SKINCARE OVERHAUL!

Hello everyone! It's 2014 (a month late but still better than nothing!) And today is the 12th of February which means it's my birthday! I am now one year older and in the words of T-Swift - I'm feeling twenty-twooooooo! 

As I'm another year older, I thought hey, why not change up my skin routine? Followers will know I'm a severely oily skinned girl, but yes, in that photo above there is even an oil! The horror! I'm on a new skin journey for radiant, glowy skin, because even though I am oily, I've also got quite the problem with dullness. This post isn't going to be a review but a little sneak peak at my new routine, full reviews will come later.

That oil you see is the Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil, £10.99 (x) first of all, what a name! Second of all the smell of this is completely amazing. Being an oil I was first pretty scared to try it and had visions of me wiping this off my face and breakouts emerging! But seeing as I'm on a mission for radiant skin, I took the plunge, and boy I'm glad I did.

Next up is the Sanctuary Radiance Exfoliator, £2.99 (x) As I'm quite new to this whole radiance thing I thought I'd buy a little tube to test this guy out. I've been using the Purifying range from Sanctuary for a while now and it's been doing me good so I thought it would be a good choice, and I've been surprised by the results after just a few uses. 

Nip+Fab No Needle Fix, £13.33 (x) was a bit of an accident, I was looking for the Glycolic Serum (x) and picked this one up inside by accident, but never the less it has been a pleasure to use! It promises to plump and volumise the skin and contains good old hyaluronic acid to provide moisture (The glycolic version is winging its way to me in the post as we speak)

Lush Dark Angels Cleanser, £6.35 (x) , Mask of Magnaminty, £5.25 (x) & Tea Tree Toner Water, £3.95 (x) These are all one of those products where you wish you took before and after photos! These used together are perfect to keep myself from becoming an oily mess whilst using all these other moisture inducing products. It was my first experience using skincare from Lush and I really am pleasantly surprised by the results I've had, and the mask is quickly becoming one of my favourites!

If you read back through my blog you'll know I'm constantly on the look out for something to banish the eye darkness! I'm starting to think my eye problems are all hereditary and it that case nothing I use will really diminish them to the point of no return, but Indeed Labs Eysilix, £24.99 (x) has come to my rescue! I've been using this twice a day for the past four days and I already see such a difference, and it's making me more confident to go outside without any concealer on! Containing lots of lovely peptides to help the skin, this is also becoming a quick favourite in my new skincare routine!

And then there's one thing that I double will ever change, La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat, £10.12 (x) a good old favourite that I don't think can do any wrong!

So, that is my new skincare routine that is actually doing something I can see to my skin, as I said reviews of everything will be coming at a later date after I've been using them for a little longer, but it all seems good from here. Also I'm sorry for being a terrible blogger, I am back now with a new found motivation and I will be posting regularly, promise!

SKINCARE | LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFACLAR MAT

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat, £11.90 (x)

As stated before, I'm an oily skinned girl and extremely self concious about it. I am a big lover of all La Roche-Posay products and so far haven't been able to fault one of them, and this is no exception! The product is a thin cream, and claims to have a long lasting mattifying effect, which I totally agree with. I use this after cleansing and toning my face, just dot a small amount onto my finger tips and rub into my skin, especially around areas which I find are most oily, such as around my nose and my chin.

If I apply this before makeup, I find it acts as a very good base and primer. My foundation looks a lot 'softer' if that makes sense, and it glides on easier, but also doesnt leave a greasy residue. It keeps my oil at bay and even after the intense heat we've been having in the UK recently, my makeup still stays flawless (I hate using that word it sounds so pretentious but it's true ahaha!)

It also claims to tighten pores and reduce sebum production, which I cannot vouch for as I do not use this everyday (For days when my skin feels a little dehydrated I use Hydraphase instead) but I do believe with prolonged use it could diminish pores, as it definitely mattifys my skin.

I would definitely repurchase this, and on Escentual its on offer for £11.90 down from £14! Go my fellow oily-skinned girls, go!

MAKE UP | URBAN DECAY DE SLICK

URBAN DECAY DE-SLICK MAKEUP SETTING SPRAY, £9 (x)

Going to be totally honest here, I'm an extremely oily girl. I can go maybe about an hour throughout my day before oil starts, and it's not even just around my t-zone... It's everywhere. I even get oily around my eyes which means that eyeliner and mascara isn't at it's best and really, being oily skinned makes me very self concious. 

I was a big lover and fan of the other Urban Decay spray, All Nighter  (x) and when Debenhams had it's sale (I swear Debenhams always has a sale?!) I went to put that in my little online shopping bag, but then had a change of heart and thought I'd give this a go. Now being extremely oily, I thought that this would work as well, if not better, than All Nighter, giving that it is targeted towards it specifically... If you cannot guess already, I was a little disheartened.

It says it'll keep foundation and blush from slipping or fading and states 'Goodbye shine, hello vibrant long lasting make up' which sounds good, right? For me, it was more like just spraying water on my face. With the All Nighter spray, you kind of feel it tighten a little on your skin, not uncomfortably, but once it's dry you know you've sprayed it and it sets. With this one, I sprayed it and it sunk in. Which isn't a bad thing, but it didn't give me that sort of .. 'safety' I felt with the other one. It left my skin dewy, which is nice and I thought that maybe it'd just prevent the oil from coming through when the time come. 

About an hour later, I touched my face and just felt this oily texture to my skin, looked at my hand and to my shock, there was foundation on my fingers!! I looked in the mirror and I looked once again like a shiny mess... Now I don't know if this was because I myself am just that tad too oily for this to work, or maybe it just isn't worth it, considering that that is what this product is specifically for.

I did test this over a long period of time, and every time had the same result. I think if you're extremely oily, maybe just opt for the All Nighter spray as I know for a fact that keeps makeup in place perfectly for hours. This would maybe suit combo skin or just normal that suffers from slipping when in hot weather!

Overally, I'm pretty disappointed and I'm glad I only bought the small travel size bottle to test out, but at least I'll always have my trusty All Nighter to fall back on!

SKINCARE | LA ROCHE-POSAY HYDRAPHASE EYES

LA ROCHE-POSAY HYDRAPHASE EYES, £14.50 (x)

After my little hunt for a miracle eye cream, my first port of call being the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Roll-On, I thought I'd venture out yonder. My dark circles are caused by, I think, staring at a laptop screen for most of my life and the fact that I don't really ever sit in full daylight at any one time (I like my mood lighting, ok?!) That and a lack of water, so extreme dehydration is on the cards. I also get dry on my inner corners which makes applying eyeshadow a bit of a faff.. No one lines flakey eyelids (Is that even a thing?! Eugh) Apart from upping my water intake, and in general trying to take better care of my little eyeballs - less rubbing those sleepy, straining peepers - I didn't really think an eye cream would do much damage, and if it didn't do anything at all then I hadn't lost out on much!

The formula of this is a clear, light weight gel that is easily absorbed around the eye area. I apply this in the morning and at night before bed and have been doing so for about a week now... and I'm quite amazed to say, I do see some results! The underneath of my eyes are lightened quite substantially and I've been finding myself having to use less concealer. My inner corners are also not as dry and I feel like the skin around my eyes is a lot stronger and more hydrated. I don't know if my results were so dramatic simply because I'd never used an eyecream before this and I'm reaping the benefits early, but boy, I'm not complaining!

 Hydraphase Eyes contains Hyaluronic Acid which is a molecule that attracts and holds water in the skin. It also contains Caffeine, a popular component in eyecreams, which is an antioxident that helps with swelling.

Under-eye bags were never really a problem for me, so I can't say how good it would work for that, but if it's working for the rest of my problems I don't see why it wouldn't help!

Overall I feel like my eye area is more hydrated, looks brighter, and I'm really impressed! Go La Roche-Posay!

SKINCARE | LA ROCHE-POSAY HYDRAPHASE UV INTENSE

 LA ROCHE POSAY HYDRAPHASE UV INTENSE, £16.50 (x)

Really I don't know where to start with the product! I first bought it on a whim in Boots whilst looking for an eye cream. I'd heard good things about Hydraphase for eyes but sadly they didn't have it, so I sulked around for a bit and found this! My skin is quite oily, but looks quite dull and dehydrated from years of stripping off the oils (Bad Kitty!)  To be honest I thought this would all end in distaster, and I invisioned waking up with an oily face and slippy slidy makeup. I was greatly surprised..

Hydraphase UV Intense is a lightweight lotion, that has a light pleasant scent and leaves no residue on the skin. It containts Hyluronic Acid which is already contained in our bodies when we're younger that gets produced less as we age, it's the acid that that plumps that skin and attracts water, keeping skin hydrated for longer! It also, as it says in the name, protects from daily UVA and UVB rays, which is just a plus for me. I apply this before bed, after cleansing, and also before I apply my makeup in the morning.

After using this everyday for five days now, my skin actually does feel a lot better. It hasn't worsened my oil, but also hasn't lessened it either (which is fine for me, as that's not what it's for) I do feel like my skin is more hydrated and it looks a lot more 'alive'. If you need a boost of hydration in your life, I recommened this!

So, have you tried any La Roche Posay products, or any of the Hydraphase range? Any recommendations would be welcome!

HAUL | LA ROCHE POSAY, BENEFIT, ESSIE, VICHY

Told you it wouldn't be long until I stepped into the dangerous cavern that is Boots! I went in with an intention: Nail polish, nail polish remover, eye cream. I guess two out of three with two added bonuses is ok? Right..?

LA ROCHE POSAY HYDRAPHASE UV INTENSE,  £16.50 (x) Having oily skin I find I constantly feel like I'm stripping my skin, and in a way, I think I actually am. Now it's Spring, the weather changes have been harsh on my skin and I've found I need a little more moisure. I'm hoping this will do the trick! It contains Hyaluronic Acid, which we all know is good for keeping water in the skin, and it also protects against UVA & UVB rays.

ESSIE NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE, £7.99 (x) Ok I caved! Looking at swatches online made me want this and I have no shame! It looks like a pinkier version of Eternal Optimist and I'm excited to try it out!

BENEFIT FAKE UP, £18.50 (x) I figured my dry eye area problem wasn't just to do with skin care, it was to do with the wrong concealer. I used to use MAC Studio Finish with no problem but now it seems my poor little eyes are rebelling! I picked this up after reading various reviews online and after swatching it on my hand it seemed really hydrating. Plus its claims no creasing? We'll soon see.

VICHY AQUALIA THERMAL EYE ROLL-ON, £14 (x) This is what I went to Boots for all along! Again, been searching online and the reviews for this seem to be very good. It feels very cooling on the skin and very soothing. It says its for 'dehydrated under eye skin' and that it 'De-puffs, fortifies and soothes under the eyes helping to reduce bags and dark circles' so I'm hoping the combination of this and the new concealer will do me wonders!

So that's my haul done! Have you tried any of these products? Would you like me to review any? Let me know!

SKINCARE | DR. NICK LOWE ANTI BLEMISH

Oil Control Day Cream, £15.49 (x) | Sebum Control Cleanser, £10.49 (x)

As with my other skincare post, my acne-prone skin needs to be kept at bay! After indulging in the Una Brennan range, and needing to repurchase, I toddled down the skincare isle to it's normal resting place and saw this lot sitting next to it! Anti-Blemish you say Dr. Nick Lowe? Well how can I resist that.

I'm still loving my cleansing wash by Una Brennan, but I felt like I needed a little bit more. I've always loved these cleansing liquids, and this almost feels like a light toner on my skin and gets off any of the makeup that's worked itself into my pores. It promises to control sebum production, and in my case it definitely has! Suffering with terribly oily skin means that at work if I forget to powder I look like a greasy mess, but this paired with the day cream has sorted it out!

The Oil Control Day Cream itself is a light feeling moisturiser which I use all over the face. I've seen a dramatic difference in the longevity of my makeup after using this for a few days and I don't need to cake my face in powder to make it stay, who can complain about that?

The Nick Lowe and Una Brennan products have worked perfecting in conjuction together for my skin and I'm definitely sticking to them to keep them evil spots at bay!

SKINCARE | UNA BRENNAN

UNA BRENNAN TEA FLOWER RANGE (x)

PURIFYING CLEANSING WASH, £7.99 | PURIFYING CLAY MASK, £8.99 | PURIFY & REFRESH SCRUB, £8.99

Through my teens I suffered with terrible acne and relied on the likes of Freederm and Clean & Clear to help my hormonal skin, but as I've got older I can happily say my skin isn't that much of a worry. Despite it now being a whole lot calmer than it was when I was younger, acne in my past and the curse of having an oily skin type has left me a little bit paranoid about it reverting to it's old terrible ways, and so this range came in handy just in time and my skin is brighter, clearer and feels softer than it ever has before!

I had been relying on my mothers Simple skincare for months and then me working the night shift most nights led me to start using the dreaded facewipe at the end of a night to wipe off all my makeup. No cleansing, no moisurising, no nothing. Until that fateful day I woke up with - you guessed it - a break out!

My finally clear skin had rebelled! Simple wasn't cutting it anymore, and the facewipes definitely were doing more harm than good. I went to Boots in search of a new skincare range, and whilst traipsing around looking at Neutrogena (another teen favourite) I took a turn down the what I guess you could call the 'high end' skincare and spotted these babies hidden amongst La Roche-Posay and Vichy. 

The whole range contains Salicylic Acid, which we all know is good for banishing acne-prone skin, as well as some other ingredients such as Menthol and Elderflower which helps calm irritation, and I can safely say after a fair few months of use and various repurchases, it does just that! My skin is clear and calm and if I ever feel that it's becoming slightly aggravated I pop on the clay mask for a few minutes, paint my nails and when I take it off my skin is smooth and soft again!

The exfoliator is very fine and I think is gentle enough to be used a couple of times a week if it's needed, although I try to limit myself to once, and the cleansing wash foams up lovely to remove all traces of makeup. I have used this on a full face of makeup to remove water-proof mascara as well and it does the job!

I think this range is absolutely brilliant, and if you have slightly acne-prone skin is definitely a good investment. 

Have you tried the range, or any other Una Brennan ranges? If so what did you think?