationwide and Dermatologists, including John Bell & Croyden and Escentual.com

I know you are possibly ready to stop right there but hold on, there is much more, in fact very much more to the range, which I have to say, is SO affordable, this beauty above is only £4.50!

And these are not going to break the bank but (left and right) the green range, Sebium will deal with 'break outs' and the Atoderm in the centre tends to driest of dry skins and pink of course is sensitivity.

See! There is more to know, so don't just stop at Make Up Artists' favourite reliable cleanser with the pink lid, go beyond!

Asian Beauty: Ginvera Whitening Marvel Gel.

If you're curious about the influx of Asian skincare recently and feel a bit BB Cream crackered out, then why not focus on Ginvera Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel which sloughs off dead skin cells, rubs away blackheads and evens out the skintone with brightening ingredients that diminish freckles and pigmentation allowing your complexion to go 'back to skin you were born with'.

The gel acts fast onto dry pre-cleansed skin when rubbed in circular motions, flakes appear of skin debris especially when concentrating around a congested T-Zone. Once massaged in (around eyes if you wish) water can be applied to achieve a brightening effect to skin, then rinsed off thoroughly with more water.
They claim that when used daily skin feels 'baby' soft, clear of blocked pores and after long term use will lighten blemishes, though I would recommend using twice a week to begin with, then up to three or four times instead of an exfoliant or alternate with your regular gentle exfoliant for sensitive skins.

!!! Now available at www.gurumakeupemporium.com !!!

If at first it doesn't work, try, try again and again!

Some months ago, the very kind people at Konjac Sponge Company offered to send me one of their remarkable sponges, which had already proven a hit with many beauty bloggers (just see from their blog page http://www.konjacspongecompany.com/blog/  I wasn't going to say no, so accepted with great expectations.
A few months later, I told them truthfully that I had attempted to use the French Pink Clay sponge, for hypersensitive skin, a few times but found it drying and unremarkable, though in these past few months I had been overloaded with skincare products and some further health issues, therefore my skin was feeling more delicate than usual.  My skin is not in bad 'nick', just the odd blemish but I do suffer from it feeling terribly dry and uncomfortably so due to having Hypothyroidism.  This is a common complaint and so I believed this sponge was not right for me so no hard feelings!
I kept my sponge and would occasionally try it again but I found the same complaint, what was I doing wrong?  Why are so many people loving it?

Ah, well, now I am not one to be negative about products, if it doesn't work for me or in my kit, then I daren't declare it a 'must-not-have' beauty product, as I am not the masses and one negative declaration is unfair.  Last week, I thought my Konjac sponge deserved one more chance seeing as I had given my skin a break from testing skincare delights, had a burst of adequate amounts of Vitamin D and that the weather had changed and had me bustling from air conditioned rooms to central heating to blustery days, this final test should amount to something.

The bad news is, I now have to eat my words, even though I had not been publicly 'slating' Konjac, I did let the lovely Konjac people know that I couldn't blog about it.  The good news is, I have found it remarkable and a reliable cleanser for my sensitive skin.  My pores are looking clearer, which is great news as I do have areas of open pores around my nose and a tendency to blocked pores when spraying hair product in poorly ventilated rooms at work.  I have also found that I was probably not using it confidently enough on my skin, as I was hesitant it might feel harsh and abrasive.  The sponge appears to work well pressed firmly to skin and now I can honestly say this is a huge bonus to my beauty routine.
My lesson has been learnt, somethings do come to those who wait a while and give it another go!