Face Of The Day: Purple If You Please

Hello lovelies, my sister is down from uni and I roped her into being my photographer for today. 

This is just a quick face of the day post using a few of the snaps she took of me this morning. 

My camera is currently in Boston by way of New York,

 which is why I have been a bit slow with the posts this week. Not to worry, I plan on putting my lil sisters smartphone to work!!!!

Products

Murad Perfecting Day cream spf 30

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

Laura Mercier Tinted moisturizer Walnut

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Deep Dark 

Mac Studio finish concealer - eyebrows

Mac moisture cover concealer - under eyes

Nars Blush in Taos

MAC Liner pencil in Magenta (tha boss!!!!)

MAC Retro Matte lipstick in Flat Out Fabulous (tha cross!!!!)

Urban Decay 24/7 glide on eye pencil in LUST

Soap and Glorayyyyyyy Thick and fast Mascara

L'Oreal Made For Me Natural eyebrow and duo eyeshadow for dark skin tones  (the one with the photo of Kerry Washington 

Lust on lower lash line, mascara on top lashes only

#PurpleIfYouPlease

Facial Sunscreen - Avene Sun Care Very High Protection Sun Emulsion SPF50+ 50ml

Sunscreen Cheat Sheet

1. If you are exposed to the sun for more than 15 minutes a day, even if the weather is cloudy or over cast you need to apply sunscreen.

2. Always look for a suncare product that displays the UVA symbol in a circle or clearly states that it’s a Broad Spectrum formula. This will give your delicate skin protection from both UVA and UVB rays (ones that age and ones that burn) reducing your skin cancer risk and also preventing lasting, ageing sun damage.

3. No!!!!!! you cannot rely on the Spf in your foundation. Ideally for your entire face, neck and de-collate  you should be using a teaspoon amount every time you apply.

**if you are suffering with hyperpigmentation, you should be applying a higher factor spf every single day.**

                                                                  

Hypersensitive, light, and very fair skin needs some extra help in the sun. Avène Eau

Thermale Emulsion SPF 50+ provides just that, and makes sure skin is well protected when exposed to the sun.

The very high protection provided by this silky emulsion covers a very broad spectrum, and utilises an exclusive grouping of active ingredients. The name of this coalescence is Sunsitive®, a product of the Pierre Fabre Research facility. Skin is protected against UVB and also short and long UVA rays.

The matte formulation includes vitamin E based pre-trocopheryl, a potent antioxidant that shields the skin from damaging free radicals. As with all Avène products, the emulsion is rich in skin loving Thermal Spring Water with its soothing and calming capabilities. 

Available at Escenutal.com & Boots . RRP £16.00

Unil the next time my lovelies

xx

Facial Sunscreen - Bioderma Photoderm Spot Cream SPF50+ 30ml

Sunscreen Cheat Sheet

1. If you are exposed to the sun for more than 15 minutes a day, even if the weather is cloudy or over cast you need to apply sunscreen.

2. Always look for a suncare product that displays the UVA symbol in a circle or clearly states that it’s a Broad Spectrum formula. This will give your delicate skin protection from both UVA and UVB rays (ones that age and ones that burn) reducing your skin cancer risk and also preventing lasting, ageing sun damage.

3. No!!!!!! you cannot rely on the Spf in your foundation. Ideally for your entire face, neck and de-collate  you should be using a teaspoon amount every time you apply.

**if you are suffering with hyperpigmentation, you should be applying a higher factor spf every single day.**

Protect skin with localised hyperpigmentation and sun spots with the Bioderma Photoderm Spot SPF50+.

The formula is also suitable for skin that has been treated by laser, or scarred complexions. It offers maximum photoprotection with a wealth of specific active ingredients that minimise the risk of further pigmentation. The maximum anti-UVB protection and unrivalled, extreme anti-UVA performance protects the skin from sunburn, sun intolerance and premature ageing.

Created especially for facial skin, it guarantees optimum protection from the sun with its patented Cellular BIOprotection® complex. The melting texture of the cream leaves the skin feeling comforted and very soft.

Apply Photoderm Spot generously before sun exposure, and reapply frequently. Colourless when applied, the cream leaves no oily film or white marks. Non-comedogenic, water-resistant, photostable and fragrance-free, Photoderm Spot ensures excellent tolerance.

Available at Escentual.com RRP £15.50

YES!!!! you must wear suncreen every day my lovelies.

The Skincare Edit - The Budget Friendly Version

The idea for this post struck me today when I was at work. One of the ladies and I were speaking about the summer sales and items we could purchase now to use as gifts for birthdays/Christmas.

 It came to me that with all the hype about the Emma Hardie Cleansing balm, the P50 exfoliating toner and the PIXI glow tonic. Where are the options for those who want to try these products but just do not have the money to buy the cult products. 

I recently posted my Skincare edit (which is subject to change so there will be updates soon), so I am writing this the Budget friendly version of my skincare edit. This would have been my skincare edit a year ago when I was a student, strapped for pennies.

Makeup Remover - L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution 

Cleansing Oil  - L'oreal Cleansing oil (please remember this does have in mineral oil)

Cleanser morning - Neutrogena 2 in 1 cleanser & Mask 

Cleanser evening - Botanics 97% Organic Hot Cloth cleansing Balm 

Exfoliating toner - La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Lotion 

Hydrating toner - Botanics 100% Organic Rosewater Toning Spritz 

Serum - Avene Soothing Hydrating serum 

Sunscreen - Bioderma Photoderm Spot Cream SPF50+ 30ml, 

or Avene very high protection mineral suncreen spf50+ for very intolerant skin 

My current skincare edit is £125 in total. The budget version above total costs equal £85, at the moment a lot of these products are on reduced price offers, so the total would be even less. I recommend when purchasing skincare you buy one item at a time. eg when your cleanser finishes, then purchase a new one,  not before. Do the same in turn with each skincare item. Unless your skin is in a bad way, I would never suggest purchasing an entirely new skincare regime at once.  I love a bargain and the frugal person in me would never let that happen. I will stick to purchasing one at a time as items finish.  I hope that you guys find this post useful. 


Comment below and let me know if you have used any of the products above in the past. 

Happy Wednesday,

my lovelies.

xx

Review - Nivea Sun Sunblock spf 30

What they say: 

Nivea Sun  Pocket size spf 30, high protection always at hand

UVA/UVB Protection systen EU compliant

     Nivea sun pocket size provides immediate sun protection in a convenient pocket size, readily available whenever and whereever effective sun protection is needed. The ultra light and non sticky formula for face n body is easy to apply and absorbed. water resistant. 

What I say:

     This is the highest spf lotion in my skincare regimen. The lightest being the Nivea daliy essentials moisturising lotion and the second being the Avene Hydrance Optimal Rich hydratiing cream with spf 20. I am all about the spf, it should be a very present part of any skincare routine. I purchased this sunblock after watching Brit Pop princess's video on her skincare routine. Yes, it does leave that blue look on my skin after I have applied it, lol. As a sunblock I believe that it has been effective, since using this and the Avene Hydrance Optimal I have noticed that my spots have not been darkening as much as they would have in the past, also my overal complexion is a lot brighter/clearer. I use  this on the really really hot days when the sun was out and I knew definitely I would be leaving the house, maybe to go into town or walking to uni or the supermarket. It takes a while to sink in, but I expect that with a sunblock with a high spf factor such as this one. 

   It is 50ml which is a great size, it enables me to walk with it in my handbag for when I want to re apply (sunblock should be reapplied every 2-3 hours). The price point was very attractive as well, I puchased it when it was on offer for 50% off at my local supermarket. It is funny how essential products such as sunblock can be so expensive. smh 

Nivea sunblock spf 30 along with the rest of my skincare regimen. 

Would I repurchase? - Yes 

Would I recommend? - Yes for all my gals, my girls and my kiddies, sunblock is very very very important.

Would I buy full priced? - Yes I rather spend £6 today and save myself skin cancer and wrinkles tomorrow. 

cheerio my lovlies. 

Review - Avene Hydrance Optimale spf 20

        Now that I have told you about my cleanser, toner  and night time treatment that I am currently using, it is time to introduce those products work for me during the day. The #1 anti-age-ing skin product is SPF, sunblock, suncream whatever you want to call it. If you want to be looking at svelte and youthful in your latter years it is important to not only invest in a good skincare regime (which I am currently trying to do) but to also invest in some sunblock. 
     The harsh rays from the sun burn not only the top layer of skin but the under laying layer as well --------> this is what causes ageing. Not any old suncreeam will do, the one you choose to put ony our face and body must be a BROAD SPECTRUM sunscreen, meaning that it contains not only UVA but UVB protection as well. 

What Avene says:

Gentle, creamy moisturiser that restores skin;s hydration and helps protect it against environmental and UV aggressors. 

What I say:

     When you read the packaging it says for sensitive skin, however my skin is also oily, so at first I was apprehensive about trying it on. I later got over my trepidation and applied some of the cream, the formula was very light, easy to spread and it sank into my skin quickly. Another thing that I do love about this hydrating cream, is that even with its fairly high spf number, it does not leave my face with a greyish tinge, or a white circle where my hairline meets my face. I use this on days when the weather is overcast and then on days that are bright and sunny I wear Nivea Sun spf. 
      A little goes a long way with this product,  which I have tried and tested for myself. The cream comes in a little handy 40ml tube , so it has been very easy for me to pop this into my bag to apply on the go, or to re-apply as and when it is needed. Please note that between the time i acquired this product and presentday the level of spf has increased from 20  -----> spf 25.

Would I recommend? - yes

Would I repurchse? - yes (though this was given to me as a gift)

would I buy full priced? - Yes it is def worth it, skin protection in a light easy to use formula.

Miss Mai

My Current Skincare Routine

   I believe that skincare is a very important part of everyday life, whether you consider yourself a high, low or no maintenance person. However everyone's skin is different and because of this some products may not work for others as well as they work for me. The trick is to keep experimenting until you find a combination that is right for you. As you know I suffer from Cystic Acne but I am also a  bit of a picker / squeezer ----> truth moment and my skin scars toooooo easily. Over the years I have tried a few different products, Vitamin E, Tea Tree and Seaweed ranges from the Body Shop, the Garnier Active natural range, St Ives facial scrub (took me 2 years to finish, was so not a fan), Origins cleansing pads. Yea a whole bunch of stuff.

Avene Cleanance Gel - for oily, sensitive skin, this is a light soap free gel, which cleanses my skin very well but doesn't make my skin very dry or stripped. Its a bit thick which means, I have to dampen my hands slighty in order to help spread it around my face. I use this twice daily. 

Avene Cleanance Mattifying facial toner - This is a toner made from Avene thermal spring water, it contains denatured alcohol, it is not stripping or harsh. It contains salicylic Acid which settles at the bottom of the bottle. When I am about to apply this, I shake the bottle vigorously as instructed to mix the powder and then I pour it onto a cotton pad, then I wipe it across my face. I also use this twice daily.

Nivea Daily Essentials Facial moisturiser spf 8 - If you are following me on twitter (@Rebelle01) You would have seen me tweeting about the need to moisturise and protect your skin. This is a light moisturiser which absorbs very quickly, it does not give a mattifying finish, but you are not left  looking like a grease-ball either.  I use this moisturiser if I will be staying at home with no chance of going outside in the sun, or if I want to give my night cream a break.

Nivea sunblock spf 30/ Avene Rich hydrating creme spf 20 - Sunblock this right here is the ace in the hole. Sunblock is the number 1 anti-aging product in your skincare routine. Not only does it help to block out harmful rays from the sun, but did you know that using sunblock helps to prevent spots from getting darker. When you have a pimple and you go out into the sun, the melanin rushes to create a cover for that exposed flesh ----------> leading to dark spots and hyper pigmentation. By using sunblock as part of my skincare routine I have been preventing this from happening. I use this most days that I am leaving the house. 

Avene Cleanance K exfoliating hydrating creme - gel - a light lotion containing glycolic acid, which helps to generate skin cell renewal by ex-foliating the dead skin cells away. This product is not an overnight miracle cream but overtime I have seen improvements with use. 

Method 

I always double cleanse my face and I remove my cleanser using a muslin cloth at night.  

Miss Mai

xx

Top 10 Desert Island Products...........

This is a good idea was it made me think what are my top 10 products that are really essential? Of course, they might change in the future who can say but this is my top 10 items of choice if I got stuck on a deserted Island. 


1. Ribena - this is my drink. I LOVE Ribena it contains vitamin C I need something to keep me going til survival mode kicks in. 


2. My journal (and a black ball point pen) it might be hard to believe but I write wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than I post on here, lol. If I was found I would want to have records of my experiences. 


3. Sunblock with a crazy high factor like SPF50. I burn in the sun.


4. Ginger Snaps these would be my treat aka my reward for catching that fish, sleeping through the night in the wilderness or wrestling that boar. 


5. My water bottle to hold fresh water.


6. Cocoa Butter lotion its a good moisturiser and a good after sun moisturiser. So for everyone who gets sunburnt just slather on some cocoa butter on that ish and you are good to go. 


7. Aloe Vera gel this is also a good after sun product however it serves 2 purposes as it can be used as a natural alcohol free hair gel. :)


8. Steel and Flint girl go to make a fire you know. Yes I know how to make a outdoor fire ----> don't let the lipgloss fool you I am gangsta like that. 


9. Vodka to sanitise any cuts, sores or blisters I might get. Plus it can be used as a facial cleaner.


10. My Swiss Army pen knives to use to cut branches meat, skin animals, make a spear, etc. 


xoxo