Thursday, 2 February 2012

Can't Live Without - Face Products!

I have so many favourite things I like because of their effects, the way the smell, the packaging etc, but I always find myself with the same core collection that I will go out and re-buy purposely. These are my can't live withouts! Many of these have been presents, free gifts or something I've found at an absolute bargain and have turned out to be amazing!

Clarins Water Comfort One Step Cleanser
I own the rose water fragrance. It's fresh, removes make up in an instance and really wakes you up. If my skin and head is feeling dehydrated from a substantial amount of alcohol consumed the night before, a couple of drops of this on a cotton pad wiped all over in a hurry always helps me feel like I'm back in the land of the living. I use this for spot cleansing my brushes too. This was a free gift from Debenhams for spending over £30.00 on their website. I've tried the One-Step orange cleanser before which is combined with oil. You have to shake it and put it on to a cotton pad or ball, but now my skin is more in the combination category, it can sometimes make my skin feel much too greasy where as this leaves your skin feeling clean and refreshed.

Elemis Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser

If my skin is feeling a little out of balance, I'll tend to usually use this. Unlike  the Water Comfort, this is a creamy base.  Applied with a cotton pad too, this reduces an residue oil that can be caused from changes in hormones or even from using a different type or cosmetic on your skin. Using this just a couple of times always helps to balance my skin back out and has also helped the redness in my cheeks. As a natural redhead, that is a problem that I'm unfortunately stuck with for the rest of my life, so any product that helps to reduce is always a good friend of mine!

Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner
This toner is my all time favourite toner and I don't use any other. I carry a small spray of this in my bag during summer. If I'm feeling too warm this cooling and calming toner is lovely and doesn't sting when applied over sunburn either. I use this daily as it helps to reduce oil and also keeps pores shut tight. From using this, I've had a lot less spots and small skin imperfections that I've ever had. I especially like that it comes in a spray bottle, a couple of squirts over the face and removed with a cotton ball and it's done.
Estee Lauder Day Wear Moisturiser
This was bought for me on my 18th birthday and came with a free gift with some Estee Lauder samples. My friend always used to wear their make up and, as a brand, I'd never used their products before. This pale green moisturiser is an oil free forumla, perfect for my skin and contains SPF15. It's not greasy, the green tones help to counterbalance the natural reddening in my skin and also balances my skin tone. It's very light and smells of cucumber.  It ncludes Vitamins C and E, Eukarion and EGT proven to fight free radical damage that can lead to the appearance of premature signs of ageing. It also uses innovative technology allows the Super Anti-Oxidant Complex to be “recycled” all day long, providing continuous anti-oxidant protection long after it would normally be used up.
Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean


This face wash is amazing. You literally need an amount of the size of a pea in your hand, it's creamy luxurious texture applies thick and wish a splash of water lathers like no other face wash I've ever used. It makes my skin feel tight and clean after use and in my opinion it's great value for money. This was a freebie included with my moisturiser and I have repurchased time after time. The sensitive formula works just as well too!


Elemis Herbal Lavender Repair Mask
When my skin is feeling dry, it's been out in the cold too much and is looking a bit lack lust for life, this face mask is amazing. It doesn't smell like the prettiest of things and doesn't look too nice either, but it works really well. Applied thinly and washed off after 10-15 minutes, it always perks my skin up.



Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel
From using make up quite regularly, regardless of how much you wash your face you are always left with some build up in your pores. When I begin to develop tiny bumps on the top layers of my skin this enzyme peel helps to condition and naturally ex foliate. The no granular formula contains anti-oxidants from the papaya and pineapple fruit and soothing milk, it's a vitamin rich cream. Applied all over the skin in a thin layer, this peels off after a few minutes and I love it!



Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream
This product is my one and only spot relief. It has a very sticky texture and is scented, but for a last minute spot killer, this is it!! This was the only cream that actually eradicated the problem from my face without leaving scars... and, it's designed for a whole array of things including: chapping, burns, nappy rash, dry skin, soothes roughness, redness and minor skin irritations. This has been referred to as the 8th wonder of the world and I won't leave the house without it. It is amazing for the perfectly shiny pout!



Elizabeth Arden Sheer White Serum

Perfect under make up, this very thin serum leaves your skin instantly brightened. I find that under make up it leaves my skin looking naturally healthy and dewy and if I'm in a rush to walk the dog and find that I've not got the time for some make up, this over the top of my moisturiser with some 8 hour cream on my lips is a quick routine that doesn't leave me feeling like I need to sit and conceal and apply foundation and powder!  It's a refreshing lotion that provides intense hydration. Its whitening complex combines vitamin C with extracts of mulberry root & rice bran. It eliminates appearance of dark spots & freckles. Added natural silk protein makes skin stronger & firmer. Leaves skin softer, smoother & more radiant.



Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Perfector

This pore minimising treatment is amazing. It leaves the texture of my skin feeling amazing, and works perfect as a primer underneath my foundation. It has really worked on my skin and a lot of other people who I have recommended it to. This was yet another freebie with my moisturiser and when it does eventually run out, it will be a repurchase. There is just one problem that I have found - if the bottle isn't screwed shut tightly, it will dry around the top and that's not nice on the skin.


AND FINALLY...

Decleor Aroma Night

This is my night balm. There are various smells you can get this in, I have the ylang ylang, rose d'orient and neroli. There is something so nice about applying balm to your skin that smells amazing. Decleor use aromatherapy in their creams and this is my favourite. This helps to keep my skin moisturised and oxygenates the skin whilst you sleep leaving your skin rejuvenated in order to face the day ahead!  This was given to me by my mum, she is a massive Decleor fan!



So, if you're not asleep by now... give some of these a go! For any Decleor or Elemis products try out TKMAXX... They always have some steals when it comes to these brands... for instance the Aroma Night is usually £32.50, I've got it from TKMAXX for £10! And the 8 hour cream in a glass pot, that was £10 from a "Factory Shop" and they often had brands at discounted prices, that too was £10 and on their website it's usually around £25 for 50ml.! I love a bargain! If you're inspired by this blog to try something out, add a comment to my blog and let me know what you think. Happy shopping!!!


Aimee x

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

"Chemist's Corner" ... A Hello and Welcome!





Hello and welcome to my little blog, I'm amazed you have even found me! I've decided to write this blog as I love anything beauty related and often get asked questions. I am a childcare provider and often see tired mummy's who say they haven't got the time to really look after their skin and leave the house without feeling how they look; tired, run down and usually stressed.


Most women usually say that by the time they find the time to begin to look after themselves, they'd need to break in to the bank and steal as much money as they could get their hands on in order to pay for the mightily expensive high end products... and trust me, you don't!


At the age of around 13, I began to get acne. I didn't look after my skin very well, I ate all the wrong foods (and still do) and usually layered tonnes of make up on my face. I'd wake up in the morning with the biggest panda eyes you'd ever seen, wipe it off as quickly as I could and re-apply on the bus whilst the other girls on my bus plastered orange makeup all over their faces which usually got the lads shouting "Who's been tangoed?!" to them.


At this time my mum had developed stress and her skin was beginning to dry out quickly and was showing signs of early ageing. A friend of hers showed her the importance of getting in to a daily facial routine and how quick and easy it is to do with just a couple of Helena Rubenstien products. I remember after a couple of months her saying she wished she'd done it years before, her skin was beautiful and glowing. It was then she showed me my own routine, using some Clarins cleanser and some Ten-O-Six toner and introduced me to the wonderful place in our house know as "chemist's corner".


Chemist's corner is where my mum keeps all of her beauty related products. It's actually just an end corner wardrobe full to the brim and is scheduled to fall through the living room ceiling at any time. It's like Narnia to the beauty addict and I could spend hours at a time in there.


And that's it... that's how I got in to my love of beauty and cosmetics. Recently I have been drawn in to watching the beauty gurus on Youtube. Pixiwoo, KandeeJ, Panacea81, Misschevious and Jingleheartart are just a few of my all time faves and I've linked their blogs and websites in too (If you're new to the Youtube gurus, go on to Youtube and in the search bar just type in their names as displayed above!)! I'm always on the look out for bargains and for products that look amazing! I really want to show not just mummy's, but all busy women out there that looking as good on the outside as on the in is really easy and affordable. I'll post my fave products, post reviews where I can and will show products that aren't just for my tailored age as well as showing looks and recreations of pictures that might take my fancy! You may occasionally, from time to time, see posts about childcare related issues or little tips and tricks I've found, or even some new recipes I've found too... Just as a brucey bonus, and to entertain some of you insomniacs out there.


Anyway, that's just a little about me for now... If you managed to get this far, thanks to your eyes and brain for continuing so long, and hopefully you'll be here next time! 


(And incase you haven't worked it out, that's me above!)


Aimee x