Acne Prone - Skincare and Makeup to help!

I decided I would write this blog for those with Acne prone skin. I know this is a problem for a lot of women and girls and hopefully this will help in some way.

I didn't want to go the usual 'medicated', 'clinical' smelling route so I have chosen products that are more on the natural side rather than medical! It's so important, particularly when you have problem skin, that you try to use products that won't aggravate the situation even more which is why I have chosen products that are natural.

I'm going with 3 ranges here to make a life easier if you are planning to buy - Yes To Tomatoes, Nurturing Force and Physician's Formula.

SKIN CARE

I'm suggesting Yes To Tomatoes for skincare as it's clinically proven to help with acne-prone skin. It's also 98% Natural, Petroleum, SLS, & Paraben Free, not to mention Cruelty-free

(http://yesto.co.uk)

Start your morning with YES TO TOMATOES DAILY CLARIFYING CLEANSER (and end your evening with it too!). This cleanser maintains your skin's pH balance while removing excess oils and impurities, purifying and refreshing your complexion. Perfect!

After cleansing use YES TO TOMATOES DAILY PORE SCRUB. This is a powerful acne-fighting scrub which helps to combat blackheads and breakouts, but gentle enough for daily use. Ground mango seeds and bamboo exfoliate skin and help skin turnover a clean, clear surface. The Salicylic Acid combats acne and blemishes, Tomatoes help unclog pores, and a blend of Ginger Root and Bisabolol helps skin avoid redness. Nice!

Now moisturise using YES TO TOMATOES DAILY BALANCING MOISTURISER. This is rich in antioxidants and has powerful sebum (acne-causing oil) absorbers, it both moisturises and balances, keeping your complexion in check. Excellent!

As a treat use YES TO TOMATOES CLEARING FACIAL MASK. This is a total deep pore treatment that refines, purifies and even moisturises your skin, while helping to keep your complexion clean, clear and balanced. It's filled with potent anti-oxidants that fight free radicals, and bursting with powerful sebum (acne-causing oil) absorbers. Sure why not.

You can buy Yes To Tomatoes products from various locations in Ireland (check the link - http://yesto.co.uk/find-a-store-ireland.html)

Next PRIMER.

Of you are prone to bouts of oiliness throughout the day and it drives you crazy I have the perfect solution and that is NURTURING FORCE BLOT OUT SHINE OFFENSIVE (http://www.nurturingforce.com/). This is one of my absolute favourite primers for oily skin and it's natural!

It will soak up excess oil on the face. Use it after moisturising and before foundation. It will not only soak up excess oil but it will also act as a barrier between the foundation and the skin to help your foundation last longer, up to 14 hours in fact! Plus it's also a great little filler for pores!

It's silicone (dimethicone) free, contains no parabens, added fragrance or colour. It also helps to protect skin from blemishes caused by pore clogging make-up.

You can buy Nurturing Force from - www.preciousaboutmakeup.com

If you find you tend to get a lot of redness in your complexion try opting for a primer that will also

colour correct. I am recommending PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA CORRECTING PRIMER. It smoothes & tones down redness and works great for extra sensitive or breakout-prone skin. Ot also contains SPF 15, helps to reduce irritation and contains Malachite and Smithsonite which help lock in moisture and protect against daily environmental aggressors. Plus it's infused with Mineral Water for added comfort. Oh and least I forget it also contains a very cute Flow-Through Brush which will make life even easier!

You can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/

FOUNDATION

I have chosen PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA YOUTHFUL WEAR SPOTLESS FOUNDATION for many, many reasons. Namely being that it reduces the appearance of spots by 67%* *it doesn't just mask them!), it contains SPF 15 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen, it's Hypoallergenic, Paraben Free, Gluten Free, Dermatologist Approved, Non-Comedogenic, Clinically Tested, lasts for 12 Hours and on top of all that the bottle has a precision dropper that dispenses the perfect dose of make up onto your brush or sponge! Basically, it's fab!

You can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/

CONCEALER

Once again, PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA CONCEAL PHYSITIANS STRENGTH CONCEALER. This is a great all rounder with maximum coverage that glides on smoothly to conceal blemishes, dark under-eye circles, scars, birthmarks, age spots, bruises, rosacea and hyperpigmentation and it lasts up to 12 hours!

You can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/

POWDER

Yes, you guessed it, PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA MINERAL

WEAR LOOSE POWDER. The reason I think this is great is because firstly it comes in a very handy container with brush included! It's in loose form so it will set your foundation and concealer without looking heavy and it's suitable for extra sensitive or breakout-prone skin.

This powder formula helps to reduce irritation and breakout and contains SPF 30. It's Ultra-fine yet delivers impeccable coverage for a flawless airbrushed finish. It also visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, pores and sun damage. What more could you ask for!

You can purchase Physician's Formula from - http://ie.iherb.com/

TOUCHUPS

For touch-ups throughout the day I personally would recommend a Blot paper rather than a pressed powder. And I absolutely love NURTURING FORCE BLOTTING PAPERS. All of these Blotting Paper varieties remove Shine, Perspiration, Dirt & Oil from Skin and Help to Unclog Pores. They have 3 different scents but I like the Unscented Pure version. It's fragrance free and comes in a very cool little black colored dispenser which allows you to determine exactly how long a length of our paper you will need. You just use what you need & protect the rest.™

These hand made Blotting Papers are a blend of two naturally soft fibers. It is made in the picturesque mountains of Taiwan, where they use the prized natural mountain spring water in the making of our paper. Imagine that!

Chemical-Free, Paraben-Free, Powder-Free, Preservative-Free, ultra soft and absorbent blotting papers, providing an easy dry way to refresh anytime and anywhere. Softer than a handkerchief and more absorbent than facial tissue or paper towel, it does not leave any lint or fibers even on a man's rough stubble! Safe to use over any type of make-up application! 

You can buy Nurturing Force from - www.preciousaboutmakeup.com 

Here's hoping you get some help from this and of course, let us know how you get on with the products :D

Cheaper Brands, Fabulous or Fail? Enter: Creightons

I'm an absolute sucker for a bargain. I might not really want that top, but it's a fiver, how could I not buy it?! In general I try to rein it in a bit more with makeup and beauty products. I probably will wear the €5 top, however I probably won't use the €1 orange lipstick. With that being said, how will I ever find brilliant new products if I don't take a chance every now and then? So begins this blog....

While in Dealz the other day, randomly browsing, a pretty pink stand caught my eye. At first I thought "Wait a minute... isn't that? No they don't sell that brand in here. Do they?" On closer inspection I realised what I was seeing was in fact a very (very) similar packaged product to another glorious brand available in Boots (see what I did there?). Anyway, you can judge yourself just how similar Creightons line is.

They're were a few different products there, but I decided to pick up the 'Squeeky Clean Body Better Body Lotion' and the 'Movie Matte Photo Finish Moisturiser'. At €1.49 each I didn't exactly have high hopes but I've been pleasantly surprised with things I've bought in Dealz before. This time was no exception.

 I'm very picky when it comes to moisturiser. My skin can be quite sensitive and I have reacted badly to skincare products before. Also it's incredibly combination with quite an oily t-zone, but dry cheeks prone to redness. Needless to say I was quite anxious when trying this! It claims to give 'camera ready skin that is kissably soft'. Straight away I loved the scent, so we were off to a good start. It's a very fresh, almost fruity smell. Although it looked quite thick in the container it melted into the skin with ease, and immediately my skin felt much softer. I used this for a week straight, both day and night. On my first try, my skin felt quite tight after but this seemed to be a one time thing! Even after sleeping, my skin still feels moisturised the next morning. I'm definitely a fan of this, and will continue to use it. With 100ml in the jar I feel it will last a long time too!

In my eyes, body lotion is body lotion. I've never really come across one that has 'blown my mind' so to speak. But the promise of evoking 'my inner siren with irresistibly soft skin' was to much to pass up :)

Again it goes on it make some fairly big promises 'deeply conditions and moisturises your skin, leaving it touchably soft and kissably smooth all day long'. Sure what more could a girl want?

It has the same beautiful scent as the face moisturiser which was a plus. The formula wasn't quite as thick however a little went a long way. My skin did indeed feel softer, and surprisingly even after a few hours I could still smell the scent on my arms. It may not have lasted all day long, but it absolutely lived up to it's €1.49 price tag.

Overall I'm very impressed. It goes to show that a massive price doesn't necessarily mean a quality product, just as cheap can be more than just cheerful. If nothing else, the packaging is amazing! Do you trust cheaper products, or do you stick with certain brand you know? 

Til next time,

Toodles,