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?

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?

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.

Seeing red - Living with rosacea - Pt One

Rosacea - a term I had never heard of before I was diagnosed with it.... even after the doctor told me what it was I had trouble pronouncing it, Roe-za-sha...

I first went to the doctors around 3 years ago when a rash, that looked like prickly heat, appeared on my face. I thought I had had some sort of allergic reaction, so decided to visit the GP to get it checked.
It turned out, I was completely wrong and it wasn't an allergic reaction, it was rosacea.
After the doctor told me I had this skin complaint that I have never heard of, my first thoughts, ok this will be alright, so my face is a bit red and a bit pimply, he'll just give me some cream and it will be cleared up in a week or two, yes? No.

I was sent home with a box of Oxytetracycline, which I had to take twice a day. I did as I was told but I didn't get on with this product at all and I found these tablets dried my skin out terribly. So, eventually after a few weeks, I gave up.

After much researching, searching countless websites and multiple forums it turns out, there is no cure for rosacea, and the reasons for it appearing are unknown.
What the internet does give us though is endless information, sometimes too much. I found myself becoming obsessed with trying out the endless array of organic products claiming to 'heal rosacea fast.' This obsession to cure the incurable was draining my bank account by sucking me into buying products costing £50 for a tiny pot of cream, of which none worked.

That leads me on to what I have discovered since then and what my routine is now, subscribe and stay tuned for Pt 2 of Seeing red - Living with rosacea.