New Skincare Regime

Hey y'all!

I think it's really important to have lovely, cleansed skin and I find that if you have good skin you don't necessarily need to cake your face in foundation. So one day I woke up and decided it was time to chuck out my trusty Poundland face-wipes (as seen in my £1 beauty bargains post!) as I realised they were OK for removing make-up at the end of a night out, but not for a deep cleanse morning + evening. I chose to purchase some products from the Body Shop as I thought it was time I spent a bit more on good quality skincare! Their bestselling products were on offer at 20% off at the time so I figured there's no better time to overhaul my regime!

I followed the skincare regime guide on their website and found that the Seaweed products were best suited for my skin (quite oily; prone to breakouts; not particularly blemished).

The following products were delivered to my door :)

Cleanser

I chose to buy the Seaweed Cleansing Facial Wash as I really fancied something that gave my face a deep clean, but was safe enough to use twice a day. It's oil and soap free which is perfect for my oily, slightly sensitive skin. The first time I used it, a spot broke out on my cheek, but I think that's just because it was the first time in a while my skin had had a proper thorough cleanse so I half expected it! It smells really fresh and natural and I've used it every day since. I try and use it in the evenings but sometimes I'm so knackered I just use my trusty No7 face wipes. It's also great for removing make-up at the end of the day but I use a separate eye make-up remover as well. It's £6.50 (it was 20% off bestsellers when I bought it) but they sell a smaller version for £2.50 for you to try at a fraction of the price :)

Facial Buffer

I read a number of reviews on the Body Shop website of this product and a lot of people said they used it alongside their normal cleanser, whether it be from the Seaweed or Tea Tree range. It's basically a tiny little exfoliation mitt that you use on your face for a gentle buffer every day. I started by using it twice a day alongside the Seaweed cleanser, but my skin broke out and I decided to use it only in the mornings and the cleanser on its own in the evenings. It's worked out really well; I wet the mitt with warm water, squirt a little of the cleanser onto it and lather it up into a foam before applying it onto my face in circular motions. I've got into a really good routine now and my face doesn't feel properly cleansed without it!

Toner

I also purchased the Seaweed Clarifying Toner which is a lovely, light product. I only bought the miniature version of this (at £3 rather than the usual £5) as I hadn't been using toner for a while and I underestimated its importance. However I bought into the whole cleanse, tone, moisturise thing and so thought I had to try this as well :) Again it's a nice smelling product; very 'clean' smelling! I use it after the cleanser with a double sided cotton pad from Boots and wipe it along my forehand, cheeks, chin and neck to remove excess oil and make-up. As it was only a mini bottle, it ran out and I couldn't afford to buy another one so for a while I used Lush's Tea Tree Water toner which I'd initially dismissed but it was actually very good. However it wasn't quite as lovely as the Seaweed toner, which I recently re-purchased :)

Eye make-up remover

I had quite a good relationship with my Simple Conditioning Eye Make-Up Remover but it ran out and at the time I'd resorted to using my Poundland facewipes. The Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover was another one of The Body Shop's bestselling products with 20% off and the reviews of looked pretty good. I've recently started wearing contact lenses and my eyes are pretty sensitive so it seemed ideal. On the first day I used it my eyes became red and bloodshot; they were literally weeping, I couldn't see and my eye make-up was all over my face. It's been OK since but it does sting sometimes and it doesn't remove every single speck of make-up. I probably wouldn't recommend it to you to buy. I'm looking forward to trying the Bourjois Express Eye Make-Up Remover (as reviewed on the London Beauty Queen blog) or the highly reviewed No7 Cleanse & Care Eye Make Up Remover instead. Otherwise I'll be sticking to the trusty, purse-friendly Simple brand :)

That's all I bought new from The Body Shop, here's what else completes my current skincare regime;

Moisturiser

I've been using Avon's Clearskin Mattifying Moisturiser for a good few years now. I bought it on a whim from an Avon rep at uni (for something like 2 quid!) and it's definitely one of my faves. Having quite oily skin, but knowing how essential it is to moisturise daily, it's ideal as part of my daily skincare regime. You only need the tiniest amount but it moisturises my face effectively. As far as I'm aware the product has been discontinued, but luckily I've used the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-Free Moisturiser before (as seen in my skincare regime YouTube video) with no problems so I'll just revert back to that when my Avon one run's out. Saying that, I've been using this particular bottle for a good few months now and there's at least half left so it should last me a while yet! :)

Face Scrub

As mentioned in my Top 10 Avon products blog post, this is one of my favourite face scrubs! It's such a bargain - I think I got it for about 2 quid, or 3 products for £5! If my face is feeling really grotty, I'll massage this all over my face and neck and leave it on for a few minutes, or until my face tingles! It's actually got more of a consistency of a face mask. I try and use it two mornings a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays, after my cleanser + toner) to really rid my skin of the dirt and grime it collects. I've used other face scrubs in the past, like the Garnier Pure Active Scrub but I much prefer this. I'm looking forward to trying the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Face Scrub in the future as it looks fab and fruity! I have a bit of a soft spot for pink grapefruit as well so I'll let you know if I get around to buying that... and if it beats this bargain!

Face Mask

For more of a treat, I'll use my No7 Purifying Sauna Mask which is fab for a real deep cleanse and gentle exfoliation. I bought this a year or so ago with a No7 voucher after reading a review on beauty queen Lauren Thomas' blog. I also bought the 4-in-1 Face Wipes from the same brand and from what I've experienced, the No7 brand is 100% worth the price tag, even without the £5 voucher! This face mask is literally one of the best I've tried; nothing makes my skin feel softer and more cleansed. I actually cannot stop touching my face after I've used it (probably reversing its effects!) but I would certainly recommend you splashing out on it; it lasts for ages and it's amazing. Fact!

I believe that's all that makes up my skincare regime, as I said it's effectively cleanse, tone & moisturise twice daily, scrub twice a week and use a face mask whenever you want a treat... I tend to do mine on a Sunday :)

What skincare regime have you found works best for you? Are there any products you'd recommend for quite oily skin (prone to breakouts) like my own?

Thanks for reading!

Style by Sophia

xo

Top 10 Avon Products

Hi girls!

As some of you may know, I spent my summer vacation working as an Avon Representative in my hometown. Their current Ambassador is the lovely Reese Witherspoon (seen above) and the brand are currently in the midst of a massive image overhaul as 'the company that best understands the product, service and self-fulfilment needs of women globally.' If you take 5 minutes to flick through one of their brochures, you'll find that their prices beat that of high-street brands like Rimmel, No7 and L'oreal and are arguably of the same or better quality.

I absolutely loved working for Avon; There's a real sense of community within the company (especially as the reps are mainly women) and the discount was pretty good as well! In terms of payment, Avon Reps work solely on commission, and I built a solid customer base so I was lucky enough to receive 25% commission on their products i.e. if a customer spent £10 on Avon products, I would earn £2.50! (the rest goes to the company/your Sales Leader). However, being the spender I am, I tended to splash my earnings on discounted Avon products rather than pocketing the cash! It meant I had a real understanding of all the different product ranges to report back to my customers and it saved me a lot of money in Boots!

Here's my top 10 Avon products so far... I've been accumulating pics to do this post for a while, so excuse the mis-matched duvets!

(in no particular order)

1. Planet Spa Mediterranean Olive Oil Conditioning Hair Mask

This is a lush intensive hair masque! It seriously makes your locks feel so glossy! When you apply it, you can just feel how luxurious it is because the consistency is so thick and creamy. It's one of my fave intensive hair masques, other than L'oreal nutri-gloss and Aussie 3 minute miracle and is a real treat for dull hair!

2. Avon Care Sheer Lip Gloss with Jojoba Oil

I tended to wear this lip gloss more in the summer :) I bought it for about 2 quid and it's such a bargain!
It leaves a lovely glossy, natural sheen (seen above) that's perfect if you're looking for something in between a gloss and a balm. However in the winter, I'd suggest something a bit more intensive, like Carmex!

3. True Colour Blush in Earthern Rose

This isn't really a blush - I suppose it's like a honey coloured blush but I see it more as a bronzer. In the daytime, I usually use Benefit Hoola but I prefer this sometimes as it's a bit lighter. It's a really natural looking bronzer, simply apply it to your cheekbones, temples and along the bridge of your nose (or whenever the sun hits you really) for a natural-looking chiselled, bronzed look.

Here's me rocking Earthern Rose! (above)

I've also tried True Colour Blush in Russett but I found it to be too pigmented. Perhaps I'm using the incorrect brush but it just a bit too much for me at the moment. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect daytime blush (other than expensive Benefit Benetint) so please feel free to suggest some in the comment box at the end!

4. SuperExtend Mascara in Brown/Black

This is one of Avon's newer products; it's similar in brush shape to Maxfactor Masterpiece Max which is my go-to mascara of all time!

I chose to purchase it in Black/Brown because I had loads of chunky black mascaras e.g. Benefit Bad Gal but I had few I could actually wear in the day for a really natural look. Here's me wearing SuperExtend (above).

Here's Reese Witherspoon wearing it and a picture of the brush shape! :)

5. Planet Spa African Shea Foot & Elbow Cream with AHA

I don't know about you but, being the hedonist I am, I love nothing more than a good pamper! As a special treat I lather my feet in this cream before I go to bed (which, by the way, I've never used on my elbows) and pop on a pair of cotton socks. I struggle a bit with calluses and rough heels, but in the morning, my feet are lovely and soft! Also, it smells of Popcorn... Lush :)

6. Plump Pout Lip Gloss (Honey Shades) in Pink Nectar

I don't exactly suffer from thin lips, but I always want them to look a bit plumper on a night out! I've tried a few, like Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker as well as a 2true one, but nothing works like this beauty! It's a shame I don't have a photo, but this gloss leave your lips looking really sexy; pink and plump! I ordered it in bulk when it was on offer because I loved it so much! Oh, and it makes your lips tingle... ;)

7. True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Mocha Latte

Just like the rest of the world, Urban Decay's Naked palette is on my Christmas list this year! However, other than having a few less shades, this palette is actually a pretty good dupe! The colours are exactly what I'm looking for in a daytime smokey eye; a cream shade, a taupe shade to use as a base, a golden bronze to highlight, and a darker brown to shade!

I use it in my daytime face regime (see above) along with brown mascara and brown liquid eyeliner. I don't like to look too 'done-up' during the day... That's for the evenings! :) I actually prefer these shades to some of the more natural looking ones in my Sleek Storm palette. They last all day as well! One of my fave purchases, would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for a natural eye palette!

8. MagiX Face Perfector

I was actually recommended this product by fellow beauty blogger & friend, Lauren Thomas aka Beauty Queen who used it quite a few months ago. It seemed like one of Avon's cult products so I had to have it! It definitely works as a make-up primer; it evens out your pores, removes any oil and is perfect for applying make-up on to. It literally makes your skin feel silky soft! You've got to try it to believe it!

I've also heard top reviews about Avon's MagiX illuminator concealer. I heard that Gok Wan recommended it as the 2nd best concealer behind the YSL Touche Eclat on his Fashion Fix show! When I run out of my expensive Touche Eclat, I shall definitely be trying out the MagiX version instead :)

9. Clearskin Professional Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub

Avon's Clearskin range is brilliant value for money! They've always got offers on (like 3 for £5) and their products are fab for young, spot-prone skin like my own. I picked up this Professional deep cleansing scrub as it's essentially part of a set of 3, and I already had step 2 so I thought it only made sense to buy step 1! I think it's really important to regularly exfoliate your face (at least twice a week - I try to remember to do it on Wednesdays and Saturdays!) and this scrub is perfect for opening your pores and really making your skin feel like it's had a thorough, deep clean. Rather than washing it off straight away, I prefer to leave it on for a few minutes and use it as a face mask, as I like the tingly feeling you get from it... Weird I know :) Love it!

10. Skin So Soft Airbrush Spray in Fair

I've never really found the perfect high street fake tan for my skin! I prefer to have a natural-looking tan than one that's obviously fake so I'm always looking for ones for fair skin. One of my past faves was Garnier's mist for fair skin but at £7 a bottle I can only really afford to buy it when it's on offer! Other than that, I use Garnier's Summer Body lotion for fair skin which I lurve! I thought I'd try Avon's version of the mist, and I have to say it worked really well on my skin!

You apply it like the Garnier mist, but this time you rub it in! As you can tell from the picture above, it really enhances my natural skin colour and I loved the outcome! Unfortunately it wasn't in my latest brochure but if I see it again I'll definitely be re-purchasing! It's only like £1 a bottle... Such a bargain!

There's loads more products I love from Avon, including the Cream-To-Powder foundation, Lotus Shield hair serum and double-ended kajal stick! I'd definitely recommend giving Avon a go; you can find your local rep on their website or simply order online! I've found a rep here at uni and I'm a regular customer for her now, along with all of my housemates! There's nothing like flicking through a brochure and receiving your little bag of Avon goodies at the end :)

Alternatively, if you're looking to become self-employed, or save a few pennies for Christmas and have some time on your hands/a handful of beauty-addict friends, perhaps think about becoming a Rep! It's never too late to join, there's no interview process or anything like that, and as I mentioned earlier the discounts are a real perk! I hope I've inspired you :)

What Avon products can you not live without?

Love,

Style by Sophia

xo

ps. Follow Avon on Twitter (@Avon_UK) or join the Facebook group and show your support to the Avon reps out there!