Skincare 101

Hello again, I hope you are well! Grab a cup of tea and take 20 minutes to enjoy my latest post. The UK is currently back in a nationwide lockdown which in consequence means I have had to close the doors to my business for the third time. I have been trying to use my time whilst not working in the studio wisely and whilst walking on day 1 in lockdown 3.0, I reflected on my previous few months of business and tried to see if there were any gaps I could be working on to enhance it further. One thing that stood out prominently was sharing my skincare regime with my clients. When in the studio I am asked on a daily basis what I use on my skin to keep it healthy and glowy in appearance. If you know me or are a client of mine you will already know that unless it is a very special occasion I actually wear barely any makeup daily. A touch of brow mascara, brow gel and mascara completes my day to day makeup! There are three reasons why I choose not to wear very much makeup daily: -Firstly, I hate the way it feels on my skin! Now don’t get me wrong I love makeup, I love products and adore testing them out. For someone who hardly wears it my collection is obscene! It is definitely more a psychological thing I would say, which leads me nicely onto reason two... -I am terrified of it clogging my skin and giving me spots. If you have followed my blog for a while you will know that I suffered bad hormonal acne when I was 20. Really bad. Going makeup free then was absolutely not an option as I was so conscious of my acne. Roll on a few years, my acne clearing and my skin settling, my skin definitely favours being makeup free now and I love it! -Lastly I prioritise my skincare regime over applying makeup in the morning. I have a two year old and anyone else with little people or who has had little people will know that time for yourself is minimal when little people are in tow. Therefore I prioritise a good cleanse and nice products in the morning over applying a face of makeup! Your probably gathering by now that my skincare gives me life and I want you to be able to enjoy your skin the same. You may love wearing makeup and it may be part of your identity and that is amazing but just to have the confidence to leave the house makeup free and feel confident if it was desired would be lovely wouldn’t it? I have shared my routine with clients so often but with it being rather extensive it can get confusing. To simplify matters I decide to create an igtv series over on my Instagram (link below) and this blog post that includes all of the same information with added product benefits and details. Let’s get into it! AM Skincare Routine In all honesty I haven’t always cleansed morning and evening. I used to only cleanse at night! However, in lockdown 1.0 I fell in love with skipping workouts. I loved them that much that they have become a staple part of my daily routine Monday-Friday. I may do a weekday morning routine soon thinking about it as that is also something I get regular questions about. Anyway I am getting sidetracked! With the addition of a thirty minute high intensity workout daily into my morning routine, and being a sweaty mess by the end of said workout, a hot shower and thorough cleanse needed to be introduced into my morning as there was no way I could have gone about my day without. Hence my morning skin care routine was born! Around the time a new routine was born I was also reading the Caroline Hirons Skincare book (highly highly recommended to all). I took a lot of guidance and tips from this and that gives me a good starting point for my routine... Post workout I shower. Lots of people would wash their faces in the shower however a tip I took home for Caroline’s book was never to do this! The water will be to hot and damaging for your facial skin so keep that face out of the water, wash that bod, hop out and get in a big snuggly towel to cleanse. I use The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser (£13.90 150ml) to cleanse both AM and PM. Squeeze a pea sized amount onto your finger tip, you will notice it is like a gel to begin with, rub it between your finger tips and it melts into a gorgeous oil like consistency. Massage into the face, concentrating on any congested areas and also any tight muscles! I clench my teeth in my sleep so often wake with a very tight jaw - a good massage helps ease this. Once you are satisfied you have thoroughly cleansed it is time to remove.

Until reading Caroline’s book I only ever removed cleanser using my hands under a hot tap. Not any more! I now use a fresh flannel daily. Use one flannel per day and then launder to prevent spot causing dirt and bacteria build up. It is also worth noting that Caroline says to be careful what you wash your flannel in to be kind to your skin. Run your water until it is hot and then saturate the flannel, squeezing before you gently remove your cleanser and wash your face. The benefits from doing this include being gentler to the skin, the heat will open your pores and the flannel's material will give a gentle exfoliation. It is also worth noting then that I don’t dry my face on a towel after using my flannel. The air will dry it very quickly. Let your skin soak up that extra water! Once I am all cleansed I tone my skin. In the morning I use the Aldi Lacura Healthy Glow Toner (£3.99) It doesn’t come in very often so when it does I always stock up! I would have never thought a few years ago that I would be raving about the Aldi’s skincare products but here I am - I feature my faves in this post. They are all dupes of big name products that work equally as well believe it or not. I pop a few drops onto a cotton pad and wipe all over my face, even under and around my eyes, on my neck, décolleté, behind my neck and then to finish I wipe any excess toner left on my pads on my hands. Your hands are one of the first places to show signs of ageing so the glycolic acid within this toner will help refine the skin giving it that youthful glow. You may notice that I bring my toner right around my eyes. Another Queen Caroline hack! Products that contain an acid have to by law state “do not use on delicate eye area” this will be to cover there back. However these type of products can benefit these areas by gently exfoliating the skin, refining the appearance of pores and stimulating cell renewal to help the skin look brighter and clearer. Once my toner has absorbed and feels dry to touch I go in with my Forever Awakening Eye Creme (£17.72). Again, the forever products took me by surprise as I didn’t have high hopes for them but actually a few of the products have become firm staples in my routine. I only use a tiny half pea size amount of product for my two eyes and massage the gel like formula into the area surrounding my eye socket bone. If I have any excess product left on my finger tips after doing this I wipe this over my lips. The skin on our lips is similar to our delicate eye area so your lips will thank you! The creme uses peptide technology, collagen and other powerful ingredients. It gorgeously smooths and firms delicate under-eye skin to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness. Next up is The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (£8.90 60ml). This high-strength vitamin and mineral blemish formula would be one of the first things on my dessert island list! I can’t even remember how I stumbled across The Ordinary skincare but I am so glad I did! “Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is indicated to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. A high 10% concentration of this vitamin is supported in the formula by zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid to balance visible aspects of sebum activity.” “Independent studies suggest Niacinamide is also an effective ingredient for brightening skin tone.” I pop three drops onto my fingertips and apply all over my face and neck morning and evening. Due to its active ingredients this product can tingle on application - all a good sign it is getting to work! I let this product totally absorb whilst I brush my hair and pop my deodorant on.

Once my skin feels completely dry it’s oil time! In the morning I use The Ordinary 100% Plant Derived Squalane (£5.50 30ml). I use 8 drops onto my finger tips and apply this to my neck and face, again massaging in well. “Squalane is a saturated and stable hydrocarbon that is found naturally in the skin. It has very high emollience, is an exceptional hydrator and can prevent ongoing loss of hydration that impairs dermal suppleness. Squalane is non-comedogenic and is suitable for use on all skin types. It can also be applied to hair to increase heat protection, add shine and reduce breakage potential.”

Whilst my oil is absorbing I tend to get dressed for the day and make the beds. I like each product to have time to absorb as if you don’t let this process happen you wouldn’t benefit from each product. Once dressed and the oil has absorbed well I apply my moisturiser. For my AM moisturiser I use the Liz Earle Skin Repair Gel (£24). Don’t forget your neck again! I love the gel texture of this product, it’s super lightweight and fast absorbing so will soak in quickly - the perfect pre-makeup moisturiser! The gel is enriched with a blend of moisturising borage oil, avocado oil to smooth and soften, soothing echinacea, toning hops and natural source vitamin E. Now most days this would conclude my morning skincare. However, if for any reason I’m still feeling a little dull, I do have an extra product that gives a magic glow and even a hue of colour with the right choice of the product. The By Terry Cellularose CC Serum is rather an investment at £61 but it is just beautiful to use. It can be used alone on makeup free days or as a primer underneath your foundation to boost your glow and/ or your colour. “Enriched with White Rose Stem Cells and antioxidant Vitamin E, the lightweight, quick-absorbing formula enhances luminosity and provides long-lasting protection for a lit-from-within finish. Innovative light-reflecting technology effectively minimises the appearance of fine lines and imperfections, whilst promoting a radiant glow and a smooth, even skin tone. Blends seamlessly onto lack-lustre skin to leave your complexion looking bright, flawless and refined.” I personally use apricot glow in winter, this one smoothes and illuminates light to medium skin. In summer I use Sunny Flash which gives a bronze hue and sun kissed glow to darker skins. PM Skincare Routine Very similar to my morning routine, I start my PM routine with a hot shower. Again the rule applies - no face under the water! Once I am showered I wrap myself in a big towel to dry and move onto my skincare. If I have worn mascara or any facial makeup I douse two wet cotton pads in Garnier Skin Soothing Make-up Remover and use to remove any makeup. The oil in cleansing water solution breaks down makeup so quickly! I then cleanse using exactly the same product, method and removal as my morning routine below states. Let your face air dry again at this point whilst you prep your toner. My evening toner of choice is The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution (£6.80). Another dessert island must have! I apply this using a cotton pad all over my face - remember the tip below, even under and around your eyes. Include the neck, décolleté, back of neck and wipe any excess over your hands again. Glycolic acid is an AHA that exfoliates the skin. This toner offers a mild exfoliation for skin radiance and clarity. The toner will also improve the texture of the skin when continually used every evening. Ideally keep this product to evening use as it will get to work on the skin whilst you rest and sleep. The use of direct acids on the skin can increase the skin's sensitive to the sun so an SPF the following daytime is recommended. If you are new to acids a patch test would be advised before commencing use.

Next up is another Aldi steal. The Lacura Glycolic Pads. These haven’t been in store for a while now so when/if they will be back in is anyone’s guess. The pads are actually the supermarket's very cleverly done version of the Nip & Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads, just a fraction of the original brands price. I’d still absolutely recommend the Nip & Fab pads if you can’t get Aldi’s one anymore. The pads come pre-soaked in resurfacing Glycolic Acid, soothing Witch Hazel and hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and will help improve the skins texture, eliminate dead skin, impurities and brighten the skin. The same product and routine comes next for my eye cream followed also by the same The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% formula! Again let these soak in before moving onto the next step. For my evening oil, if my skin is feeling pretty good and hydrated I use the same oil mentioned below, The Ordinary 100% Plant Derived Squalane. If I am feeling rather dry or in need of a treat I use the Lacura Healthy Glow Rose Oil (£7.98 for a pack of two). Rose oil is intensely moisturising and suitable for sensitive skin. I apply this in exactly the same way as the Squalane oil.

To conclude my night time routine, once my oil has had time to absorb, I go in with the Infinite By Forever Restoring Creme (£56.33). This gel like formula contains over fifteen skin conditioning ingredients, absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling so soft without feeling greasy or heavy. This product also contains squalene so will support the oil you have just used! Weekly Skin Treat Once a week I treat my skin to a peel. I got into skin peels around five years ago and that is when my love of direct acids started! I am currently using The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (£6.30).

AHA’s exfoliate the skin’s topmost surface for a brighter and smoother appearance. BHA’s also exfoliate the topmost layers as well having the extended function to clear pore congestion. “This combined 32% AHA/BHA solution offers deeper exfoliation to help fight visible blemishes and for improved skin radiance. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture and reduces the look of fine lines with continued use.” “Note: This formula contains a very high concentration of free acids. We recommend use only if you are an experienced user of acid exfoliation and your skin is not sensitive. Contraindications: This formula should not be used on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin. Please refer to additional sun protection note and other warnings in provided Directions.” I use this product only once a week for no longer than 10 minutes. It fits into your evening routine straight after your cleanse and before your toning solution. Remove with the same flannel you used to cleanse (obviously rinsed in fresh warm water.) The peeling solution does tingle on the skin - this is a sign the free acids are at work! I hope this post will further help and enhance your skincare routines! For any more information or any questions either contact me via email or through my socials. Love Beth xoxo

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Top 10 Skincare True Loves

It seems only fitting, given that it was Valentine's Day last week when I started writing this post that I talk about my true loves.. Skincare true loves that is.

Here are my top ten skincare products that I use daily (well all except the scrub and tan - weekly for them of course). The products range considerably in price, and where you can get them from - supermarket sweeps are welcome here you'll be pleased to know! I permanently have these products in my bathroom cabinet as well as miniature decanting bottles/ pots filled with each for when I travel, that way I can always have my faves with me! So here they are, in no particular order, I love them all..

-Sudocrem

Yep, babies butt cream. I don't think there's a night goes by that I don't have at least one dot of this stuff on my face - my boyfriends a lucky man isn't he! Honestly though, Sudocrem makes the best over night spot treatment. As well as being antiseptic, it also contains zinc oxide which is an amazing ingredient for drying up and helping to heal spots. I swear by the stuff and I have tried all sorts of spot gels and creams. Sudocrem is inexpensive and can be picked up easily in so many supermarkets, pharmacies and health care shops.

-ESPA Optimal Skin Proserum

Dreams in a bottle and suitable for all skins! The scent of the Proserum is an absolute dream and even better the results you achieve are amazing. This product nourishes the skin like a treatment oil whilst delivering the active benefits of multiple plant extracts. It is enriched with omegas 3, 6 and 9, vitamins A and E as well as turmeric. More of an investment at £49, the treatment will help to balance even an oily skin, reduce hormonal breakouts, hydrate the driest of skins, help brighten and even skin tone and protect against ageing. I apply this last thing at night before I sleep so that the product can absorb and my skin is glowy in the morning. 

-Coconut Oil

One of the best thing that came out of 2015! I have an obsession with the stuff! I use an organic 100% pure virgin coconut oil on my lips after cleansing every night. I also melt a tiny bit between my fingers and apply to my eyelashes every evening after removing my mascara as an overnight treat. Its the most amazing, hydrating lip treatment and I find it really nourishes my lashes after they've been coated in mascara all day! We condition our hair so why would we not condition our lashes? Being natural I also use coconut oil on my daughter if she ever gets dry skin - she is quite sensitive and it has never irritated her! Obviously I don't use the same jar I cook with, I keep two in - one in the kitchen cupboard and one in my bathroom cabinet. As you'll all know, you can pick a jar up ridiculously cheap in you weekly food shop.. I think every supermarket must stock it these days.

-Skin Accumax
I have already spoken a lot about the Skin Accumax in my previous post so you'll know the love affair I am in with these tablets. They are the reason I no longer suffer my dreaded acne! Accumax definitely has too feature in my top 10 true loves as I take two of these every morning with my breakfast - religiously.

-Garnier Skin Soothing 2 in 1 Make-Up Remover
A cheeky steal at £2.99 and widely available from your local supermarkets and beauty stores! I picked this up purely by accident one day and I'm so glad I did. Infused with water-lilly and pro-vitamin B5 this remover melts away even waterproof mascara. I always use mine to remove my eye makeup first by applying to 2 cotton pads and then I reverse the pads and wipe away all of my makeup. The product is an oil in liquid solution so you have to shake it well! The oily consistency thoroughly removes all of my makeup so it makes the perfect pre-cleanse. This means my second cleanse ensures my skin is makeup, dirt and pollution free as well as enabling my finishing retinoid treatment to be absorbed well and work to the best it can!

-Lacura Expert Double Effect Eye Gel
One word. Aldi. Can you believe it? I picked this little beauty up on an emergency whim when my previous eye cream ran out. I had heard a lot of people raving about these supermarket beauty steals and was super intrigued and lets just say it did not disappoint. Said previous eye gel was the Crème de la Mere Illuminating Eye Gel - there's £105 difference in price between this and the Lacura gel and it just goes to show that price doesn't always promise deliverance! At £4.99 the Lacura really hydrated the skin around my eyes instantly which gave a smoothing effect. The gel contains a  blend of ingredients including caffeine, horse chestnut and kudzu extract (known for its skin repairing properties) designed to tighten and brighten the sensitive area around the eyes. Sneaky hack with this one - apply the remainder on your fingers to your lips at night before your balm, I love the plumping effect it gives! Also if you do see this in-store, get it whilst its in. If you shop at Aldi you'll already know but they don't always stock everything every week. I've been trying to get my hands on a new pot for 2 weeks now and I'm still waiting.

-Flawless Faces
Another one I have previously posted about but have to mention in my top 10 skin loves! This product is a must to try if you haven't already. I initially used my peel to help treat my acne scaring and refine my skin. The results were fab - it has not only reduced my scarring, it helps dry up any current breakouts and it has really helped with the smoothness of my skin - makeup goes on a dream now. Jenna also recommends using a dot of the peel on an active spot overnight as a spot treatment which works amazing. I had an ingrown hair on my leg recently and thought I'd be a guinea pig to see if it would help and it did. The following morning the spot had reduced and I easily got the little hair out that was stuck! I don't know where I would be these days without my peels.

-ESPA Detoxifying Salt Scrub
Okay so this one isn't a face product its for your body. It's gorgeous! Every time I use this it takes me back to my salon days - I used to envy every client having this done knowing how beautiful their skin was going to feel afterwards. I now use at home and get my boyfriend to be my therapist, he's a good one bless him. It's not quite as glam as being in a salon when your stood in the bath butt naked but it does the trick. The scrub is a sea salt in oil suspension that buffs away dead skin cells and smoothes the skin. The oil is an aromatherapy oil with invigorating grapefruit, cypress and eucalyptus to stimulate circulation and help eliminate toxins. It also has nourishing sweet almond oil that melts into skin to deeply hydrate and replenish. You can use this weekly and when you do just allow the water to rinse away the salt, don't wash off the oils! I use this all year around but if your looking for something to perfect your summer skin this is the one.

-St Moriz Tanning Mouse
Nobody wants to be a pale gale. There are quite a few fake tans that I like but this one never lets me down! I regularly pick up a bottle from home bargains when I pop in for my toiletries. You can't beat £2.99 for a good colour, streak free tan!

-Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask
If I've discovered anything writing this posts its that I definitely put far too many beauty products into my shopping basket when I'm doing my food shop. I picked up these little skin treats in Asda for about £2 each and use them when my face just needs that extra boost of hydration. Although I do tend to be more on the oily side with my skin, I do still get dry every now and again - my skin clearly just doesn't want to be normal does it? The mask contains hyaluronic acid which is primarily used as a moisturising agent, it has the ability to latch onto water molecules which in turn helps hydrate and plump our skins! This means your skin not only feels hydrated, it looks plumper and revitalised too. A definite must try that is suitable for all ages and skin types.

Hope you've enjoyed the read! I literally can't recommend the above enough. As always I love to hear your thoughts and will always answer any questions. Just pop them below.

All links are in pink - just click the word to go to the mentioned previous posts or the product websites.

Bethany xx

Bakuchiol what?!

No, I haven't gone crazy or made a huge spelling mistake in the title of my new post - I do mean Bakuchiol. Let me explain..

Bakuchiol is a natural alternative to retinol that is derived from Indian Babchi leaves and seeds. The ingredient has been used in Chinese and Indian medical practises for centuries to help heal cuts, soothe rashes and calm redness. More recently, it has been discovered that Bakuchiol has many anti-ageing benefits as well as being a brilliant treatment for skin conditions such as acne because of its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Now you can see where this is going.. I told you I wasn't crazy!

So, until four months ago, I too was in the same place you most likely are right now - questioning what the hell Bakuchiol was. I discovered the ingredient and its amazing benefits on a congested skin when a close friend began promoting and selling Arbonne.

Although I had previously heard of Arbonne; I must admit that it wasn't a product brand I had really acknowledged, so when my friend told me about her new venture, talked me through the brands ethics and let me try the products that were suited to my skin type for a week my attention was turned. It was a simple case of candy to a baby.

Arbonne is a vegan and gluten free brand that pride themselves on their naturally inspired and scientifically tested products. It uses botanical ingredients from nature with green chemistry that produces great products whilst looking after the earth at the same time - bonus!

The product I was most intrigued about was the Genius Nightly Resurfacing Pads. On my return home I did my usual thing of a touch of research - geek at heart and all that, I love to understand how my products work. That's when I came across the Bakuchiol. I also picked up a super handy tip in my research that I will share with you now too.. If you do buy these pads, you receive 60 in the set. Now Arbonne advise you to use one pad per night but the tip I found told you to cut the pads in half. By doing this you double up your product to 120 pads and it lasts you twice as long which considering the pads are quite pricey at £87 I was all for! Initially I only cut a few just in case I felt I wasn't getting enough product from one half but I was pleasantly surprised that half a pad covered my face, neck and even had a touch of product left for the backs of my hands. (You'll understand why I use them here later).

As agreed with my friend I tried the products for a week. Along with the pads I also tried a cleanser, toner and moisturiser but I didn't adore these like I did the nightly pads. On return I placed my order for my own set and sadly waved goodbye to the borrowed ones.

Within a few days my order arrived and the Genius Nightly Resurfacing Pads slotted perfectly into my night time routine. I use my half pad after I have cleansed and toned - simply wiping all over my face and neck, then wiping any excess onto the backs of my hands. I do it in this order because the product contains skin conditioning agents and emollients so its the perfect finish to my PM regime. My skin is naturally on the oily side so after using the resurfacer I don't need a moisturiser as well.

When I started using this product 4 months ago my skin was going through quite a congested spell - not necessarily spotty but lumpy under the skin and my makeup wasn't sitting well. I already knew that introducing a retinonl type product to the skin can cause a breakout. Retinol based products work by gently exfoliating the skin and aiding cellular turnover to shift and clear congestion, so when the spots came I wasn't shocked. Within 2 weeks though everything calmed down and I started to notice the lumps were vanishing, the product had done what I wanted it to do and sifted out all of the crap. The pads are almost like a microdermabrasion in a pot!

Back to the Bakuchiol. In this product it is teamed with phytinol and retinol to create Arbonne's PBR+ complex. Other active ingredients in the product include mandelic acid and bisabolol. Together the combination improves skin tone, smooths the surface off the skin, aids cellular turnover, gently exfoliates, soothes and calms. These actions treat a multitude of sins: uneven, congested and acne plagued skin - all is calmed and smoothed with fine lines, pigmentation and wrinkles are reduced. 

Introducing a retinol based product into my routine as a topical treatment was definitely a great move and one I would recommend! 4 months down the line I am so pleased with the overall smoothness of my skin, the breakouts have calmed down, the condition has dramatically improved and a bonus that I had not even considered beforehand - the skin around my eyes seems firmer and the line from mouth to nose seems to have vanished! I'm only 25 but I had started to notice the teeniest lines appearing around my delicate eye area and on my marionette lines so to erase these so easily is fabulous!

This product is not only amazing if you are suffering with your skin but also if you are looking to refine soft lines. I don't suffer from sun spots and pigmentation so I can't comment on the benefits there - I wouldn't just make it up! I am definitely addicted now - the pads have become one of my skincare staples and I'm so pleased my friend brought them to my attention.

One thing not to forget.. if you are going to or you do currently use a retinoid based topical product - use an SPF during the day, everyday! The skin can become even more sensitised to the sun when using retinoids so an SPF 25+ daily is important. My mineral makeup has a natural protection of SPF 25 that I use everyday but if I'm ever going makeup free I make sure I pop on a light lotion form after moisturising in the morning.

I hope you've enjoyed the read, honestly the pads are fab! I've popped a link to Arbonne's website and Instagram below for you to have a peep at. As always I love to hear your thoughts and will answer any questions if you pop them below.

Bethany xx

Arbonne website: http://www.arbonne.com/Pws/homeoffice/store/AMUK/product/Genius-Nightly-Resurfacing-Pads-Solution-4317,2102,480.aspx

Arbonne Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uk_arbonne/