Going On A Skincare Journey With Ioma Paris

Hello there,

If you know me then you know that I am crazy about skincare. Wherever I go I can guarantee that I'll have some sort of serum or moisturiser in my bag and whenever I go away on holiday my loved ones echo "all of that is for your skin?!". Why yes, yes it is. I am a self-proclaimed skincare junkie which comes with it perks and of course downfalls. That's why when I was offered to visit the Ioma Paris counter in Harrods for a skin diagnosis I couldn't resist.

I first met the lovely Ioma Paris team at the Blogger's Hangout BLFW event and I was instantly intrigued by their skincare range. I loved the fact that you could completely tailor it to your skin and its needs as well as have an action plan to help you undertake your new skincare regime. They even have an app where you can record how your skin feels during your new regime and then the app changes and adapts your regime even further to suit your ever changing skin. My thoughts? Finally a skincare range where there is no thinking done on my part, I can just carry on with my routine without second guessing.

When I arrived at the Ioma Paris counter I was met by the lovely Victoria who was going to talk me through the range as well as do my diagnosis. I was excited to get started and talk about all things skincare.

When you first get your diagnosis done you're asked a few questions about your current skincare routine and what sort of skin you think you have. I explained that I have quite sensitive and dry skin and that I cleanse every day as well as exfoliate every other day. Whilst, I thought this would good and kept my skin clean, Victoria actually told me that exfoliating this much can actually damage your skin. Say what?! I know- I had no idea. I was just following the instructions that came with my old products.

I also explained my dark circles (which come with being so pale and having sensitive skin). I am not one for applying eye cream religiously (guilty!) but Victoria advised me to start doing so to protect my sensitive skin from ageing when I get older. It was nice to talk to someone who believes so passionately about taking good care of your skin and gives such informative advice.

The first step in the skin diagnosis was the check how hydrated my skin was. My skin was measured with Ioma's very own technology which can give you a full skin diagnosis in as little as three minuets. To my surprise my dry skin wasn't too bad. However, there is always room for improvement. Making sure that your skin is fully hydrated can eventually make your skin clearer, softer and protected from ageing prematurely.

Next my skin was scanned to analyse what sort of condition it was in, in terms of oiliness, ageing, sun damage and under eye circles. Yes, Ioma technology can tell you all of that! Although my readings were pretty average for someone of my age my skin is very thin so can be more vulnerable to damage. In addition to this I had been exfoliating too much which had left my skin too open and more prone damage such as sun burn and pollution damage. My skin had been creating pools of oil in my pores to protect itself resulting in quite a high oiliness score. This shocked me as I had such dry skin. It goes to show that you don't actually know your skin as well as you think you do.

After my scan was complete I was given a "shopping list" of which products would work best for me based on my diagnosis. As you can see all of the products have a different number on them. Each number represents which Ioma line the product is from as each line has it's own specific skin problem it solves. For instance, I have two products from the number four range which focuses on calming the skin and combating redness. However the beauty of Ioma is that you can mix and match all of the lines to suit your skin. Additionally you can always change and adapt your skincare regime as your skin changes. So if you feel that your skin is very problematic or has various different needs you don't have to worry about fitting into just one line. There is something for everyone.

I was very lucky and am very grateful to have been gifted quite a few samples and their new Lip Lift product (which I am really loving by the way) so stay tuned for an update of how I got on with my Ioma skincare products, coming very soon.

First Impression Fridays Featuring Urban Decay, Sleek and Gosh

Hello there!

Welcome back to another first impression Friday. This month I don't have too much to show you, mainly because I am trying my best to save some money (If you have any tips please share them down below, I need all the help I can get!). Anyway I have three beauty products to show you all that I have tried and tested throughout the month and here they are...

URBAN DECAY GWEN STEFANI EYE SHADOW PALETTE 

This month I was lucky enough to get my hands on the very sought-after Urban Decay Gwen Stefani eyeshadow palette. The palette contains 15 eyeshadows including matte and shimmer shades. One of the best things about this palette is the wide selection of colours and textures. They make the whole palette very versatile allowing you to create so many different looks. Like all Urban Decay products the eyeshadows are of a very high quality with strong pigmentation and staying power. They don't smudge or stick when blended with other products either. To be honest this palette is the perfect addition to my make-up collection. Stay tuned to my Youtube channel for a tutorial using this palette soon.  

SLEEK MATTE ME LIPSTICK IN BITTER SWEET

I fell in love with this Sleek matte me lipstick colour bitter sweet in store and because Sleek is so affordable I thought I would pick it up. Plus, I'm a little late on the matte lip trend and wanted to try it out. The colour is exactly as I imagined when applying it and it has some serious staying power. The formula however, is a little strange to me. Not bad, not good just different to anything else I have experienced. At first it feels quite sticky but when it dries it feels almost chalky. Also, I think, although it doesn't state so on the packaging, that this lipstick has some lip plumping properties. After the product had been applied for an hour or so I felt that my lips looked alot bigger. If you've experienced anything similar please comment down below to let me know.

GOSH VELVET TOUCH LIPSTICK IN SWEETHEART

 I am not over exaggerating when I say that I am in love with this Gosh velvet touch lipstick in sweetheart. The colour, the formula, the texture and the finish are everything I look for in a lipstick; minimal stickiness, maximum pigmentation, strong staying power and a more than reasonable price tag. This lipstick is so versatile too. I have paired it with all of my daily make-up looks from my classic winged liner and smokey eyes to more natural minimal make-up. It's just the perfect lipstick shade. I'm officially obsessed.

If you like these first impression Fridays please comment down below and give me your beauty recommendations to try out next month. Also, if you missed my last first impressions Friday you can still read it here. Remember first impression Fridays take place on my blog on the last Friday of every month. So, stay tuned until then!

Beauty Hack: Nappy Rash Cream Face Mask?!

Welcome back!

I've been trying out a wealth of face masks ever since I was thirteen years old whilst attending and hosting some stereotypical sleepovers. I've tried them all from the £1 chocolate face mask right up to a full on gel face mask putting your pocket out by £18.

But what if I could tell you there's a brilliant face mask that doesn't break the bank like a gel one but also does a whole lot more than the £1 jobs? Well, it's been right under your noses the whole time. Sudocrem!

I first heard about using Sudocrem as a face mask when Bethan from Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model raved about it in an audition clip. And let's be honest, she has amazing skin. So she couldn't be wrong, right?

I know what you're thinking- nappy rash cream?! Ladies and gentlemen please throw your assumptions and pre-determined judgements aside because you'll be thanking me later.

The texture of Sudocrem is almost clay like when you apply it as a face mask. I like this because you can be sure that you are getting full coverage. I just applied the cream with my fingertips making sure that I got an even but thick layer across my whole face.

The first thing I noticed when I was applying my face mask was the smell; it smells slightly minty to me like toothpaste. Nothing too strong or eye watering though.

To remove the mask I just dampened a muslin cloth in warm water and wiped the product away.

Now, the results? At first my face felt kind of chalky when I initially removed the product. However after about two hours my skin felt smooth and plump. Also, (my favourite part) my usual redness had seemed to magically disappear.

I've been using Sudocrem as a face mask once a week for about three weeks now and am thrilled with the results. It seems I have found the perfect face mask without breaking the bank! Score one for me, zero for confusing beauty products.

Cleaning My Make-Up Brushes: Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner

Welcome back!

Like most make-up enthusiasts I know that it is important to keep my brushes clean to get the most out of them. But also like most make-up enthusiasts I hate cleaning my brushes. It usually takes quite a long time to get the product off and to be honest I just get bored.

Nonetheless I thought trying a new product out and writing about it might be a fun way to do it. I'm thinking about testing out some other make-up brush cleaners so if you have any ideas please comment them down below. I'd love to try them out.

Now, for the product I am actually testing out for this post; the Sephora daily make-up brush cleaner. It's a scented spray that claims to leave your brushes spotless. Let's see shall we?

First things first I put down an old towel to lay my dirty brushes on whilst I used the cleaner. I didn't want to make a mess, plus it makes it easier to take photos. As you can see, here are my dirty brushes before their clean...

The instructions on the bottle say that you just need to spray the product directly onto the entire brush covering all of the bristles. Then you wait...

I went downstairs and made a lovely cup of tea whilst I was waiting for my brushes to dry. I then came back up stairs, tea in tow to see what had happened to them. As you can see above my make-up brushes still seemed to be very much the same as they were before. However, I still had one more step to complete. I used my old towel to brush the make-up off my brushes. Gently though, so that I didn't ruin them.

After wiping them off they did seem to be cleaner. However one thing I would say about the cleaner is that when you're cleaning brushes that have had lip products on them they take quite a lot of wiping to get off. So although the cleaner did work it took a lot of scrubbing with my towel. Therefore not really eliminating the problem of a time consuming process.

This is not the perfect make-up brush cleaner I have been looking for. Never mind- bring on the next one!

First Impression Fridays Featuring BLFW

Welcome back!

I was sitting on the tube the other day scribbling away in my notepad about all the of ideas for my blog I had in the past 24 hours. Just as I was doing this my email pinged. I went to my phone to check it and it was The Blogger Hangout inviting me to the blogger London Fashion Week event. Obviously, I said yes please! And that's where this first impression Fridays idea developed.

Basically first impressions Friday will take place on the last Friday of each month and it will feature all of the lovely things I had picked up that month be it from events like BLFW like in this post, purchased myself or been sent to try out. I will carry out some more in depth reviews but for now I will just talk about my first impressions. So without further delay, let's get into the goodies from this month!

I lied... before we get started I just want to let you know that this edition will be a little different as I will include photos of the BLFW event too.

Upon arriving to BLFW we were greeted by the lovely team at ZEO who offered us a refreshing drink before we went to snoop around all of the other goodies. I had the mixed berry which was so yummy. It wasn't sugary sweet like other soft drinks, it was almost dry like a nice rose wine.

THUMBS UP NAILS

The first booth I stopped by was the Thumbs Up Nails stand. It was full of a beautiful array of nail foils, nail wraps and accessories. The kind lady at the stand even showed me how they worked on my own nails. You just simply find a wrap that looks relatively close to the shape and size of your nail, stick it on, peel off the sides and then file down the top. Easy-peasy!

Thumbs Up were even kind enough to gift me their cleo nail wrap pack, a nail file and compact mirror. I am so excited to try out these beautiful wraps as they were so easy to apply and looked just like you had painted them on yourself.

MAGNITONE LONDON

The next stand I arrived at was the Magnitone London stall which was already on my list to see. I've heard so many good things about their facial brushes and was dying to see a demonstration. I know I already own a Braun facial and body cleanser brush that works similar to these, but it definitely doesn't come in pink! 

As I glided the brush across my hands I instantly felt the difference. The Magnitone isn't as harsh and the bristles are a lot softer and forgiving against my sensitive skin. This is now officially on my lust list! 

PAUL MITCHELL

I don't know about you guys but I just love having my hair done. That's why when the very talented Amy from the Paul Mitchell team offered to do my hair in a beautiful Elsa braid I couldn't say no. All of the products used on my hair were made from high performance ingredients and most importantly (to me, at least) weren't tested on animals. 

Amy was more than lovely and did an amazing job on my hair. I just wish I could have her do my hair like this everyday! The products Amy used to create this beautiful full braid were the express dry wash dry shampoo and the express dry stay strong hairspray which both smelled lovely by the way. 

And here is the finished look! How beautiful is that? As I've said I wish Amy could magically come to my house every morning and do my hair. The Paul Mitchell team were all so lovely and even featured me on their Instagram and Twitter (thank you!). They also gifted me a wonderful mini set complete with the dry shampoo and hair spray (which were both used on my hair) as well as the extra body collection serum, conditioner and shampoo all kept neatly in this super cute leopard print bag.

I literally just tried out the shampoo and conditioner last night in the shower and what can I say? I loved them. I awoke today with full thick locks. They both lather up nicely and left my hair silky smooth, bouncy and shiny.

STVDIO 5

Aren't these just the most adorable bath treats ever? Stvdio 5 create the cutest vegan cosmetics. They are all handmade and made with natural ingredients. I can tell you that they all just smelt divine. Lush eat your heart out.

NADIA MINKOFF LONDON

The first brand I stumbled upon in the gifting lounge was Nadia Minkoff London. It was so lovely meeting the team and learning about their brand's story. Nadia Minkoff is a quintessentially British brand with frequent nods to vintage inspiration.

Looking at the products they were everything I look for in jewellery- statement pieces without being too in your face. I like delicacy when it comes to accessories but I also like them to be a bit different. My favourite piece was a pair of black dangling skull earrings which I could see myself rocking with an outfit like my black sun ootd.

Nadia Minkoff also do some really gorgeous bags. They are all classic shapes from the over-sized slouchy day bag to the structured evening clutch. They are all made with high-quality materials and ooze luxe. I was lucky enough to receive a free gift from the brand which was a beautiful dachshund necklace, complete with floral bow detail and dangling gem. You can see a photo of it over on my Instagram.

THE CURL COMPANY

I must admit, as a lady with slightly frizzy but curly hair I was very excited to see what The Curl Company had to offer. Their whole line is dedicated to people with wavy and or curly hair. Each product is designed to enhance and define your curls whilst making them look and feel beautiful. The Curl Company team were so lovely listening to me ramble on about my "curly hair problems" and assured me that these problems were exactly why they created their products.

The Curl Company were kind enough to gift me a whole set of their products. I received a styling gel, a curl cream, defining mousse and a leave-in conditioner. After every shower I have had since receiving the products I have used the curl cream on the ends of my damp hair. I must say I have seen a considerable difference. My hair has no frizz since applying the product and my curls look bouncier, fuller and shinier.

AMIE NATURAL SKINCARE

I was originally enticed over to the Amie Skincare stand because of the beautiful packaging. I mean what girl can't resist a pretty pastel colour palette complete with matching marshmallows? The skincare range is all natural and not tested on animals. So far, a huge thumbs up from me. What I loved most about the brand was the story behind it. Amie was created by the founder Fiona for her daughter Samantha to solve many skincare problems we all face but so many skincare brands fail to solve.

Amie Skincare were so kind as to gift me with a few of their products. I received the exfoliating polish, micellar water, moisturiser and facial wash. I have already tried out the micellar water, moisturiser and exfoliating polish. All of which smell beautiful. The products are all easy to apply and use but most importantly don't leave my sensitive skin red and itchy. Stay tuned for an updated skincare routine featuring these products!

WELEDA

The Weleda brand's best selling product Skin Food has actually turned 90 years old this year. The brand started out as a pharmaceutical lab with its own medicinal plant garden. That's why Weleda products are still all made with natural ingredients today. The very kind team at the event even demonstrated the skin food cream on the back of my hand. It smelt natural and refreshing with a smoothing and moisturising after effect.

Weleda were kind enough to gift me their world renowned product skin food. Although I haven't tried out the two products yet I am excited by the fact that you can use it as a face mask. So stay tuned for a little update on how I got on.

PURE POTIONS

Another natural skincare brand Pure Potions is made from all natural ingredients. The brand is directed more so at those who have dry skin (I internally rejoiced when I heard this). The Pure Potions stall was full of a range of products from oils and serums to balms and cream.  

The lovely Pure Potions team allowed me to pick any products on the stall I liked to take home and try. I decided on the Bath and Body Oil. I have very dry skin especially on my upper arms and elbows so I thought it would be a great product to help me combat that. The helpful lady at the stand also said you could use the oil as a make-up remover. I also picked up the Arnica Rescue Salve. This balm is specifically for first aid purposes to aid with bruising. I dance alot so this will come in very handy.

SENSATIONAIL

I already have a Sensationail kit with the UV lamp and a few nail polishes so when I saw the stand I cannot tell you how excited I was. I couldn't grab any snaps of their beautiful set-up as it got so busy. I already know that I love the Sensationail brand so when I was offered to try out their new Polish To Gel Transformer I couldn't say yes quick enough. I have already tried out the product with a regular drug store nail varnish and it works perfectly! To see photos you can go to my Facebook or Twitter.

I was also lucky enough to be gifted some LAB 2 make-up brushes from the Sensationail team. Although I haven't tried them out yet I am excited to test them out. I was even thinking of doing a comparison between my Beauty Blender I already own against this LAB 2 one. What do you think?

IOMA

One of the last brands I met at the event was Ioma. Ioma is a luxury personalised skincare line which tailors skincare around your skin and its different needs. The coolest part about this brand is that they have a device which once scanned over your skin can create a skincare regime specifically made for you. Everyone's skin is different so I think that Ioma  has hit the skincare nail on the head.

Did you go to the The Blogger Hangout BLFW event? What were your favourite brands? Link your posts down below so I can have a look!

My Foundation: The Best Drug Store Pressed Powder

Welcome back!

For the past six months or so I have been looking for a high coverage but natural looking pressed powder foundation. To be honest I didn't expect to find one. But I have and *bonus time* it was only £6.99! Introducing the Max Factor crème puff pressed powder, my new forever favourite drug store foundation. Yes. I love it this much.

First of all, I want to talk about how perfect the colour is for my skin tone! But before I do let me just tell you that I have very pale skin with slightly red/pink undertones. So, just a little disclaimer, this works on my skin but everyone's skin is different, you may have to try out a few before you find your perfect match! I have this foundation in the shade truly fair which I believe is the lightest. It doesn't make me look yellow like most drug store foundations and blends well, even when I am a little red. For those of you with a different skin tone to me I did notice they do a range of shades as well as colours for those with different undertones ect.

As you can see a powder puff does come with the foundation. However it is just a typical drug store applicator with a sponge like texture so it is not very effective. I much prefer to use my beauty blender. Now back to the actual product. When you first apply this foundation it can be a little bit flakey, however if you wait a few moments and then brush over it with a big blender brush the consistency becomes very natural and blends in with your skin rather well. As I said above, I have some redness in my skin as well as freckles but this foundation combats them perfectly. Which, to me, is pretty impressive for a powder.

Let's talk formula. The foundation is scented but it is subtle and musky so it doesn't overwhelm you. I have pretty sensitive skin which usually reacts terribly to heavily scented creams and ointments but luckily this hasn't been a problem for me with this foundation. As for staying power, it stands strong for a solid eight hours as long as you spray some primer on afterwards.

All in all, this is by far the best drug store pressed powder I have come across and would seriously recommend it for anyone!