Skin Secrets

Even before I completed a beautician course last year, I had an obsession with good skin. Plagued by problem skin in my early teens (a bit like rosacea), when it finally began to clear I wanted to keep it that way and never go back to the embarrassment that was my old skin. After years of trying products that keep my dry skin hydrated and are gentle enough for my sensitivity; I've compiled a list of what has worked for me and that I'd recommend for people in the dry/sensitive skin category. 

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

I have probably been using this cleanser for the past four or five years and genuinely don't think I will ever stray away from it. Not only is it gentle on the skin, but when it is removed with the muslin cloth not only does it leave your skin feeling clean, but it gently exfoliates without irritating. I can't recommend it enough and if you want to see my ramble on my love for it click here. 

£13/15e

Liz Earle Instant Tonic Boost

Again, this is a product that I've been using for years. It works as a toner and can be used after cleansing to close the pores and remove any excess makeup still left on the skin, leaving it ready for moisturiser; or it can be used throughout the day to freshen up (especially on planes!)

£11/13.25e

Oilatum Natural Repair Cream

This is one of two of the best moisturisers I've found for my skin-type. Not only does it instantly relieve any tightness but manages to keep the skin hydrated all day and is the perfect base for under make up. It contains natural ingredients and is free from fragrances, preservatives and emulsifiers. 

£8/10e

La Roche Posay 50+ Anthelios XL Melt-in Cream

My introduction to this product came when a woman in work told me that while she was waiting for her face lift, she was recommended by the plastic surgeon to wear this suncream everyday. Laughable? Yes. But she was bloomin' right. This suncream creates a velvety film on the skin, keeping it hydrated all day but also acts as an anti-aging product due to its high factor spf. It is free from perfumes and is paraben-free.

£14/17e

Estee Lauder Idealist Serum

This is a serum perfect for younger and those with dry skins. Its partner product Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair works well too, but is nowhere near as hydrating. This can be used in the morning for a burst of hydration under moisturiser and then at night to keep the skin hydrated. While it does have perfumes in it (citrus), it leaves the skin feeling velvety and has never caused a reaction in my skin. 

£38/45e for 30ml

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator

Again, this a product that is extremely gentle on the skin. If you use the Cleanse and Polish, the need to use the exfoliator will be less frequent as you are exfoliating with the muslin cloth. But this is for days when your skin feels dull and needs a little 'pick me up'. It doesn't hurt the skin, and uses small granules to gently exfoliate. 

£11/14e for 70ml

Elave Intensive Cream Moisturiser

This is the second of my favourite moisturisers and is a lot richer than the Oilatum. It can be used in the morning and at night, but needs a few minutes to sink into the skin. It instantly relieves the skin of feeling tight and leaves it moisturised for most of the day. I prefer to use it at night, as it is thick and takes a while to seep in. 

£5/7e

Xen Tan Perfect Blend

While this isn't skincare, it is a tan that doesn't cause any irritation and doesn't dry out the skin at all. If you moisturise regularly it lasts about a week on the skin. 

£38/40

Have you tried any of these products? 

Xen Restored

Tanning has never been high on my agenda list. Sadly, I'm one of those "slap it on and hope for the best" merchants. No preparation, no exfoliating, no moisturising. Just me and my hands, applying cheap streaky tan. Which always ends in disaster, streaks and general orangeness. So when I attended the Xen-Tan event a few weeks ago, the lovely Amy encouraged me to tan properly. After seeing her wonderfully even glow, I knew my nasty habit of hoping for the best when I tanned had to stop.

Cue Xen-Tan. Amy kindly let me choose any product from the website I wanted, and since we had discussed the new Perfect Blend tan at the event I thought it would be the best one for me to try out. She also sent me out The Little Book of Tanning, which has great tips on how to make the most of your tan, how to prepare the skin before, how to treat it after and how to tan different parts of your body. At first, this little book overwhelmed me with its mass of information, but it was very easy to follow and really worked. 

Perfect Blend is a mixture of self-tan and shimmer bronzer, meaning that as you apply the product you know which areas you have missed out. It has a handy little dial, which can be changed to have more self tan, more bronzer or an even mixture of both. Application was easy, with no biscuit-type smell, though I did have to use a few layers to achieve the colour I wanted. Most importantly, its natural. Unlike St.Moritz, Fake Bake and other tanners, it's impossible to go orange with Xen-Tan. I applies an even, fresh looking glow that looks real, and doesn't fade in patches. A good few of my friends thought I'd gone away because Xen-Tan has that kind of look, not the fake tan look, but the I've been away one! Result? Oh yes, I think so.

This is the perfect tan if your looking for a natural glow; you will not be horrendously dark, you will not look like your wearing fake tan, you will not have streaks. And it lasts. I have had to top it up jut once throughout the week and one layer every week will be enough to keep it fresh looking. If your more into the 'fake' look, this product is not for you. If you like a beautiful natural olive tone, I would highly recommend it.

You can buy Xen-Tan here, they send to Ireland and if your quick they have a deal on that when you buy Perfect Blend you will receive a free Xen Tan Body Scrub worth £14.99. Delish! Go forth, my friends!

PS. I'm very aware that this is a dreadful photo of me and that I look slightly demented. But hey, I'm tanned!

Snow is Falling and Update

Snow has fallen quite literally all around me. Being snowed in is something I can handle for a day or two, but then hyperventilate at the thought of never being able to leave my house again. Please go away, I've had enough.

- I start my university exams next week and have this one off to study, which means more blogposts and more time to spend with friends. I literally cannot wait until Christmas, though I haven't gotten into the mood at all yet, which is very unlike me. The whole thing has popped up out of nowhere and I've done nothing to prepare for it. Let me know if you have any requests for the blog or Youtube, as once my exams are over I have a month off..

- More than anything this week I've been missing my best friend, who moved to Dubai a while ago. Daily life just isn't the same without her and her smiles..She's the only person who knows about this blog, so I know she'll see this! Love you hun!

- I uploaded a new video to Youtube today, my November Favourites. It has more things in it than the blog post and it would make my day if you watched it; my life if you subscribed :P Click here to watch it.

- And finally, I thought I'd link to a few people who's blog I love reading Laura, Charlotte and Siobhan. Who are your favourite blogs, link in the comments as I really want to read more. Happy Monday!