SKIN CARE REVIEW

Welcome back to my weekly blog. :-)

This week is a quick review of a skin care brand that I have been trying out for the past 4 months. If you follow me on  instagram or snapchat, you'll remember a  few months ago my skin went hella crazy on me, breakouts and all sorts. Up to this day I still do not know what the reason was but all I remember was I was very unhappy with the state of my skin at that time.

I decided to do abit of research on skin care products to try that could restore my skin back to its normal state. I came across La Roche Posey, a French skincare brand and after digging abit more, the reviews where overall amazing for oily, spot and blemish prone skin so I thought why not give this a try as it ticked all the boxes that perfectly describe my skin type. It claims that you can see "visible results from day 1 and significantly clearer looking skin at 4 weeks" 
It is "specifically designed to help address oily, blemish-prone skin. Proven efficacy on the key signs of oily, blemish-prone skin, including; blemishes, clogged pores, excess sebum, uneven skin texture, red and brown marks."

 La Roche-Posay Effaclar 3-Step Anti-Blemish System includes:
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ 40ml
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Toner 200ml
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel 125ml

Directions

1. Cleanse: Effaclar Purifying Gel Cleanser reduces excess sebum and leaves skin feeling clean and fresh. Work a small amount into a lather with water and massage onto skin using gentle circular movements - no need to scrub. Use morning and evening. Avoid eye area. Rinse thoroughly.

2. Tone: Effaclar Clarifying Toner helps to reduce the appearance of pores. Apply to a cotton pad and gently sweep over the entire face. Avoid eye area. Use morning and evening. No need to rinse.

3. Correct & Hydrate: Effaclar Duo+ Anti-blemish Cream is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of blemishes and unclog pores. It also helps to reduce the appearance of red and brown marks. Apply a thin layer of cream, morning and evening over your entire face before applying make up. Avoid eye contour area.

So how did my skin like this product/s . 

Day one started well, i started off the 3 step routine in the evening starting with the cleanser which i was very impressed with. I had been wearing makeup throughout the day and the cleanser worked very well to wash off all the makeup i had on. I then used the clarifying toner and the duo anti blemish moisturiser l after air drying my face.  I must admit , i did not quite like the moisturiser at first as it left my skin feeling very dry.  After 3 days of using this kit morning and night, started having a terrible reaction to the duo cream (step 3) . I generally have sensitive skin, and this product claims to be suitable for people with even the most sensitive skin but i started feeling this burning sensation everytime i used it. This went on for a few more days so i decided to stop using it in the mornings and stick to evenings only. This made no difference whatsoever, if anything burning got worse, after the 8th day i decided to stop using the duo cream however continued with the other two products.

Verdict

Clearly my skin was probably too sensitive for the Duo+ Cream moisturiser so i would not recommend this product if you have very sensitive skin. It has been 4 months now and iam still using the Cleanser and Toner, which i highly recommend. The kit says the products are up to 6weeks supply but you definitely get lot more that 6weeks . I have since bought another cleanser a month ago, but the original one from the kit lasted 2 1/2 months, which was much longer than the packaging says. I am also still using the toner even though it is almost finished but again it has lasted lot longer than expect. So it is a definite thumbs up from me.

Overall my skin did improve significantly and i was very pleased with the results, its was or it us such a shame that the moisturising cream just did not work for me.

To purchase or read more about La Roche-Posay ,click here.

Thank you for reading.

Sandz x

Favourite Hydrating Mists!!

Right first things first, there is a lot of confusion about the difference between Hydrating Mists/Sprays and Setting Sprays. Please lets be very clear, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING... was that loud enough. Great, now that we are we clear about this, lets move on.

So here the thing, Setting Sprays do what they say on the tin, they SET the makeup. Setting makeup refers to keeping it in place thus increasing the longevity of your makeup. This is usually the last step to your makeup routine. Most setting spays usually come in 2 different types, Matte and Dewy Finish and depending on what type of finish you want either  of them will SET your makeup. I will do another post on Setting Sprays soon :-)

So what are these Hydrating Mists also known as Hydrating Sprays? Again, they do what they say on the tin. They HYDRATE the skin, thus adding moisture back into the skin. Hydrating Sprays are probably one of the most versatile products which  are a must have for your makeup kit. You can use them before you apply your makeup and before you set with your setting spray. I will be doing another post on the many different ways you can use hydrating mists, trust me they are a  gem to add to your kit if you do not already own one. 

There are many different formulas out there, all with their own extra perk but the goal is the same, to hydrate the skin. Therefore depending on what you like you will find that you will prefer a certain brand over others. I have rounded up some of my favourite mists out there. Hope you love them as much as i do!

1. Mac Prep and Prime Fix Plus

Contrary to what you may think or have heard, this is not a setting spray, but a hydrating spray/mist. It is a lightweight mist of water packed with vitamins and minerals, infused with a blend of green tea, chamomile and cucumber to gently soothe and refresh the skin. Gives an instant boost of hydration while delivering a soft sheen to refresh and finish makeup. MAC has been kind enough to bring out 3 more flavours permanently so it is now available in 4 different scents, Original, Coconut, Lavender and Rose. I personally love the Coconut one, smells divine. 

You can purchase it here     

2. Pixi by Petra Glow Mist

According to Pixi Beauty, the Glow Mist "is a spray-on, illuminating potion enriched with 13 natural oils, alongside soothing and hydrating propolis, aloe vera and fruit extracts. Instantly refreshing, this relieves redness and irritation while replenishing precious moisture post-cleansing, to leave your face feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. Just spritz over clean skin before make up – this acts as an ultra-lightweight, moisturising primer – or mist on top of make up to revive your ‘midday face’

You can purchase it here

3. Superdrug Vitamin E Hydrating Mist

This is a gem i discovered not long ago. Most importantly i fell in love with with the price tag immediately. I still find it hard to believe this bad boy is only £2.99!!! You really can't go wrong. It is a Vitamin E Refreshing Mist with soothing Aloe Vera instantly revitalises and tones the face giving a boost of moisture with each spray.  Enriched with naturally sourced Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that will help to shield your skin against environmental damage and premature skin ageing by combating the harmful effects of free radicals.

You can purchase it here

4. Mario Badescu Facial Spray

Mario Badescu Facial Spray is available in 2 flavours the  Aloe, Herbs & Rosewater and Aloe Cucumber& Green Tea. It  is "a refreshing, hydrating mist for all skin types. Created with a blend of fragrant herbal extracts and rosewater, it lightly refreshes skin whilst boosting hydration and relieving dehydrated, tight complexions. Mist it over your moisturiser for a hydration boost."

You can purchase it here  

5. Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Mist

According to the Body Shop, the Vitamin E Hydrating Face Mist is an excellent skin refresher for an instant pick-me-up. Spritz it on to moisturize, protect the skin. This spray is infused with Vitamin E to protect against damaging environmental elements, such as the sun, pollution, and smoke.

You can purchase it here  

6. Evian Brumisateur Mineral Water Facial Spray

Yes Evian have their own facial spray. And guess what it is made with the Evian water that we all love.. so now we not only get to drink it but we also get to spray it on our face.. It is a 'lightweight mist enriched with essential mineral salts. The versatile spray contains pure Evian mineral water from the Alps, which is free from chemical treatment.'

You can purchase it here

Comment below and let me know what your favourite hydrating mist is.

Sandz xx

SETTING POWDER →

MY CURRENT FAVOURITE SETTING POWDER

One question is always get asked is '"what's your favourite setting powder and why should i set my makeup? 

Lets start with the later. Why should you set your makeup?  Liquid and Cream foundation need to be 'set' in order to stay put and last longer.  Think of setting powder like the top coat of your nails.  You'ld never do your nails and not put a top coat right, same applies to makeup. Setting powder acts as your top coat for your foundation thus making it last longer as well as reduce shine.

My two favourite powders in my Kit are Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder and RCMA No  Colour Powder....

Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder

This is a staple in my kit. I love that i can use this on almost every client i have.  I use this to set under eyes as well as the whole face. It leaves the skin feeling very smooth and doesn't look dusty cakey or dry. Apart from this it also does a very good job keeping the oil away, so those with oily skin definitely invest in this product. This powder is also great for flash photography as it does not give flash back (that nasty white cast you see mostly under eyes, forehead). 

• Lightweight.

• Does not look cakey on skin.

• Controls and reduces shine.

• Absorbs excess oil.

http://www.lauramercier.com/set-with-powder/translucent-loose-setting-powder

RCMA No Colour Powder

Yes it literally has 'no colour' . I cannot tell you how much i looove this product.  It give a matte finish to the skin and works on all skin tones. The powder has no pigment which means it will not change or alter the colour of your foundation.

http://www.rcmamakeup.net/no-color-powder-3-oz.html#.WJSrxSOLSCQ

 • Very affordable and you get a lot of product for your money

• Long wearing

• Doesn’t change the colour of your foundation

• Any skin tone can use this

• Great for all skin types

• Fragrance free

• Doesn’t irritate the skin

So there you have it, my the two setting powders i currently use on all my clients. Thank you for reading. See you in the next post.

Sandz x

CANDY CRUSH

When we got together to do this Candy inspired shoot, we never for a minute imaged that it would get as much attentions as it did . This has been my most reposted work to date. I have actually lost count of the number of pages that reposted these images and truely grateful for the love and support we received.

I have since regularly received messeges from various people asking how i achieved the looks, in particular the 'art' side of if not so much the makeup application etc :-)

MAIN ITEMS USED:

Vaseline, Cake Sprinkles, Liquorice (sweets), Garden Wire and Super Glue

For this look, i simply applied a thin layer of vaseline petrolum jelly all over her chest and sholder area. I then liberally sprinkled the sweets over the areas where i had applied vaseline and they immediately stuck, it was that simple :-)

On the lips, i first of all applied a pink liquid lipsick with a lipgloss on top (the lipgloss was applied liberally as well)  . I then sprinkled some sweets onto a tissue paper and asked the model to dip her lips in the sprinkles. We did this twice as there were still some gaps in between.  Any strey sprinkles where simply dusted off with a brush.

I also dubbed a little vaseline around hairline and placed more sprinkes.

This was my 2nd favourite look from this shoot.

To make the necklaces, i used Garden Wire and Liquorice sweets. I simply fed the sweets through the garden wire until i had a good size to go around the neck. I then tied it to the size this partcular model while we where on set.

On the lids i again used vaseline as a base and used my fngers place the sprinkles onto the lids

I bought these sunglasses in a charity shop for 20p each, YES 20p EACH :-)  then took out the actual lenses of as we did not need them . I then applied super glue on the frames of the glasses where i wanted to cover with sprinkles. After doing this i then dipped the frames in the spinkles and left them to dry over night.

***please note i did have my gloves on while handling super glue

So this is how i achieved these looks guys.. Thank you for reading.

Sandz xx

Foundation: Getting it right

So many women (and men) find it difficult to find the right foundation for the their skin tone.  So before we get into how to get it right with you foundation, the first step is to know the type of skin you have? That is dry, oily,combination or normal skin.

• Oily Skin – For this type of skin use foundation that is oil-free which controls oil and shine. Foundations with a matte or powder finish are usually the best.
• Dry Skin – If you have dry skin, you need a foundation that has moisturizers in it. Dry skinned people have better results with a creamy foundation rather than a matte or powder finish makeup.
• Combination Skin – If you have combination skin (this is dry skin but oily T-zone) then you need makeup that has moisturisers , but is also oil-free and controls shine in your oily spots.
• Sensitive Skin – If you have sensitive skin you need to select a makeup especially for sensitive skin. Probably something that is oil-free, fragrance-free and allergy tested for skin irritancy. It is best to check makeup labels to be sure about these things before you purchase a foundation.

Once you have this part of the equation solved…you’re on your next step to getting the right foundation for your skin…

Sandz x