Skincare secrets with Farfetch Beauty

Gone are the days when I could sleep with the remnants of the day's makeup on and not suffer the consequences. As a teacher with busy school days, and even busier weekends, I find my morning and evening skincare routine to be a bit of light relief.

I'm just about to reach the end of one of the busiest terms - we waved off year 11 four days ago,  only now seeing them when they come in for their GCSE exams. The last month has consisted of early mornings and late nights, when marking 180 mock exams has had to be a priority and deadlines for grades and reports have been looming, taking up the work day and the evenings.
Due to this I've been trying to schedule in time to keep myself sane; in the mornings it's with my makeup and in the evenings it's been with my skincare regime.

My mornings usually consist of a quick rendezvous with my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, a hearty swipe of my Pixi Glow Tonic which is chased by Lush's Enzymion moisturiser. Somewhere in there I make a cup of tea (usually managing to drink half before forgetting about it...) and maybe have a little dance around to my morning playlist.

After a day of teaching, talking, laughing (or maybe crying, depending on the day...) and marking I'll be ready to wash off the day. If it's been busy I'll hop in the shower and grab my Clarisonic face brush with my Bioderma cleansing gel. Together, these remove makeup and thoroughly cleanse the skin leaving my face feeling smooth.

Once I'm out, there's an opportunity for hair oil or leave-in conditioner which at the moment is either Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle or Phillip Kingsley's Damage Defence spray. I brush these through with my Wet Brush and then move back on to my skincare products.

Then, I go back over my whole face with my Pixi Glow Tonic and Enzymion. To avoid puffiness and keep the delicate under eye skin hydrated I rely on my Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment and pat that gently underneath my eye and a little round the sides to the edge of my brow bone.

After that there's just enough time for a swipe of my Nivea lip butter and that's when I'm done!

It does seem like a lot of products just for one person, but they all work together to keep my skin in good condition. I find having some confidence in the way my skin looks helps my body confidence remain at a relatively good level, even if I'm completely wiped out after a day at work!

Do you have any skin secrets to share that might help me remain sane in these last few weeks? If you need inspiration too have a browse of the Farfetch Beauty section.

Comment or tweet me!

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This post was published as a promotional piece with Farfetch.com 

Still Loving : Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

Here it is again, the coveted holy grail skincare product from Liz Earle. I repurchased this a couple of weeks ago after a little break, and as soon as I used it again I remembered why I used to love it so much. When I first tried the Cleanse & Polish I wrote about it here back in 2012 and loved it.

The 100ml tube comes in a mint green bag with two muslin cloths folded around it, and even as I unzipped the outer packaging I could smell the familiar smell of Eucalyptus. 

Everything about this product is the same as it was when I last bought it, which is no bad thing! It still has the thick creamy consistency which glides onto the skin easily, and still doesn't cause any irritation. That's one thing I've always loved about this product - even around the eye area (and, on a couple of drunken occasions in the eye...) there's no soreness or sensitivity. Every scrap of make-up is removed and the muslin cloth exfoliates to get rid of any dead skin.

I use this with the cloth and have used it with my Clarisonic. It's most effective with the cloth that's provided, but when mine's in the wash it's not too bad with the spinning face brush too.

Ultimately, this is the same as every review you've probably already read; buy this product and then use it until it's empty and then buy it again etc, etc, etc.

You can grab one from the Liz Earle website here for £15.50, plus there's a couple of limited edition fragrances which would be perfect for Mother's Day.

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There is no guarantee that these products will work the same for others, I am writing from personal experience.

Previously Posted Products - Where are they now?

It's often hard to tell if a blogger has kept a lasting relationship with products - the constant influx of must-haves and holy grail items means that sometimes there's a few words and photos about a moisturiser/foundation/eyeliner and then that's it... it disappears off into the archives.
The reality is that it's not the done thing to repeat product reviews unless it's a re-purchase, but again, what do people want to read; re-buys or the newest thing on the market? It's difficult.

I thought I'd give a little bit of love to some products I've reviewed before just to ensure that you all know I really did like them and they still have a permanent spot in my make-up bag!

The Dermalogica Clear Start Welcome Matte Moisturiser (review here, click!) is still very much loved. I use it in the mornings as it provides a great base for make-up. The mattifying element means that once it has sunk in I can just buff or blend my foundation in on top and there's no slipping or sliding about! This exact moisturiser isn't available online but click here to buy the updated version of this product (!).

My HD Brows palette (review here, click!) is something I use pretty much every day - I have lost the slanted brush that came with it which is a bit of a pain but I've got a couple of brushes I can use as replacements. I use one colour strictly for my brows and then there's a darker brown that I occasionally use as a liner on my top lid.
The best bit about this palette is that I have had it since September 2011 and I still haven't hit the pan on my most used shade! That's over 2 years of use... If you're worried about the germyness then I'd like to add that I wash my brushes frequently and haven't experienced any adverse effects from not chucking it out after the recommended 6-12 months of use. Click here to buy (!)

Liz Earle's Signature Foundation (mini review here, click!) is my absolute favourite foundation for a night-out. My daily make-up doesn't require a medium coverage base so I save it for when I want to make more of an effort. It has a relatively matte finish which means I can buff in some blusher and highlighter and I don't look shiny too early on in the night - ideal for me. Click here to buy (!)

The coveted Real Techniques Stippling Brush (mini review here, click!) is definitely still in use in my house! I use it with the Liz Earle foundation and it gives a perfect finish. There's really not much more to say about this except I'm so glad I bought it. Click here to buy (!)

Finally, the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser (featured here, click!) - when I first tried this it was in the try me kit and since then I've bought at least two more pots! This is pretty much a night cream for me but it's a daily moisturiser and isn't too heavy to be used under make-up. I love how creamy it is and how luxurious it feels as it works its magic. Click here to buy (!)

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My Cold Weather Skin Saviours

I have really frustrating skin when the weather changes. Some days my make-up can practically slip right off my face and other days I'm desperately searching for something to hydrate unexpected dry patches. 

By chance I found a winning combination to counteract the effects of the gale force winds and the hideously heavy rainfall we've been experiencing in the UK. 

My first port of call is this heavy duty La Roche-Posay emulsion. It's extremely thick and creamy so I don't need much to cover dry patches. It is mainly for skin that is excessively dry rather than just slightly problematic but as a night cream this is perfect as I can apply it and let it sink in gradually.

I use this particularly on my chin and my nose to combat any dryness that may come from either a day exposed to the elements or from a face scrub on a pamper evening. (This is an old product but it wasn't opened until December '13 which is why the bottle looks so ancient!)

My day time moisturiser is definitely the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser. It's light on the skin but has quite a thick consistency. It smells fresh and slightly floral like the rest of the Liz Earle skincare range and sinks into the skin relatively quickly. I find there's just enough time to make a cup of tea while I wait for this to work it's magic!

You can find the La Roche-Posay Hydranorme emulsion here (click!) and the Liz Earle Skin Repair moisturiser here (click!)

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My Aeroplane Must-Haves

On Wednesday I happen to be jetting off to the fabulous Las Vegas with my also fabulous boyfriend. Unfortunately the eleven hour flight isn't so fabulous so I've packed my 15 plane must-haves to prepare for all the dry skin and tired I might have to endure and I thought they might be worth sharing.

Firstly : a make-up bag that's just the right size

Then fill it with all of your favourite things...

1. Benefit Erase Paste in 2 medium, MUA Blusher in Shade 1, 2. Sexy Pulp miniature mascara, 3. Clinique Translucent Powder in 03, 4. Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in 01, 5. Elf SPF 15 Lip Balm in Pink, 6. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz, 7. Mac 182 Brush

8. Travel magnifying mirror, 9. Figs & Rouge Organic Lip Balm, 10. Superdrug Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream, 11. Boots Hayfever Relief eye drops, 12. Clinique All About Eyes eye cream

13. Denman Strawberry Shortcake Hairbrush, 14. little tin of hairbands and bobby pins, 15. Cath Kidston Wild Rose Handcream.

All of these might be quite obvious things to pack but I thought I'd share them anyway since they all work really well for me. I tend not to wear make-up on planes, either removing it as soon as I can get to the bathroom or just not wearing any at all but I do like to have some with me to apply before landing to feel slightly more human again. The moisturiser and hand cream are to keep my skin as hydrated as possible whilst on the flight. As much as I appreciate the air being pumped into the plane keeping me alive my skin suffers quite badly from dryness but with any luck these creams will keep me happy and hydrated, the same goes for the lip balms. Similarly, the Clinique eye cream is to help reduce any dark circles from lack of sleep and keep the skin around my eyes hydrated.The mirror is obviously so I don't have to constantly occupy the bathroom with my preening and the hairbrush, hairbands and bobby pins are to keep my hair out of the way when I'm on board.

I'd also normally take a nail file but this time I'll be putting on a new set of imPress nails to pass the time and stay hassle-free throughout my holiday. Hopefully I can do an update on them while I'm out there :) I'm a big fan of the imPress range as you can see here so let's hope it stays that way!

Anyway, there's my little ramble about my aeroplane must haves. Do you have any last minute products for me to pick up?

Love,

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint - Bare 01

As I'm sure most people know Liz Earle are finally bringing out a highly anticipated (by me at least!) cosmetics range! After taking the first few steps on my cruelty free journey I've been trying my hardest to steer clear of the horrid brands so I was thrilled to hear that Liz Earle will be releasing a new range in May, although I'm fairly sure this product can be purchased online now!

After picking up the travel size skin care set I received a free sample of the new Sheer Skin Tint. I'm not going to lie - tinted moisturisers have never, ever appealed to me. I'm not sure why but I've always gone for full coverage foundations even though I don't have many problem areas on my face. I think foundation has always been a kind of security blanket for me but since I'm getting into a bit of a pickle with foundation matches I really didn't have anything to lose when trying these. 

 Each sample envelope contains 3 shade samples - Bare 01 for fair skin tones, Beige 02 for medium skin tones and Beach 03 for medium to dark skin tones. Being Casper the friendly ghost I discarded the two darker shades and opted for Bare 01.

"The perfect way to enhance your skin. Our rich, creamy fomula leaves skin looking naturally dewy, even and radiant. With mineral UV protection, SPF15 plus our own specially selected blend of botanicals."

As you can see from the above swatch the formula is rich and creamy but doesn't leave any heavy residue on the skin when blended. There's a slight dewy finish though it looks quite natural. I can't stand it when products claim to leave a dewy finish but it ends up looking like you've been sweating all over the place because it's so shiny! It gives an even coverage that's perfect for every day wear. I like how light it is and I feel reassured that my pores aren't going to be horribly clogged by it.

When finished with powder and blusher/bronzer I honestly couldn't tell that I wasn't wearing a foundation which I was very impressed by. It lasted a full day and didn't go patchy. All I found myself doing was a quick sweep of powder across my face about mid-afternoon. I'd recommend a concealer for under eyes or blemishes as it's not a thick formula but you could get away without it if you don't have many skin problems.

One of these small sachets has lasted 3 full applications and I'm pretty sure I'll get another one out for tomorrow so I'm very optimistic about the full size product!

How do you feel about Liz Earle releasing cosmetics? I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on this product and I don't know how I'm going to last until it's official release!!

love,

Liz Earle Essentials Try-Me Kit

After months of reading about Liz Earle's fantastic skin care range I finally caved and bought the Essentials Try-Me kit. Retailing at just under £25 this little bag contains 4 of the daily essentials for anyone looking to try a new skincare routine.

The little bag itself is very small but it fits in 2 pure muslin cloths, a hot cloth cleanse and polish, instant boost skin tonic, moisturiser and a brightening treatment mask.

I'm absolutely in love with everything in this kit! The cleanse and polish is incredible, after only a week of using it I've noticed any unwanted pigmentation on my skin has gone completely, even my boyfriend noticed which is saying something!
The skin tonic is nice to refresh your skin with after the cleanser. You only need a few drops on some cotton wool and it picks up any left-over residue. Saying that, every time I've followed the cleanser with the tonic I've hardly had a mark on the cotton wool!
The moisturiser is the perfect consistency, it isn't too thick but it replenishes the skin after rubbing away any make up with the muslin cloth.
 Finally, the brightening treatment mask is a very quick working face mask that you wash off after 2 minutes after application. It gives the skin a glow without leaving it feeling tight or dry.

So, overall I am a total Liz Earle fan! I've already repurchased the hot cloth cleanser and tonight I'm sticking the muslin cloth in the wash as it's got a few marks on after this week of using it. I couldn't be happier after switching to this new skincare routine, I've even got my mum hooked on it!
Have you tried Liz Earle??


Love,

ps, keep an eye out on my blog this week for a review of the new Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint!