Looking after yourself in bad times

Hello strangers!

I apologise for how unacceptably and rediculously long it has been since I last posted. Shoot me down, I'm a terrible human being. I'll spare you the details but things haven't been easy for me recently and I'm going through a rough patch. You know when all the little things add up and explode and everything is crap for a while? Yeah, that's what's happening in my life right now. I usually have some form of escape. Writing, reading, blogging, beauty. But recently I've lacked both the courage and motivation to do anything. I don't want to leave the house, don't want to talk about things because I'm not sure what to say and my self-esteem is non-existent. I know I will be fine, but everything takes time. I'm not looking for any sympathy, in fact I'd rather give advice from the comfort of my bed.

How to look after yourself when you're feeling everything a little too much:

Don't feel bad for having feelings -

The difficult thing, for anyone, when they're struggling is to accept it. I am (as everyone who knows me will strongly agree) a very emotional person. I am sensitive and think irrationally, but that's okay. You're allowed to be angry and upset and lost. It's all part of the process of picking yourself back up and trying again. ('That's the thing about pain, it demands to be felt.')

Surround yourself with the people who care -

One of the most important things on the road to feeling better, is to feel supported. You don't have to talk to thousands of people about your problems. Some people are just out for the story and don't have good motives for listening to you. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about your feelings. Talk to people you trust. My friends all help me in different ways. I have friends I call at 1am and all they hear is sniffling and sobbing. I have friends who analyse the situation completely and tell me the logical route to take. I ahve friends who are straight forward with advice because they've been there before. I have friends who make me feel important, beautiful and strong. I have friends who take me for coffee, buy me chocolate, write me cards. I have friends who send long paragraphs and others who send small texts. I have friends who make me laugh to make things better. Thank you to all of you. No matter how you are supported, make sure it's real. Make sure it's people who want the best for you and shut out the rest.

Take time -

Don't rush anything. If you're not ready then that's okay. If you need to be alone for a while do it. If you don't have the power to talk to someone then wait for it. Rushing things makes it messy. You need time to calm down and adjust.

Try something new -

It sounds completely lame. Trust me, I'm not the super clever type, I'm a pretty average student academically. However, over the past few weeks I have fallen head over heels in love with poetry. It's actually beautiful and helps me to deal with my feelings a lot more when it's not about historical topics or shoved in my face in English class. Finding something new you can get involved in can really bring you back to life and give you a little direction again. (Oh and I'm also binging 'Pretty Little Liars' too although I'm not sure if that's a good thing).

Understand what your body wants -

When I get stressed and am going through a rough patch, I forget to look after myself. I break out badly (binge eating and stress), put on weight and forget the basics. Make sure you eat properly and regularly. If you take medication, don't skip it. Keep good hygiene, look after your skin, get enough sleep and water. Your body doesn't have to suffer just because your mind is.

Pamper yourself -

(The only slightly beauty related part of the post, oops.) Relax. Have a bath with a LUSH bath bomb, light some candles, paint your nails, put on lipstick, use a face mask, shave your legs, moisturise. Anything that will make you feel prettier and instantly better.

Treat yourself -

Go on, you deserve it. If it's that pretty dress you've had in your online basket for months, an extra square of chocolate or a night out with the girls, it's gonna make you feel better and you need to start feeling better at some point.

Don't give up -

I'm starting to sound like a nagging Mum who lectures their child and makes them cringe but you can't just give up. Nothing is perfect first time. Everything takes experience, confidence and you have to keep going. Don't accept failure for something you really want.

GET BACK UP -

After all the silly crying and the sad music and emptiness, you will find the strength. It could be days, weeks, months but you're going to be just fine. You aren't alone. You aren't weak for feeling. You aren't a bad person. Go tell the people you love you love them right now, thank them for the help and get back up. You'll stumble and crash a few times on the way but that's natural. In the end, you'll be okay. And okay is wonderful. 

Your Skin Does Not Define You / My Acne Story | Beauty

I want to talk about a sensitive subject. I want to share my story and have a general rant about something I have learnt to dealt with that many others can relate to.

On the 23rd of July 2014, this was the state of my skin. I had taken these pictures hoping that I would see some progress in the future but, I had never really thought about it until I found them on my computer a few weeks ago and decided to do a comparison. Looking at these pictures side by side makes me feel speechless. 

Yes, my skin wasn't terrible in the first place but I was 15/16 at the time and it depressed me and meant my confidence was at an all time low. I wouldn't do anything without makeup on or even have a lazy day in fear of someone seeing my face the way it was. The spots I had were mainly whiteheads that didn't want to shift. The majority of my acne was on the lower half of my face with the few pimples in between my brows. As helpful as it would have been, the quality of these photos means that the damage isn't clear. My skin was red and irritant and pretty much impossible to cover. Saying that, my friends who have seen this photo don't recall my skin ever looking this bad. I think that proves something. I think it shows you that no matter how bad you think your skin is, or anything else about you for that matter, the people who love and appreciate you will not notice it. Looking at the current photos I feel such a sense of accomplishment. Yes, the scars are visible. Yes, they take forever to fade. Yes, I still look terribly flared up in the mornings. But, that is absolutely nothing compared to the original photos. 

Acne is okay. It's okay to have little buddies all over your face. We need to accept that it's okay because under makeup and a showy personality we all have insecurities and flaws. I have accepted that I am flawed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy about it but I know there is little I can do to change all of those things that make me uncomfortable. Sure, you can take small steps but nothing happens over night. Dealing with acne or any skin problem is not a quick or particularly easy process. Everyone's skin is different. Your acne could be stress related, a result of your diet or lifestyle choices or hereditary. It could be a reaction to a product, teenage changes or medically stimulated. Either way, you need to accept that it will take time.

I cannot tell you how to clear your acne but I can tell you what I did. Remember everyone is different when it comes to things like this. Firstly, get some sun. It doesn't work for everyone but my holiday last summer definitely improved the way my skin looked. I'm not suggesting you book up a holiday in the hope of some skin miracle but after two weeks in Spanish sun, my skin was cleaner and looked a lot more radiant. This also certainly does not mean you should bake your face in mid-day heat especially without suncream/screen/block. The hours of 11-2 are very dangerous for the skin in hot countries and if your body is not used to it, there is dangers of burning and various skin conditions. Be safe. 

Secondly, talk to your doctor. If you're seriously worried about your acne, your doctor should help you. I knew from the beginning that I did not want to go on medication if there was another option especially seeing as I had to take medication anyway but again this is up to you. I was instead prescribed a soloution called 'Zineryt'. This was the real beginning of my skin clearance. 'Zineryt' contains two medicines, erythromycin and zinc acetate. The erythromycin stops the growth of bacteria associated with acne whilst zinc helps with healing. I applied this twice a day and after about a week I had begun to see results. After a month the change was more drastic. I kept using this for a few months until my skin settled down a little.

After this, I tried adding few non-medicated acne products but, I was sensible. If you try too hard and use too much you'll probably complicate things. Simple advice here. Don't overload your skin with products. They'll most likely counteract each other and clog your pores more. It's just likely to stimulate bacteria growth and create more spots. However, I kept it as simple as possible. Literally. I used 'Simple Kind To Skin Protecting Light Moisturiser' because it is natural and has few chemicals. I also tried a few 'Freederm' products and I saw effective results with the products in a short time period. However, I have not repurchased as I am now more aware of overloading my face with chemicals. I kept to my old faithful 'Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit' range because it smells incredible and does the job without being too harsh on the skin. Trying to keep it simple suddenly turned to expensive and I fell in love with 'La Roche-Possay Effaclar Duo' which literally was a miracle product. It seemed to help more with scaring than any other product I'd tried. (I am onto repurchasing this as I type). More recently though, I am attached to 'Garnier Pure 3in1 Wash Scrub & Mask' as it is impressively clarifying and mattifying. I think I use this nearly everyday and get through a tube so easily. I am in no way suggesting you try all or any of these products especially not all at the same time. Read blogs, read reviews, visit specialist websites, find what works for you. I also wrote about my favourite natural treatments such as home made face masks and tea tree oil here.

As I said, currently I'm just keeping it simple and am using less damaging products. I've started using 'Zineryt' again to see if it helps my scarring and still use tea tree oil everyday. I'm also trialing 'Lush Grease Lightning' and 'The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum' but in moderation and both products are pretty great. I won't stop trying products no matter how bad I know it is. Make sure you give your skin time to adjust before you throw away a half full bottle of product that 'doesn't work'. Just don't create more problems in the long run. Don't squeeze a spot, don't plaster it in toothpaste, stop touching it, don't pick at it. I drink more water now too, that definitely helps. I also have quite a few makeup less days to give my skin a break and now that I feel more content with my face, I've even realised I don't need to go to school or be around my friends with a face full of makeup. I enjoy using and experimenting with makeup, I like the idea of enhancing beauty. But, I've stopped hiding behind it.

In all honesty and I can say this with absolute certainty, acne does not make you a bad person. Some have it worse than others, sure. I still find myself muttering under my breath when a friend complains about the odd spot however, you need to remember that everyone's skin is different. Looking at the change and pictures, I am more confident. I still get the occasional breakout (binge eating and too much makeup) and the predictable hormonal spots in the least subtle of places but that's all expected. You need to stop caring about something so simple. I know it will eventually get better and there is always simple ways to cover/heal it. Make yourself feel good. So what if all these disgusting bumps pop up on your face? They just want to be part of the action and awesomeness of you. Embrace it. It's normal, it's totally normal. It's a unique part of you. Do not be embarrassed to pop to the shops bare faced or to spend the day makeup free. It might get gradually better but if it doesn't, it doesn't have to ruin your life. I'm happy and proud at how far I've come. I have further to go and a lot of scarring to fade but in the end your skin is just your skin. It doesn't matter if it's acne, scars, birth marks, eczema, freckles, blemishes or anything else you consider irregular. That's who you are. And your skin does not define you.

Ebay & Amazon Beauty Bargains #2: Laroc 120 Eyeshadow Palette

Nope, not the Lorac Pro Palette. Not even a dupe, just a company with a very similar name. The Laroc 120 eyeshadow palette. I saw this on eBay whilst scrolling for cheap makeup brushes to carry around and for £4.99, I had to try it. 

It's impressively pigmented. There are so many colours to choose from and a wide range of finishes from shimmers to mattes and everything in between. Some do show up better than others. Many of the bronzey/brown shades are to die for and blend really nicely, but some of the white/creamy tones are chalky. Fall out is expected, but it's nothing major. 120 eyeshadows for £4.99 isn't too bad at all. The packaging is flimsy and the panels come apart when closed but it'd be great as a gift or just for experimenting with. I have used many of the shades for everyday looks and despite the packaging fault I cannot complain.

Find it here.

My Current Everyday Makeup FOTD

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF 20 'Natural'
Mac Pro Longwear Concealer 'NW20'
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder 'Transparent'
MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Sleek Blush 'Pomegranate'
No7 Stay Perfect Smoothing Eye Shadow 'Nude'
Mac Eyeshadows 'Antiqued', 'All That Glitters', 'Vanilla'
Soap & Glory Archery Brow Tint & Pencil
L'oreal Super Liner So Couture
Benefit They're Real Mascara
Mac Lipstick 'Twig'

My Mac Pro Palette | Beauty

When I first discovered Mac, I knew little about the brand, despite it's hype and even less about it's 'pro' range. It was difficult for me to work out how you filled the palette and which parts you needed to buy to make it. But now I've started earning and I've finally finished my Mac Pro Palette which only took a few months. Eeek. It's not my fault their eyeshadows are so workable, pigmented and beeeeeautiful. Anyway this is my finished palette. As you can see I mostly stick to nudes however, many of the darker colours can be easily be worked for a night/occasion/party time look. It's a mixture of a few matte shades and most of the others have a subtle sparkle.

I would say my most used eyeshadows are 'Naked Lunch', 'Sable', 'Charcoal Brown' and 'Satin Taupe'. I use 'Naked Lunch' almost everyday all over the lid and add one of the darker shades in my crease and under my eye such as 'Satin Taupe', 'Sable', 'Embark' or 'Woodwinked'. 'Nylon' is amazing for a brow bone highlight and the inner corner whilst 'Smut' is great for lining your eyes. I love all of these shades so much and genuinely use them all regularly. If I'm wearing eyeshadow (I look dead without it), it's likely to be from this palette purely for the staying power, blend-ability and colour payoff.

Naked Lunch (Frost), 

Vanilla (Pearl), 

Nylon (Frost)

Era (Satin), 

All That Glitters (Veluxe Pearl), 

Jest (Frost)

Sable (Frost), 

Woodwinked (Veluxe Pearl), 

Patina (Frost)

Satin Taupe (Frost), 

Twinks (Veluxe Pearl),

Charcoal Brown (Matte)

Smut (Pearl),

Embark (Matte),

Cranberry (Frost)

Despite a ridiculous yet justified price tag, I am so in love with my complete palette. I'm still not 100% happy with the order of the eyeshadows but I'll get round to that one day. There are still plenty of shades on my hit-list ('Amber Lights', 'Expensive Pink', 'Omega', 'Mythology' and 'Sketch' to name a few) but I'll have to wait a long time before I start the next palette!

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Soap & Glory Favourites

I love Soap & Glory. A lot. The puns, the pretty warm shades and the black and pink packaging. I have not found a Soap & Glory product I have been disappointed with. So many of their products could be high end. These are a few of my favourites that I use nearly everyday.

Archery Brow Tint & Precision Shaping Pencil

My eyebrows have no in between. They're either shaped well and stay put or straggly and all over the place. This product is my favourite brow product ever, it makes them look so natural, in line and shaped whilst totally avoiding the drawn-on look.

Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in 'Nudist'

I love this sooooo much. The product reminds me of Clinique's Chubby Sticks just 10x better. It's such a subtle, pretty, pinky colour. It doesn't dry my lips out or make them overly sticky either. It's slick and adds so much shine and volume. I pretty much take it everywhere with me now. It nearly went through the wash in my jeans the other day and I might have cried. It also has a really nice subtle vanilla smell (think MAC lipstick).

Trick and Treatment Concealer

Tired? Bags? Dark circles? This concealer is so brightening for the under eyes and so nice to blend. It's quite a thick formula but doesn't feel it and doesn't budge for a good few hours.

Solar Powder

A cult drugstore bronzing classic. The super blend-able, complimentary shades are really nice and warm with my skin tone yet still so subtle. This is really nice for contouring cheekbones and so easy to use. 

Supercat Liquid Black Eyeliner Pen

I only ever use eyeliner pens or gel liner. I can never work with messy products, I need quick and convenient. This one is probably one of the best eyeliner pens out there. It's long lasting and doesn't budge like so many others do after 10 minutes. It's so good for a cat flick because it's nib is just the right thickness.

Lid Stuff Eyeshadow Quad

I wasn't expecting a lot, I just really liked the shades in this quad because I'm such a neutral shade girl. Wow. There is so much pigmentation on these colours. They're super blend-able and all work so well together. It's quickly becoming my everyday quad, this one is again, always in my makeup bag. And there's no stupid spongey eye shadow stick because Soap & Glory think you'd prefer to use 'a proper eye shadow brush'.

Empties | Products I've Used Up and Loved - Beauty

Recently, I've been trying to use up a lot of products before splashing the cash on new ones. Gasp. I'm terrible, if something doesn't work instantly, I take a long time to pick it up and try it again. So, these are a few of my 'empties' from the last few weeks. 

Lush Grease Lighting Spot Treatement

Fast working, effective and calming on the skin. Perfect for that big zit that you woke up with this morning. It tones down redness and makes things feel less angry. However, it's never really done a lot for my small irritant pimples. Nethertheless, I use this on angry spots because it's great for that. 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

High coverage, amazing lasting power and nice to blend, this is the ultimate drugstore concealer for me. I've bought so many tubes of this and have different colours to work with my skin tone at all times of year. This particular tube is so used the writing on the packaging has faded completely...

La Roche-Possay Effaclar Duo+

I used to swear by this stuff and still use it regularly enough to make it an 'empty' but it doesn't have the same wow factor it once did. I think my skin actually prefers the original product (not the + version) as it seeemed to clear my skin faster. Pricey but worth it.

Simple Kind To Skin Protecting Light Moisturiser

As it states, it is simple but it really works wonders for me when I need a light moisturiser. Especially when I'm dealing with severe acne breakouts and want to tone down the chemicals and irritation. It's basic but I use this product so often I find myself repurchasing at least 4 times a year. Every weather, holidays, before bed, before makeup, after showers.

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

I have yet to find a powder I prefer, anywhere. A staple in both my collection and makeup bag every single day. A definate must have for summer when I start looking shinier and sweaty. (Ew. I cannot express to you how much I dislike summer. It's seriously my least favourite season).

La Roche-Possay Effaclar A.I.

A targeted breakout corrector which is again pricey but a french miracle. Working on the worst areas of the skin to calm breakouts and clusters of spots. I used up this little tube so quickly as I applied it day and night nearly everyday for a good month or so. 

Does this mean I can try new things now?

Favourite Dresses & Make-up Looks | Oscars 2015

I love the Oscars. Correction, I love every award ceremony. I love the idea of celebrating pure talent and kind nature. Buttttt, I also love the glitz and glam and so I thought I'd share with you my favourite looks from the night.

Favourite Dresses

Anna Kendrick - Peach is a risky colour, especially in the winter but Anna Kendrick pulls it off flawlessly. She shows off her perfect petite figure with minimalist sparkle.
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Rosamund Pike - Possibly my favourite dress from the night, a stunning red number never goes wrong.
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Chloe Grace Mortez - Floral, silky, lacy and pretty. Chloe's dress even has pockets.
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Emma Stone - I am biased as I adore Emma. Her golden/green dress twinned with her pale skin and gorgeous ginger hair is a match made in heaven.

Reese Witherspoon - This lady still isn't showing any sign of aging and the black and white number flaunts her waist to hip ratio brilliantly.
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Rita Ora - A glamorous black and silky custom Marchesa dress with gold detail. Rita looks incredible and I don't think many people can pull off a mermaid style dress.
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Jennifer Lopez - Again, believe it or not JLo is 45 but looks about 22. This is another of my absolute favourites as the golden princess-like gown compliments her glowing complexion amazingly.
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Felicity Jones - The decorative top of the silky, silvery gown adds just the right amount of detail to her outfit.

Sienna Miller - A lacy black number complete with bows that still manages to look effortless and elegant.
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Jennifer Aniston - Showing off her curves and covered in sparkles, this dress makes Aniston glow.
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Scarlett Johansson - The deep green low cut dress with a matching necklace flaunts Johansson's fabulous figure. She even wore mis-matched earrings which looked really cool.
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Guiliana Rancic - Matching lace and red for a red carpet is a definite win. Then again, I love anything red.

Favourite Looks

Kiera Knightley - A strong brow, amazing cheekbones and pink lips gives Knightley natural beauty.
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Reese Witherspoon - A gentle smokey eye and a nude lip is another simple and youthful look.
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Margot Robbie - I think I'm in love with her and her instant glamour. An orangey full lip  with simple eyeliner makes her blue eyes look ahhh-mazing.

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Beyoncé Knowles - Not that she doesn't always look flawless but the coral/pink lip is great.

Carmen Ejogo - My favourite lip of the evening. The raspberry shade is to die for. Paired with a wash of coordinating blush, this look wins all the awards.

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Emma Stone - As usual, Emma's sexy curls and another peachy/orange lipstick makes her pale skin look incredible.
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Lady Gaga - How great (and normal) does Gaga look? A unique flare with red accessories but, a warm and shimmery eye makeup and a bold red lip is perfect for the Oscars.

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Jessica Chastain - She killed it with a simple 60's cat eye and her trademark red lip/mermaid wave combo.

Sienna Miller - Simple, heavy liner and flawless glowy skin makes a gorgeous glam look for Sienna.
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Felicity Jones - Felicity's after-party look is very Audrey Hepburn-esque with a dark smokey eyeshadow look and bright lip to bring out her blue eyes.

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Chloe Grace Mortez - Her after-party look is so grown up and classy I'm jealous. Again, a bright lip to contrast with a dark outfit and eyes.

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Rosamund Pike - Simple and elegant and pretty much flawless. If I had her skin, I'd be content forever.

Rita Ora - Although I very highly doubt she did it herself, if I could do eyeliner flicks like that I would do them everyday. Rita's strong brow and amazing cheeks add to the whole look.
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Dakota Johnson - Another look I really love. A beautiful dark and well blended smokey eye and a classic lip.

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Chrissy Teigen - Unbelivable beauty. The burgungy lip is my favourite part of this look. I love me a dark lip!


The Academy Awards were and always are an incredible, glamorous occasion. I loved the Oscars this year. I am as always so proud of Neil Patrick Harris in everything he does and for hosting such a great show. Roll on 2016!

Benefit Roller Lash | First Impressions - Beauty

It's no big secret how much I love Benefit as a brand. They're quirky and pretty and most of their products are holy grail for me. I absoloutely love the 'They're Real!' mascara, my favourite product from Benefit. Elle magazine's free gift this month is a sample size of Benefit's new masacra 'Roller Lash' and I have never been so excited about a mascara launch ever. 

I was expecting a lot as a huge 'They're Real!' fangirl. And luckily, I was pleased with the mini tester I tried from Elle. My lashes look fuller, separated and surprisingly longer too. I'm impressed by the colour difference too and just how much more awake I look with this mascara applied. The curl it claims to give is subtle but feminine and fluttery nonetheless.

As always with Benefit, the packaging is adorable yet sophisticated and very girly. It certainly looks high end anyway. The brush itself is plastic and this pleases me as I dislike bristled brushes a majority of the time. It's also slightly curved, allowing you to reach all your eyelashes for an even coat. The formula is really nice and feels very natural. 

However, I'm in two minds about the longevity of this product. It kept it's place well and my eyelashes didn't sag throughout a 9 hour work shift. However, it was a little smudgy in the corners of my eyes at around the 4 hour mark and I was starting to wish I'd bought a cotton bud with me. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with this new release and will be saving my pennies for when the product hits the counters. 

5 Valentine's Lipsticks

Ah, it's Valentine's again. That time of year women dread to be alone for and men leave till last minute. I work part-time in retail and the amount of people who will hope to find good flowers and chocolates at last minute, is rediculous. Anyway, if I were going out on Valentine's day I'd choose one of these from my collection.

Mac 'Patisserie'

Topshop Lips 'Macaroon'

Rimmel Kate Moss 'Kiss of Life/ 111'

Mac 'Russian Red'

Charlotte Tilbury 'Glastonberry'

Remember, as brilliant as it can be, it's not always just about red lippy! I'm still clinging onto the autumn/winter berry lip too and even experimenting with slightly nuder shades too.

Anyway, this year (like every year) I will be alone but it really doesn't bother me too much. So, even if you don't have a Valentine this year, treat yourself to a brand new lipstick.

Ebay & Amazon Beauty Bargains: Beauty

A bit of an easy post this week because of no reason other than life. After the first paycheck of 2015 which felt lovely, I may have spent quite a bit on ebay and amazon bargains that I found so you don't have to! I am genuinely impressed with all of these products and hope you are too.

Flower Makeup Bags - 99p | 4 Kabuki Brushes - £4.86 | 4 Blending Sponges - £3.05 | Acrylic Lipstick Holder - £2.14 | 4 Eye Makeup Brushes - £1.52 | Rimmel Apocalips - £2.99 | 8 Eye Makeup Brushes - £1.78

All of the above products are brilliant but I definitely love number 2, 4 and 5 for value. Both types of brush are incredible for such a small price and in my opinion comparable to real techniques. The lipstick holder is also great and I currently have one space left. Eeek.

If you liked this post let me know and I'll do another one soon.

Elana's 10 Essential Rules of Beauty

I am not an expert. I do not claim to be and I know very well that I will never be. But I have mastered the basics of the beauty world and here are my ten slightly cheesy/inspirational tips for you.

1. DO have fun with it. Not everyone has to aim for the Kylie Jenner lips and the perfect eyeliner flick. Find your own techniques and styles but mix it up. If you want to try a blue lipstick or a green highlighter, you make it work and you go for it girl.
   
2. DON'T damage your skin with products. Never overload your face with endless cakey foundation or try too many skin/acne products at once. It's often more damaging than helpful.
   
3. DO take your makeup off every night before bed. Makeup wipes, cleansing water, face wash. Let your skin breathe. Have a makeup free day once in a while because as wonderful as your face is, it deserves a break from product.
   
4. DON'T compare yourself to others. We all do it, I do it everyday. But if someone has amazing cheekbones in a magazine just think 'photoshop, photoshop, photoshop'. Think about the things you genuinely like about yourself that others don't have (my skin tone) and remind yourself of those everyday.
   
5. DO wash your makeup brushes regularly or make sure your fingers are clean if you use them. Otherwise, you're just creating more bacteria and more spots and think about how much nicer a clean brush feels and looks.
   
6. DON'T share products that aren't hygienically safe to share. Yes, your friends do wash (hopefully) but you should still use your own brushes and use clean fingers with any product you're borrowing or just don't do it all.
   
7. DO swatch before you buy. Testers are there for a reason. There's nothing worse than having a little spending spree then realising what you bought totally doesn't suit you and is a waste of money (I'm looking at you 'Maybelline The Falsies mascara' and 'Mac Costa Chic lipstick').
   
8. DON'T feel pressured to spend a lot of money on beauty. I buy quite a few bits of makeup I would consider 'high end/luxury' products but some of my best finds are from the sales and reductions in the drugstore. You don't have to spend even £5 to find an amazing value product.
   
9. DO try and work with your outfit or occasion. Going all out for a party with glitter and red lip is totally worth it. But, for a funeral or a job interview, not so much.
   
10. DON'T conceal the real you. You have potential and natural beauty. Makeup isn't about changing yourself, it's about enhancing what you already have.

Miracle Skin Treatments at Home: Beauty

Following on from last weeks post, a good foundation can make your skin look and feel amazing. But in all honesty, dumping layers of creams, oils and gels on your face constantly is damaging and if used excessively and not effectively permanently damaging. I'm guilty. The second I find a 5 star reviewed product, I'm on the hunt for the next. And after a stressful time the last thing I want to do is ruin my skin.

However, looking after your skin naturally goes a long way to improve the overall quality of your face.  Now when I say keeping it basic with things around the house, I'm not talking about the 11 year old's 'toothpaste trick' which is just likely to cause scarring. 

I actually love using the gross but very effective egg white/honey mask. When I need a skin detox that isn't full of chemicals I 'whisk' one of these up and am always pleantly surprised with the results. If you can succesfully seperate an egg white from the yolk (which is the hard bit) and mix it with honey then you can easily use this. Once both ingredients are combined, tie hair back and lather the face mask on your skin. Be careful to avoid the eye area. Once you feel the mask tighten you know it's ready to wash off and this should be after around 15 minutes.

Despite being very unappealing to layer on your face, egg whites have amazing benefits. They tighten pores and also prevent a buildup of dirt which can lead to blackheads and bad acne breakouts. As well as this, they remove excess oil to improve skin tone, leaving your skin with a naturally desirable glow. Honey is also very beneficial for your skin. A natural antibacterial which soothes, moistursies and smoothes unlike any face cream you've tried.

The other product that is natural and equally effective is tea tree oil. This is no newbie but the only spot treatment I stand by for speed. A dab of neat tea tree oil on a massive spot before bed is a true winner. It quickly reduces size, redness and inflamation of the zit and never fails me. I use it every night but am extremely careful. It hurts, a lot, when you get tea tree oil in your eye and I would know. *Inserts awkward pity laughter* 

Are there any homemade/natural treatments you swear by?

Nars Sheer Glow: Beauty

When people ask me about my skin, I panic. I have been dubbed the 'queen of concealing' however, it took a few disappointing products to get there. Covering up my blemishes has become an everyday task I just deal with but under a layer of well blended foundation and concealer is a far from perfect canvas. I put my good, 'glowy' looking finish down to my holy grail foundation. And that foundation, ladies and gentlemen is Nars Sheer Glow. I found an hour or two for myself a few months ago and I took a trip to Bluewater to purchase this product that I'm sure anyone with a slight beauty interest (or is friends with me) has heard of.

Yes, I was late with the Sheer Glow beauty craze and I apologise. Since I'd heard of this product and the legends that surround it, I wanted to try it. The fact that it's a 'holy grail' foundation for many people suggests that it's worth the hype. I won't bore you with the details, you've heard it all before but, I really love Sheer Glow. I'm just so happy with it. The Nars counter lady tested me with two of the shades but actually we both decided on the same one, 'Santa Fe'.

Described as a 'glowing, natural radiant finish foundation with sheer and buildable coverage that immaculately evens skin tone', Sheer Glow ticks all the boxes. Nars also quotes that it hydrates skin and makes it 'more luminous, softer and smoother'. I agree with this almost completely and as it's the best foundation I've tried, I'm hesitant to complain about it.

The shade is lovely and compliments my skin very well. As well as this, there is no SPF which avoids the slimy look for flash photography. It looks natural on the skin and this is partly because it's easy to blend. The coverage is a great medium and could be built up to full coverage if needed. It glides on beautifully but still feels weightless which is an immediate pro for me. I absolutely love the coverage because a little goes a long way with this product. If I'm having a horrible skin day and I need a tad more coverage, I'm not wasting too much of the product. 

Nars suggests that the best method of application is with fingers and although I'm a bit of a germaphobe and prefer not to touch my face, it tends to be easier to work in with fingers. It certainly gives you a nicer finish but I also like to use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply this foundation. I was actually surprised because the name is completely misleading. Whilst brilliant at covering blemishes, the foundation isn't sheer or glowy. A small amount of product hid my redness and acne scars effortlessly. I tend to stay away from shiny products so the word 'glow' worried me. But, it genuinely makes the skin look flawless, refreshed and alive.

With no added fragrance to suit normal and dry skin types, my temperamental skin loves it. However (and this is a common point made by many about the Sheer Glow) it tends to slightly cling to dry skin patches. I have learnt to control my dry skin so this isn't too much of an issue but, around my nose and eyebrows where I tend to get dryness, it highlights it. My only other reason for disappointment with this product is the bottle. Now the clean glass with the iconic Nars name is simplistically glamorous but the fact that you have to buy a pump separately is a bit silly. 

Being the most expensive single beauty product I've bought at £31, it's not kind to my credit card but 100% worth it. This is my new go-to foundation for everyday wear but, I recommend giving you skin a break from the full coverage once in a while. My biggest mission now is to force all my friends (especially those on this blog) to save up for it and I may even have to take them all to Nars to get swatched!