La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur - Review

I purchased the La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur - Instant Oil Absorbing Coverage Cream Mousse after hearing great things about it from fellow rosacea blogger - TalontedLex.

My usual day-to-day foundation is Bourjois Healthy Mix but I was coming to the end of the bottle and thought I would try something new.

The packaging is typical La Roche Posay, their usual simplistic white and blue, the foundation comes boxed which keeps it in line with their skincare products and walking past it on the shop floor you probably would mistaken it for a skincare item.

The foundation is described as a mousse, and my initial impression was that it was very thick in consistency, 

When applying foundation I usually like to pop it on the back of my hand and either use a brush or fingers to apply, so that I can control how much I am using but with this foundation it's not possible due to the thickness.
I then applied using my Bobbi Brown blending brush and I got a much better result, more even and flawless application.

My other initial worry when I first used this BB cream was that it appeared to very orange in colour.

The cream only comes in two shades, fair/light & light/medium, but once blended it did match my skintone pretty perfectly.

As you know I do suffer from Rosacea and from the photos you will see you can still slightly see the pustules on my cheek area but the final look of the BB cream is nice, although I find it to not be that buildable due to the consistency, so concealer is needed if you have any imperfections.

Foundation and concealer only

You will of noticed from the title of this BB cream that it is oil absorbing, my skin is actually very dry and so I usually choose a dewy foundation and for me personally this is a little too matt for my liking. I try and counter act this by using a radiant primer underneath or by creating a littler shimmer with a subtle highlighter afterwards.

I like the fact the foundation feels weightless and it really does feel like you aren't wearing anything on your skin, its also quite long lasting and wears very evenly without going patchy.

Overall I think if you don't like a heavy foundation and want something fuss free, easy to apply with a nice coverage then this BB cream would be perfect.
I definitely think as the weather warms up and I want to wear less makeup that this will be a foundation of choice.

Full makeup application

How about you? Have you tried this BB cream, what are your thoughts?

Wednesday Wishlist - Amazon

This week's Wednesday Wishlist comes courtesy of Amazon.

Due to the wide range of products available, the items that are (genuinely) on my Amazon wishlist are pretty random...But wanted never the less!

Deliciously Ella   Ardell Lashes Multipack 
BondAid   BlackHole Litter Mat

Super Green Juice (aka My Rosacea Juice)

When it comes to skin conditions, doctors are always quick to hand out creams and antibiotics and a lot of us spend hours searching the internet for 'miracle cures.'
I was this person... 
What I soon came to realise is that majority of the time there isn't any cream or tablet that is suddenly going to clear my rosacea overnight and that sometimes by going back to basics and giving your body the fuel it needs in the form of fruit and vegetables can have a huge affect.

For me, I have found that juicing in the mornings really does help calm my rosacea, while also giving my body almost all of its 5 a day before I've even started work!

So below is my 'go to' juice of choice, full of goodness and and anti-inflammatories, to help my body heal from within.

Ingredients

Green Apple
Carrots
Spinach
Cucumber
Ginger
Lime

Firstly grab some ice and place into your glass of choice.

Cut your apple and carrots in half and place into a colander, take about 4cms of ginger and cut away the outside skin,place this in the colander with the apple and carrot.

Give these 3 ingredients a good rinse in cold water.

Starting with the apple push through the juicer, followed by the carrot and ginger. I like to put the ginger through together with the carrot as due it to being quite small the carrot helps push it through.

Next take a couple of big handfuls of spinach and about 5cms of cucumber and wash this with cold water in the colander.

Add all the spinach along with the cucumber to the juicer and push through simultaneously,

Finally cut your lime in half and squeeze into your juice by hand, give the green goodness a good stir and enjoy!!!

Tip - If you want your juice to be a nit more 'warming' just add more ginger.

February Favourites...

Bvlgari Candle

I received this candle after I attended a conference at the Bvlgari Hotel in London.
Since putting it in my living room I have been burning it constantly, it has such a beautiful scent that fills the entire room - Which is hard to find!
Unfortunately it has now pretty much burnt through and I can't find it anywhere online!

Sudacrem

This may seem like an odd favourite - but in fact Sudocrem is one of my beauty 'must-haves' It has just been an item I have been reaching for more this month as I like to use it at night to calm my rosacea.
In February I traveled to New York, where the temperature was -6, so in this sort of cold climate my rosacea really flares up, to try and counteract this - I smother my face in Sudocrem at night before bed (attractive!) and in the morning I find that the rosacea pustules have reduced. A must have in any bathroom cabinet!

Fitbit

I bought my Fitbit Charge in January from Amazon and have been loving it ever since! I'm getting married in June and so I am trying to watch my food intake and I find the FitBit is a perfect way to do this. It allows me to continue with my usual day-to-day activities, all the while calculating exactly how many calories I have burnt that day so I can adjust my food intake accordingly. It also makes you want to take the stairs and exercise more as you can see your progress in real time on your phone or computer.

Boohoo shirt

I received this Boohoo shirt for Christmas and I have been wearing it ALOT during February,
For me its perfect, the perfect style, the perfect length and a great fit.
I have worn this out to dinner and drinks with friends and also have smartened up the look to wear to work.
It looks great with leather trousers or similarly tucked into a skirt, a very versatile piece.

Real Techniques Setting Brush

This Real Technique brush is now one I use on a daily basis, the brush is named a setting brush but I find it great for blending concealer and also for under eye highlighter.
The bristles are synthetic and I find it is the perfect size for smaller areas of the face.
I would definitely recommend purchasing this brush if you are looking for a good item to blend concealer or powders,

How about you? What have been your favourite items during February?

Wednesday Wishlist: ASOS

I am starting a new series which I have named 'Wednesday Wishlist.'

I don't want to just focus on one brand or shop as these posts may consist of fashion, homeward, electricals etc.

So for my first Wishlist post, it's ASOS... (Can you tell I like white, black and grey?!)

Pantent Shoes   Dinosaur Jumper

Shirt Dress   Aztec Dress

What are you loving from ASOS at the moment?

Sad Winter Skin? Help may be at hand...

If you've read my previous blog posts you will know I suffer with rosacea.

Rosacea sufferers will tell you that the symptoms can be triggered by many a thing, spicy food, alcohol, skincare products and for me, it's the cold.

As soon as the temperature drops in the UK and the heating goes on, my skin will get red and tiny pustules will pop up all over my cheeks and forehead.

I try not to venture out in the cold too much if it's freezing, but I can't stay in the house forever as I do have a job to go to, so when heading into the frost I try and keep my face as covered as possible.

So what do I use to try and keep that pesky cold air at bay? It's this little magic gel from Dermologica.

The description on the Dermalogica website states "help(s) fortify sensitized skin and a damaged barrier with this velvety, anhydrous (waterless) moisturizer. "

Now first things things, I wouldn't describe this product as a moisturiser, the consistency, I think, is similar to that of a primer - Gel-like and quite thick.

On application the cream has a very velvety texture that moves easily, a little goes along way so do you not need to use a lot of product.

I use this after toning and moisturisering but before makeup. After applying I usually like to try at wait at least a couple of minutes to allow the product to sink in as much as possible.
The thing I am not keen when it comes to the texture is that it seems to sit 'on top' of the skin, so if you are applying a foundation afterwards you feel like it doesn't apply in the same way.

So what does it do? 
Well in theory its meant to create a 'barrier' as the name suggests, between the skin and the outside environment and it also contains an 'UltraCalmingTM Complex to interrupt inflammatory triggers that lead to sensitization.'
Personally, I think its a great idea and anything that helps protect my skin against the extremities is a must for me, due to its sensitive nature.
This is the first cream I've tried that is meant to counteract the cold and so I class it as a necessity in my winter skincare routine.

Overall I do like this product, its not something I use on a daily basis but if the weather is cold I do make sure I apply this in the morning and it does seem to help counteract the redness. The only thing I'm not keen on is the product consistency, for me it is too slippy and makes applying makeup slightly frustrating.
All in all if you have skin that throws a tantrum in the winter, I would definitely recommend giving this a go!

How's your skin in the winter?

Louise.

Why I'm becoming passionate about Pilates...

The gym and me... It's always been a temperamental relationship, sometimes we are passionate, can't-get-enough-of-each lovers and at other times we are worst enemies, both stubborn, who refuse to come into contact for months on end.
The Louise/Gym relationship has been like this for years and I know this as my Timehop keeps reminding me so.

I've always really wanted to be a runner, not a professional runner, not even runner that's able to complete a marathon, but to be able to go out and do a 30 minute/40 minute run, clear my head, all the while gliding along like a gazelle looking graceful,.... Nope, not me. I go out, struggle to breath after five minutes, get frustrated, red faced and can't wait to get home. I keep this up for a few sessions and then eventually give up.
The actual action of doing cardio doesn't excite me, in actual fact I dread it. I hate the feeling of being out of breath as it reminds me of having an anxiety attack , which logically I know is ridiculous but I can't get my head in suitable place to 'break that barrier.'

Which leads me on to Pilates...

My gym has a Pilates class at 09:00 on a Saturday morning, I had tried to get into the class a number of times but it was always fully booked, I soon learnt if you want in on this particular class you need to book as soon as the new timetable goes live, which happens to be early on a Sunday morning!
I finally managed to get a slot for the following Saturday,
I went to my first class without any expectations, all I knew of Pilates was that it was similar to Yoga but a bit more calorie burning was involved, which seemed like a winner to me.
When I arrived, I was about 5 minutes early, so the instructor told us to lie on our mats close our eyes and just concentrate on our breathing, in through the nose and out and through the mouth. At first I felt a little self conscious, just lying down and have a snooze in a room full of people, but in actual fact this has now become one of favorite parts of the Pilates class. Some time to just sit and be present in that moment and leave all the stresses of day-to-day life outside the door.
Once the class starts, it consists of 95% floor exercises, all of which are slow steady movements using your core and working through your breath.
During the classes we concentrate on such moves as the Pilates bridge, the 100 and rolling like a ball.

The class is a mixture of muscle shaking holding poses and long body stretches which I feel is the perfect combination.
Pilates for me, unlike cardio exercises, actually allows me to switch off for the hour and just concentrate only on the movements in that moment.
I remember vividly leaving that first class and although although I enjoyed it, I thought to myself, that was 'nice' but I can't see how that class burnt any calories. Well, that was until the following day, 24 hours later and my stomach and bum muscles felt like I had completed a two hour high intensity training session! That alone was enough for me to want to go back. 

Since then, I now look forward to my Saturday morning classes. Usually setting the alarm for 08:15 at the weekend would feel you with dread but as I know I am going to get a full body workout, without the breathlessness, sweat or red face but gaining a stronger core, stretching, relaxing and mindfulness, it makes getting out of bed that little bit easier.

The great thing about Pilates is that, unlike me, if you do enjoy other regular exercise, for instance, you are a runner, Pilates compliments this. Runners who now do Pilates have said "Pilates has not only made my hips stronger but also stretched them at the same time, allowing me to have more fluid movements when I run. My legs can kick back further and my stride has improved."
Knowing that doing Pilates alone but also alongside other exercise can help you improve in other areas is fantastic motivation.

Going forward I know this is a regime I want to pursue, I want to become stronger and eventually when I'm doing that single leg bridge I want able get my leg to be by my ear... We can all dream right?

Do you currently do Pilates? Whats your favourite thing about it?

Louise.

Love Pilates? Check out these guys:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/blogilates
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sianmarshallpilates

The Final Cut - My Best of Beauty - 2015

A nice way to round up the year is to take a look back at 2015 and have a round up of my absolute favourite beauty products that I was reaching for most...

BASE:

Foundations has been a tough category for me this year, I haven't fallen in love with any in particular. I continue to use my Bourjois Healthy Mix during the day, which creates the nice dewy finish I like and then my Nars Sheer Glow for any evening occasions or events. I must admit I do like Nars foundation and I know it's a favourite of a lot of people, especially the blogging community, but for me it doesn't top the YSL Toche Eclat that I was loving much the previous year.   

CONCEALER:

No change here - my trusty drugstore, Collection concealer wins every time! Affordable, full coverage, creamy consistency, easy to blend... Ticks all the boxes for me. 

HIGHLIGHTER:

This is going to be a predictable one as every beauty blogger in the land has most probably included it on their favourites list, but yes, it's the Becca Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop. There's not much I can say about this product that hasn't already been said, apart from again saying, it's beautiful. 

BLUSHER:

This blusher is a must buy! Its an absolute dupe for Nars Orgasm which is one of my all time favourite blushers.

This Sleek version in Rose Gold is the one I use on a daily basis, a pretty pink with a gold highlight which is buildable and suitable for both day and evening and an absolute bargain at £4.50.

EYESHADOW:

I'm not an everyday wearer of eyeshadow, Monday to Friday I tend to just wear mascara and keep my eyes fairly natural, but when I have fancied glamming it up, the eyeshadows I always reach for are in my Urban Decay Naked palette. For me this palette is perfect, and if I am going away for the evening or away on holiday I always make sure this is packed. The versatility that you get with palette is great, it allows you to create a more neutral daytime look or the ability to really glam it up with a smokey eye for the evening.    

The colours I tend to reach for most are Sin, Half Baked and Darkhorse, together these make an absolutely gorgeous gold smokey eye.

EYELINER: 

This was an easy choice for me, I have one go-to eyeliner and that is the Stila liquid liner in black. I love this eyeliner, it applies so seamlessly without any dragging and the nib is the perfect size for me to get that perfect cat eye flick.  

MASCARA:

For 95% of the year I have been using Loreal False Lash Telescopic, this has been the mascara I have used for the past few years and it's still one of my favourites.  My lashes are quite long and I have alot! So although that may sound like mascara would then be an easy choice, it sometimes makes it difficult as certain mascaras can make my lashes look very clumpy.  This Loreal mascara doesn't do that, I find it separates my lashes brilliantly and also adds that extra length. One coat is perfect for day wear or add an extra couple for a more dramatic night look.

LIPSTICK:

In 2015 the lipstick I was reaching for most was my MAC in Lady Danger. I love wearing red lipstick, it means you van be lazy with the rest of your makeup, pop this on and boom, you're ready to go! For me, this red is perfect, Bright enough that it doesn't feel flat but not too orange. 

My only let down with this lipstick is that it can be quite drying, so if you have any red recommendations I would love to hear them.

LIPGLOSS:

This Sephora lipgloss in 07 Fresh Peach that I bought in New York has been the one I have always put in my bag last year. On a day-to-day basis I like a neutral with a little shimmer and this is perfect.

A lovely neutral pink with tiny gold flecks, very moisturising and feels comfortable on the lips.

So there you have it, my beauty must haves from 2015. I love makeup and skincare so to make the final cut does take some achievement! I am looking forward to testing out lots more beautiful items during 2016 and reporting back to you all!

What were your favourite products from last year?

Louise.

xx