Back in August I decided enough was enough!  My skin had upset me for so long that I decided to visit the Therapie Clinic in Newbridge to see if finally I could find the answer and rid my face of the pesky spots that had plagued me for so many years.

Sadly the could not provide the answers I was looking for and the routine they suggested only made my skin angrier.  Their suggestion was that oil was my enemy and making me breakout.  However I discovered after two weeks of their routine that my skin loves oil and moisture and that all the harsh acne treatments I had sworn by for years were actually apart of the problem.

However one of the products suggested by Therapie was the Image Illumia Skin Brightening Serum.  I had never used a serum before and my dehydrated skin just drank it in.  I found that my skin was less oily and my acne scars faded somewhat, but sadly it wasn't the holy grail product I had hoped.  At a price point of nearly €50 my wallet wasn't happy enough to continue using it if it wasn't absolutely 'amazing' and so I went on the hunt for the perfect serum.

First I started with Bare Minerals Active Cell Renewal Night Serum.  While it added moisture to my thirsty skin, it did little else.  My scars and spots were not effected for better or worse and as the price is around the same as the Illumia Serum, I decided it wasn't the one for me.

Moving on I next tried Benefit's Instant Comeback Serum.  While I liked the texture of this serum the product was gone in no time at all and it was a struggle to get it out of the bottle.  Again it added great moisture to the skin and helped somewhat fade my scars, but again nothing incredible and at the €50 mark not worth it.

So I decided a trip to Boots was in order.  While in Boots this little guy caught me eye.

I had remembered reading about it on Pink Elephant Blog (one of my Favourites) but my local Boots had always been out of (same with the Cleansing balm that's supposed to be ah-mazing) when I'd go searching for it.  Luckily this time it was on the shelf and on sale to boot.  I thought to myself as I purchased it, if it doesn't work, it won't matter.

And yet after only one night of use I'm seeing results.  My skin was brighter this morning and my angry red acne scars and active spots weren't as angry or red any longer.  It also seems to be locking in moisture better as I'm not getting the dreaded 3pm itchy cheeks.  

Suffice to say I can't wait to see how the results continue to improve with further use.

Have you tried the Botanics All-Brightening serum?  What were your thoughts.  

xo

If you were following along last week you know that I have been on the hunt for a new foundation.  Through much trial and error I still hadn't found the one, but I think the search may be finally over.

Yesterday work was quite slow and the boss was away.  Nearly falling asleep at my desk I decided a walk was needed and passed by the Bare Minerals counter in my local Debenhams (working in a shopping centre has it's perks).  I had always been skeptical of mineral foundation but after hearing a few of my co-workers suggest it I decided to give it a go.

Caithriona, my makeup artist for the day, first thoroughly cleansed my skin of the makeup I was already wearing, which allowed a fresh base, a first in my makeup mission.  All the other counters I had gone to applied makeup over what I was already wearing.  She then asked about my skin and skin care and recommended their new Blemish Remedy foundation.  I was concerned about colour, but the lightest shade Clearly Porcelain just melted into my skin.  It was me only better.

She did a whole makeup looking using colours I would never have used but they looked great and she wasn't pushy at all.  She told me to wear the makeup home and see what I thought before purchasing.  She said that the makeup would settle and look even better as the day went on.  So I did exactly what she suggested and when home excited to show my fiance my new makeup.

Showing him a new look is always a bit nerve wrecking.  To be precise during my makeup trials he has thrown out such comments as "Did they put enough on?" & "Jesus, you're like an oomph-loompah?" Romantic, eh?

However this time he loved it exclaiming that I looked so natural and sun-kissed.  He even went so far as to tell me I was very pretty.  Sure what more could a girl want.

So today I will purchase my new foundation and keep my face chart as I think the colours Caithriona used will be perfect for my wedding day makeup!

Well, until next time!

A few months back for whatever reason my skin decided to change completely and I found that my Bobbi Brown stick foundation was no longer suitable.  Sadly it had stopped applying beautifully and I was left with dry flaky patches and streaks, which in all honesty is not a good luck.

So I decided to go on the hunt for a new foundation.  After much research I settled on Benefit's Big Easy Bigger Than BB (you can read my first review here).  After using a sample for a few weeks I fell in love and bought it thinking that my hunt was over and I had found 'it'.

However after a few months I started to despise Big Easy. No matter how I applied it; with my fingers, different brushes or a beauty blender, with & without primer, or mixed with moisturiser it looked horrible and within minutes would turn into a cakey mess.  I even tweeted Benefit themselves thinking I was doing something wrong, but they suggested everything I had already tried.  

So, since then I've been on the hunt for the perfect foundation and let me tell you I think it's one of the hardest things a woman has to do in her life.  Forget finding the perfect pair of jeans, that is a walk in the park compared to finding the perfect foundation.

My journey so far has led me to Yves Saint Laurent and Lancome.  In the past I had worn Clinique's Acne Solutions and their Super-balanced foundation but I had troubles with both of these.  I had also used Urban Decay's Naked Skin for a while but again, I found that the application wasn't great and the colour wasn't ideal.  And Benefit's Hello Oxygen WOW! was way to dark so completely out of the question.  That meant I had in my local Debenhams the choice of Dior, Elizabeth Arden, Estee Lauder, Chanel, Bare Minerals, Clarins, Lancome and YSL to delve into.

First I tried the YSL Touche Eclat Foundation.  Antoinette, the lovely make-up artist at YSL in Newbridge gave me a sample.  I went home excited to try it for work the next day.  However straight off I knew the colour wasn't right.  I'm pure porcelain, nearly snow white, hence my trouble finding the right foundation and straight of the gate this sample had a strike against it.  Of course I was told by my co-workers that it was good to 'warm-up' my skin and it looked great, but I felt so self concious the whole time wearing it because I knew the colour wasn't correct.

This was unfortunate as the coverage and application on the other hand were perfect.  It covered my imperfections with only a little bit of concealer required and was easy to apply with my Yves Rocher brush.  If you're listening YSL and bring out lighter shades, I'll be the first in line!

Next I decided to try Lancome.  Laura, the wonderful make-up artist at Lancome Newbridge is so knowledgeable of her brand and products and she asked me loads of questions about what I was looking for before recommending Teint Miracle.

This time the colour was nearly perfect (005) and both the coverage and the application good.  I thought, this is it.  I've found it.  However when I wear it, I find by the end of the day my skin becomes tight especially in my drier cheek area and this was never a problem I had had before considering I'm normally an oil slick.  Turns out the number 3 ingredient in Teinte Idole is alcohol and my skin just doesn't appreciate it.    

Which means that I'm back to square one and don't know which way to go.  I've had suggestions of mineral make-up, which I have tried before and hated due to the oxidation, making me look like an oompah-loompah by end of day.  Another suggestion was the new Too Faced Born This Way foundation.  From what I've read, it sounds great, but is only available in the Debenhams in Blanchardstown and I can't justify driving up there just for a sample.  Plus it's always sold out on-line so if I did love it and want to buy it, how likely would it be available for me?  ARG!!!!!

So my faithful readers, this is where I turn to you.  Have you found your HOLY GRAIL foundation and want to share with me and others?  If so let me know in the comments below.  Until next time, let the search continue! 

All through my teens and into my mid twenties I suffered horribly from acne.  It was a real confidence de-booster and I tried absolutely everything on the market .  While it took years to figure it out (the internet was still young when I was growing up and blogging was a new art) I have finally discovered products that work and I now want to share my absolutely favourite and must have beauty skin, body, and hair care products!

1) Soap & Glory 3-in-1 Peaches and Clean Milk Cleanser - So gentle but very effective this face wash is my skin savior.  I use it morning and night with a Soap & Glory rubber skin brush. 

2) Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Emulsion - I have always love the Benefit b.right Triple performing facial emulsion but it didn't love my wallet so I was on a mission to find one that was a bit kinder.  Enter from stage right Eau Thermale Avene.  This is a beautiful moisturiser that doesn't break the bank and helps combat my oily skin.  Only downside is it doesn't have SPF.  However I still love it dearly!

3) Bioderma Sebium Micellar Water - Beautiful and refreshing, this is by far my favourite makeup remover and per-cleanser.  Gentle but deep cleansing, it also helps to combat my oily skin.

4) Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance K - I have a thing for French beauty products as you can see but it's because they work and yet are gentle enough for my sensitive skin.  This little guy is a great spot treatment for those shark week pests.

5) Nivea In Shower Moisturiser - As a sufferer of dry skin this is a life saver.  No longer to I get out of the shower with itchy dry legs!

6) Organix Shampoo - I love the Shea Butter and Argan Oil one the best, but the whole line is SLS free, smells great and gives soft bouncy hair.

7) Sephora Dry Shampoo - Absolutely amazing!  Doesn't leave that dreaded build up.  I just wish we had Sephora in Ireland as I can't justify 18 euro shipping.

8) The Body Shop Almond Body Butter - So soft and creamy this smells incredible and helps soften even the roughest skin!

9) Percy & Reed Wonderbalm - Great for tangles and curls this primer for hair makes my hair feel so soft and helps keep knots at bay in the process.

10) Bobbi Brown Skin Stick Foundation - (read my review here)Blends effortlessly and looks and feels lovely on the skin!  For any no-makeup makeup look lover this is a must. 

So as a naturally pale individual, (any flash of sun and I go running for cover) I have always struggled to find that perfect foundation.  Normally my problem had to do with shades, but I overcame that problem when I stumbled upon Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation.  However after awhile I fell out of love with this foundation due to it's application.  See no matter what tools I used (brush, fingers, beauty blender sponge)  I seemed to have these places where the foundation just settled and wouldn't blend right and I hated the way it looked.  So when I came to the end of my bottle, I decided to search for a new foundation.

Now I had heard a lot of good about Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation Stick.  And sometimes I thought it was too good to be true, but I can tell you now the champions of Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation stick were right and I'm in love!  The application is flawless.  It blends effortlessly into my skin and the shade matches even better than my Urban Decay looked.  

Now that I"m coming to end of my Benefit boi-ing concealer I'll certainly be investing in the Bobbi Brown concealer to compliment my new favourite foundation.  I highly recommend it.  

Back in May we went on holiday to France and I was determined to stock up on my favourite French products.  Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance emulsion is my Holy Grail moisturiser and so I was excited to get more of this as well as try out some new micellar water (Bioderma is amazing) and new spot treatment (Effaclar duo+).  Spent about 100 euro but I got all these wonderful little trials of everything from perfume to body wash to serums and I can't wait to try them all.  The next time you're in France make sure to stock up at the nearest pharmacy.  Their products are just amazing.  

Hello lovies,

I know I've been neglecting this poor old blog lately and I truly do apologise, but Ireland has been experiencing a freak heat wave and I'm sure you can't blame me for wanting to soak up as many rays as I can considering this hasn't happened since before I even moved here, I needed to take advantage of the sun while I had it.

While I've been away, (enjoying that beautiful sun) a lot has happened.  I turned 27 (OMG, am I really that old) dyed my hair red ( I feel like Ariel from The Little Mermaid) and got to experience some cool things because of work.  However this weather has got me thinking about holidays and how hard it can be to pack, specially with all the stupid liquid limitations imposed on us.  Well I've come up with my own tips and tricks on how to stay looking your best with less.  Read on for a sneak peak into my makeup bag on holiday!

Growing up with all brothers I learned at a young age to not only be quick but also to pack light and my summer holiday makeup bag only features 6, yes 6 items.  They include...

• Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream
• Catrice's Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner
• Benefit's Coralista Blush
• Maxfactor Eye Brightening Tonal Black Voluminous Mascara in Black Ruby for Green Eyes
• Revlon Colourstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in 'It Girl'

When the weather is warm I hate applying a full foundation with powder included and the CC cream is nice and light, balancing out my imperfections and protecting my skin from those harmful UV rays.  Mixing it with a bit of primer not only ups its staying power, but with its pink shimmer also gives a lovely glow to my skin.

Benefit's Coralista's pinky Coral colour adds a nice flush while Max-factor's mascara makes green eyes pop and is water proof to boot.

Last but certainly not least my new favourite lip product - Revlon ColourStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick. First off the colour is fun, but not too bright making it wearable for both day and night.  However the number 1 reason I love this product and why it will become one of my makeup bag staples is ... its moisturising super powers... dun, duh, duh, duh!!!!  I've been applying this every morning before work and don't need a top up or spot of Vaseline to ward off dryness until well after lunch.  Considering I used to be unable to leave my desk without trusty Vaseline that's saying something.  Now with this lipstick, there's no need to worry.

Until next time!