Proactiv+ 8 Week Progress | AD

Here is my last update on my 8 week experience with Proactiv+ Deluxe Core Kit.

I was very excited when I first received this and having a routine was really nice and relaxing. It smells really good too.

However I didn't seem to gain anything from this in terms of my skin. I have had a really oily t-zone since using this and like I said in my last post it meant I stopped using all of the steps so frequently. Now my skin is nearly back to it's dry/combination state.

Spots were not a common thing for me, if I ever did get a noticeable one it was rare but it would be big. Once I started using this I would still get the occasional big one but I also got small under the skin and white heads every day around my chin and forehead.

I get that with some skin products it gets worse before it gets better, especially if it is drawing all of the bad bits out. However this product did not agree with me.

I'm still on the search for the right skin care routine.

What skin care products are your favourites?

Thanks for reading,

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick Release - April 2016

Hello,

I don't know if you have ever heard of a Velour Liquid Lipstick, but they are meant to be amazing!

I actually managed to get my hands on 'Androgyny' when it was first released and I was so excited, but the colour did not suit me at all unfortunately.

Anyway a day or two ago Jeffree Star uploaded this sneak peek of his new launch, so yesterday at 6pm GMT I was hooked on my laptop and ready to buy Redrum. I was interested to see the secret colour but I didn't want to make the same mistake I did with Androgyny and not be able to see a swatch and decide if I wanted it or not. I don't always find the one photo on the website helpful so I like to go on Google and look at it on a variety of people.

I was on the website straight away and was able to put Redrum into my basket, I waited a few minutes for the secret colour but I couldn't see it so I just went ahead with the one.

I am so excited to get it through the post and let you know what I think of it!

Thanks for reading,

Proactiv+ 5 Week Progress | AD

Hello,

So I went past the halfway mark by a week, but here is my skin progress using the Proactiv+ Deluxe Core Kit.

My dry skin is all kept at bay (accept for occasionally on or around my nose) which is really good as it is the only on going problem that I have ever found with my skin. I have had a few spots but I would say that the amount has stayed the same for what I was normally having.

I have however started to get an oily patch on my forehead which is something that has never occurred before. As I have never had to deal with this before I am finding it a little tricky to sort out. It is also meaning that I now need to go and buy a new foundation to suit my new skin type.

I enjoy having a skin care routine however I was recently told my a makeup artist that I needed to exfoliate less so I didn't get as many oily patches. So if I'm having a lazy moment I will skip step 1 'Skin Smoothing Exfoliator' and just use water and then step 2 and 3 after that.

What skincare do you recommend?

Thanks for reading,

Nail Polish Collection - Spring Clean 2016

Hello,

I have a rather big nail polish collection, not massive but more than one girl needs, or uses for that matter. I've just started a new job which doesn't include washing up, which means I can now enjoy the luxury of wearing nail polish on a daily basis.

I started by laying them all out in front of me. I knew which ones I love and which ones work all the time, so they went straight back into the basket. The the rest of them I left on my desk, I'd try them on see if I liked the colour and application and then wear them for a few days to see if they lasted.

It took maybe two weeks to get through them all, plus I made my mum get involved with the nail polish testing which sped things up.

These are a few that I have decided to get rid of, I'm going to offer them to friends and family (I don't just want to chuck them in the bin). It's mainly down to the colours, I am really pale so anything to dark or too pale makes me look quite ill, not many neutral colours suit my hands either. A few of them had either gone tacky (which did end up in the bin) and some of them didn't last well.

This is just a few that I am left with, I like having bright colours or sparkly colours that draw attention, nothing to bright but enough that is noticeable. 

 I've kept a few muted pinks like the Barry M Matte nail paint in Vanilla, which is one of my absolute favourite colours. But colours like this can look casual and also so classy.

I'm no expert with nail polish and I am looking to try more colours and brands. I find that with models own (for example) there are some colours I love and some I dislike down to the formula. One brand that I would highly recommend is Kiko, they are so cheap, easy to apply and last a lifetime.

Thanks for reading,

What's in my Z Palette

Hello, 

Being the make up hobby-ist that I am I've always kept my eye on the Z Palette, a magnetic palette to depot any pan products you have. I have bought the black Z Palette in a large, it's a really good size and still good for travelling.

I originally bought it with the intention of buying some makeup geek eye shadows that I have had my eyes on for a while. Once I had bought it and thought about what I wanted to do with it I realised that I could really downsize my collection, so if I had a eyeshadow palette where I only used two colours I would just remove those two colours and put them in my Z Palette.

This is what it looks like, a little messy I know...

The top row, starting from the left are 3 Nyx eyeshadows then the 7 round eyeshadows are from Collection palettes.

The bottom right pan is a Stila eyeshadow and the pink pan is a Soap & Glory.

Then on the right I have a Sleek blush and Benefit Hoola Bronzer.

This is great for staying away as it has everything I need without carrying around what would have been 6 different palettes

 I hope you enjoyed this little tour around my Z Palette!

Thanks for reading,

Proactiv+ 3 Step First Impression | AD

Hello,

Today I am going to be talking about the Proactiv+ Deluxe Core Kit (now with 20 million customers worldwide), I'll be using these twice a day every day for the next 8 weeks or so.

There are 3 steps, which you need to do twice a day.

Step 1. Skin Smoothing Exfoliator - This is a really soft exfoliator, with not too many beads in it. It also doesn't foam at all so my skin feel lovely after using it (foaming products normally make my skin feel taut). 

Step 2. Pore Targeting Treatment - This is my favourite step. The product is silky smooth and sinks into my skin so so fast.

Step 3. Complexion Perfecting Hydrator - This is a lot thicker than the port treatment  so it takes a bit longer to sink in, however it is still a really nice product.

There is also a Skin Refining mask to use a few times a week but I am yet to use it.

All of them smell but it is super faint, kind of a clinical smell. I really like the packaging as well, it's very minimalistic and clean looking. They are squeezy tubes so it is easy to control the amount of product you want. Plus they are secure so great for travelling.

The three steps of the Proactiv+ system combine powerful anti-blemish treatments with effective skincare ingredients such as  glycolic acid, prebiotics, kojic acid and other nourishing botanicals. 

Proactiv+ are here to do more than fight breakouts. It is proven to deliver a more radiant glowing complexion, reduce pore size, diminish redness, improve skin tone and smooth the texture of the skin with regular use. It is effective for those who have spot-prone skin as well as those who suffer from occasional breakouts. It is paraben free, non -comedogenic, dermatologist tested and suitable for all skin types. 

Before I started using these products I took a few pictures of my skin.

I have dry areas around my nose, chin and cheeks. I also have flaky parts and black heads on my nose. A few under the skin bumps on my chin and forehead. I also seem to get an oily patch on my forehead throughout the day.

So far I have been really enjoying using this and I will keep you updated along the way.

Thanks for reading,

Chapped Lips - The Worse Part Of Winter

I dread winter because my lips become a sore mess. It's not pleasant and we can all experience it for different reasons.

I've spent years looking for a great lip balm and I've never come across one that has done the job. Until now... although let me warn you it's not a lip balm.

Yeah, weird right?

Well I never knew what this was until a couple of months ago, I had a scab/burn that wouldn't heal and this worked wonders over night. I grew up using Sudocreme and I find this to be a stronger version.

The instructions say that it can be used for "chapped or rough skin". I did a quick Google search and people have recommended this for chapped lips to others elsewhere, so my idea wasn't completely bonkers.

It's quite a tacky consistency but is easy to rub into the lips. It dries quickly but if you apply too much it can be a bit tacky, but it still absorbs after a while.

This works wonders.

I've never been so happy to find a product that works. My lips have never stayed soft for so long and you only need to apply a little to revive them.

Germolene retails for £2.19 and the tube makes it a great on the go product.

I cannot recommend this enough!

What is your go to lip balm?

Primark False Nail Review

Hello!

I cannot believe I am only just writing this review. It feels like I should of been writing this a lifetime ago.  To me the Primark beauty section is totally underrated, can you tell I'm excited to talk about these? 

First of all I have tiny hands so therefore I have tiny itty bitty nails. I can very rarely find false nails that go small enough for me. The Primark ones do however go small enough and have larger ones too (which I normally give to my mum). I don't rate the glue highly but I just buy the Elegant Touch Nail Glue which is about £2.59, it dries super quick, sticks well and a little goes a long way so it lasts forever. These nails can last anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks on me.

They retail at £1 - £1.50 and if I ever see any I like I always stock up. They are my go to nails and if you are into more high end nails I would definitely urge you to check them out!

I also bite my nails and the skin around them, too much info? When I start to realise it's getting bad I always stick these on and it totally stops me from doing it.

Thanks for reading,

Halloween DIY #1 - Easy Cat Makeup

Hello!

Today I wanted to try an easy go-to Halloween makeup look. A cat. It's ideal for a last minute party or if you're on a budget. I would pair this with messy hair, which I create using salt spray, back combing and maybe some dry shampoo. Plus a black outfit, or to jazz it up you could add some leopard print!

I did my base like normal then did my eyebrows roughly, it doesn't matter if they are messy. I then used loads of bronzer just to warm up my face and add some colour. For my eyes I used a liquid eyeliner, and mascara. I bought the eyeliner down in the inner corners to elongate them even further. 

The rest of the look was done with pencil eyeliner. I did a major boo boo by drawing my spots first,as I later smudged them... I'll know for next time. For my bottom lip I used a pink lipstick to add colour.

Pair it with some ears of your choice and voilà!  

Thanks for reading, 

Topshop Lip Paint Review

Hi, 

Today I'm going to do a review on the Topshop lip paints in the colours Tallulah and Reminisce.  These were something I saw in the sale a few months ago so though I would give them a go, the colours looked nice and they were only a couple of pounds.

I fell in love with the colour Tallulah (the red) straight away as it looked like my kind of red, yknow? Unfortunately the formula wasn't what I was looking for, the colour came out patchy and parts would dry and others wouldn't. The dofer applicator also makes such a bold colour hard to apply as any mistakes will show up. The peachy pink colour, Reminisce, wasn't much different. Although mistakes weren't as visible.

The staying power was short lived and the colour transferred onto everything. Where parts didn't dry hair or fluff would stick.

I really wanted to love these as they were so cute and the packaging was on-the-go worthy, plus I got them for super cheap. Sadly these just didn't work for me but maybe they will work for you.

Thanks for reading, 

Pops xx

Maybelline Colossal Volume Review

This is possibly my favourite mascara, besides Benefits 'They're real'. Let's be honest though paying £19.50 for They're Real isn't always the cheapest of options, so this is my next best. Maybelline Colossal volume express is amazing for just £7.19. It get right into your lashes with no clumping and no transfer or crumbling. It lasts me all day (which is normally from around 7am to 9pm) with no problems whatsoever. In a mascara I look to make my eyelashes more voluminous more that anything else and you will definitely find it in this. I have also used the waterproof one before which is amazing for any soggy scenario. The packaging is good, screw on so no leakages and bright so I can always find it straight away. 

Safe to say this is my high-street go to mascara... for now.

Thanks for reading,

Pops xx

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in Pink Gold Review

Hiya! 

To begin with I'm sorry about how dirty the pot is haha! Anyway other than that I am so very in love with this product. It's a really creamy eyeshadow that I use alone or as a base. It's a really pale pink with a slight sheen, it's really girl and delicate which is why I love it so much. The formula doesn't crease one bit and stays all day! I use this completely alone some days or I also use eyeliner, it just goes well with so much. Not only that but the packaging is very cute yet convenient. It's sturdy with a glass base so you can see the product, however it has a screw n lid too so no spillage or mess. I cannot rave about this product enough and I really want to get more colours. This is in Pink Gold and is subtle enough for everyday and probably even school.

Thanks,

Poppy x

Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in Radiant Rose Review

 Hi! So I found this in my nearest poundland and I just had to try it out, I love the Brand Rimmel and their Wake Me Up range so why not give this a whizz. This is a really subtle summery colour that illuminates your face, as I'm sure the Wake Me Up range is supposed to. It has a super creamy and light formula which blends so easily and effortlessly. The packaging is quite straight forward but handy, it has a screw on cap so no leakages and has a squeezy tube so you can get even the last drop out. I am happy with this however I don't tend to reach for it too much as it can spoil my foundation a little. I don't think I would re purchase it right not but when summer comes along I have a feeling I may change my mind as it will suit my make up routine a lot better then.

Poppy x

Go & Glow Highlighter Review

Hi! Here I have a cream highlighter from the Look beauty range, I picked this up as I want to try out some new highlight products and it was half price (£5), so I couldn't resist. It's a product where a lot goes a long way, so I'm sure this product will last me a long time. However this does mean be careful or you could end up looking way too shiny! 

It looks great on your cheekbones, temples, inner eye corner, under your brows or cupid bow. I use it to brighten up my face as I can look very dull in winter, so this will be a good all year round product. The packaging is good, very slim and a screw on lid so no leakage. The actual design is a bit basic but hey, when is minimalism not in right? I am very happy with this product and I might even re-purchase.

Thank you,

Poppy x

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Collection Privée By Cheryl

I have been looking for a drugstore nude for a while, I don't have one and I think it's a lipstick must-have. When I saw L'Oreal advertising their new 'tailor made' nudes I was immediately drawn to them, plus their packaging is super chic. I chose the colour which is 'by Cheryl', it says that it "offers a discreet contrast to the skin, thereby enhancing the natural beauty of the complexion". Which I definitely think it does, this lipstick is also hydrating and doesn't try out my lips at all.  The colour goes well with any make up look so it's one of my new go-to products and I can't complain. I have heard it is a good dupe for Macs 'hue' but as I don't own the product I can only suggest the comparison. For £8.19 it is one of my most expensive lipsticks, (believe it or not) but this hasn't stopped me from liking it a lot. 

Thank you,

Poppy xx