Pink Clarisonic Review

One of the beauty must-have tools is the Clarisonic machine! You may know what it is, or you may not? You may have heard the name but not exactly sure what it is? Or perhaps you may have seen it but don't know what it is either? Well, let me tell you, it's a device that helps to cleanse the skin deep and improves the skin texture with regular use.


I first heard about this on youtube by alot of wonderful beauty guru's (this was before I started my own channel) and I decided to invest in one myself. Being in the UK at the time of my purchase, none of my friends knew what it was and until 2 years later, it was then talked about in the UK. Now they are selling them in Selfridges in the UK!



I really wanted to try this device out because at the time, my skin was oily and uneven. I was just starting out using liquid foundation and it was so uncomfortable on my skin, I stopped using it and decided to concentrate on the skin care regime.


After thorough use of this, I could see and feel that my skin had improved. Not only did I get compliments about my skin from people around me, but applying my creams and make up was a lot smoother and sat well on my skin. My skin was more radiant and more glowing which I was so pleased about. I never knew there would be a device that could change my skin texture the way it did. I also noticed that my pores weren't as big and there were fewer black heads!

Any type of cleanser is suitable to use in conjunction with the Clarisonic.

The clever Clarisonic uses micro vibrations to remove the dirt in the skin and it claims to remove make up 6 times more than doing it manually. I use to use cleansing sponges, and the gel pads but they are used less often.


It is so important to make sure all of the make up is cleaned away from the skin, because the last thing I want is to sleep with any trace of make up on.
I use to use the Clarisonic twice a day (once in morning and once in the night) but then it made my sensitive skin hurt so now I only use it in the night. My night serum just glides on smoothly after I use this machine to cleanse before bed - amazing! Now I only use it in the shower before bed and it still works fine.

This machine is waterproof which means it is safe to use in the bath or shower! pretty cool huh?




The brush heads can be changed every 3 months roughly, depending on how dirty they are. I wash mine with make up remover and it is like it's new again! They brush heads are quite expensive but it does the trick to the skin! I do find cheaper deals on the internet for these brush heads! so research before buying the brush heads!
There are different brush heads available to suit your needs. I purchase the sensitive ones personally - just to be on the safe side!

 There are only 2 buttons to chose from. 1 is the speed button, there are 4 different speeds to chose from depending on how your skin feels.
I tend to stick with the 2 least harsh vibrations, just because my skin is sensitive , especially of a winter time so I don't want it to be too harsh.

 When the machine is switched on, there is a 'beep' alert system which lets you know that you can move the machine onto a new part of the face.






 The green light system indicates the setting you chose for the vibrations. What a clever idea!

This red light system informs me that the battery is running low. It also beeps to inform you.

















 This is the charging system, the Clarisonic sits in there and it charges itself. There are lights at the back to indicated how fully charged it is. There is no screen on this machine, just the flashy lights. hehe.....








I cant deny that the Clarisonic wasn't cheap , I see it as an investment and its long lasting. Safe to use at home and I can take it travelling with me, saves me from going to salons for treatment! So in the long run, this is actually more efficient and cheaper!
I am going to continue using this machine because I love the results it gives me and it's become my night routine!

I have an old review video - check it out!
xXx~

Snacking on nuts and dried fruit

My friends call me snack queen! Why? because I absolutely love snacks, I actually prefer snacking throughout the day than eating main meals - I have always enjoyed that. I think it's because I like food art and I do tend to enjoy food more when its more presentable rather than a plate of different types of food in one dish. Or it could be the fact that when chinese people have their meals, they get a bowl of rice each and then on the table are various dishes which we each pick ourselves and eat with the rice? hmmm....

I have tonnes of snacks in my kitchen and on my desk as well as snacks in my handbags lol! just incase ..... emergency food I call it.

It is better to eat little but less, spread the calorie intake and have good exercise in between. My diet varies, depending on where I am and what I am doing.

I decided to cut the crisps, chocolate and endless snacks out this autumn and winter! I usually get fat around this time of the year and I wanted a permanent change so I challenged myself to do this.
It wasn't easy because of the long hours I do at work and then the jobs I do in between, and having very little sleep or 'me-time' I need the energy. It's easy to just grab a packet of crisp and then grabbing another packet and maybe another packet? I am a crisp monster! So I don't buy them at supermarket anymore, I now buy dried fruit and nuts to snack on!

 I basically got a clear food tub, and filled it with alsorts of these healthy bits n bobs.



Makes it look quite appealing to eat, and I went through the whole tub in less than a week lol!!
I think my body is fully prepared for all seasons now lol!!

 I have this snack box next to me on my desk, so when I am on the computer doing some work , I just reach out and eat.....  then later on I realise so much has gone so I just stock up on the snacks again! lol!!

I have been eating a mixture of walnuts, sunflower seeds, unsalted peanuts, linseed, hazelnuts, dried cranberries, dried pineapple, raisins, and the mega treat are the white/plain/dark chocolate coated in brazil/hazelnuts. The dark chocolate nuts are my favourite!

This whole box contains beneficial nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health including omega 3 essential fatty acids which help to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favouring healthy blood lipid profile. Not only this but also good source of iron and anti-oxidants which is very important to our health as they help to repair the damage to our skin or prevent the damage.

Why did I decide to do this? well, as a nurse and a model, I like to look after myself and ensure I have a maintainable diet. Snacking on these kind of things can  help to lower the risk of blood pressure, coronary artery disease, strokes and breast, colon and prostate cancers. We only live once so it is very important to appreciate what you have and look after it.

Prevention is better than cure.

 

Sensitive Bioderma Make Up Remover Product Review

This is my number 1 favourite make up remover by far!! I have tried oil cleansers, eye make up removers by brands such as Bobbi Brown, Avon, Estee Lauder, MAC, Clinique, Botanics Boots range, No. 7 Boots, Biore, Garnier, Superdrug, and the list goes on....
My favourite oil to use for make up remover is olive oil but this Bioderma one is water. It's basically special water!! Like magic!

This has been such a huge hit in the beauty market the last few years, hard to get hold of if you live in the UK unless you buy it online or travel to get it.
It originates from France, I favour in french brands for my beauty skin care regime. I like the science behind it (how they advertise the product on TV and magazines) and love how they treat my skin.

This particular make up remover comes in different formula's for sensitive, or normal to dry skin.
I bought the sensitive one as my skin becomes extra sensitive in the cold seasons and I wear eye make up often therefore I want to protect the eye area even more.
Although this product does not contain any alcohol, it does not dry my skin out and that is really important to me because having to add more products for lock in moisture and then my night care regime on top , I prefer to not use so much on my skin.

I love how this product removes all my make up, even my waterproof mascara! It doesn't make my eyes red or irritate it and that is a very important factor for me. The eye area is the most sensitive area as it is exposed to the harmful rays, strain from staring at computer screens, driving, light etc, and also the eyelashes fall out for re-growth so it is very important to be using the right products and techniques when removing make up.

The consistency of this product is water-like and no scent.
Comes in 250ml or smaller sizes in particular packages suitable for travelling.

Here is my video of the product plus demonstration!
Enjoy
XxX~

Getting Rid of Blackheads

Blackheads are common once you have started puberty, this is due to the hormone which triggers in too much oil glands, and then clogged pores. Not attractive I know but I do have it on my nose area.
Blackheads can be caused by the build up of oil (especially if you keep touching your face), or oils from your moisturisers/make up/environment. Basically, they  are a collection of sebum and skin cells gathered in your hair follicle, therefore it is very important to clean your skin with a good cleanser then using a toner to close the pores. The cause of the actual blackheads is below the skins surface, because the oxygen in the air oxidises the oils, turning them brown or black which is the blackhead.

It is very common to have blackheads on the side of the nose or under the chin. You can get it on your back and sides of the face too! Everybody is different. 

I use to squeeze /pull them out with tweezers but it got so painful and wasn't effective,also the fingers have a build up of oils and they got worse so I stopped it!
I then discovered pore strips! I have tried using the white ones which you can purchase from any beauty pharmacy store but they got so expensive. I looked on ebay for male black ones and they worked well!! I really enjoyed using the black ones as I could see how much of the blackheads was pulled out - fun. Haha! Just find it to be so interesting! After all, you want to see if the products work right? Not only this but the nose area would feel so free and blackhead-free, which was amazing.


I then discovered you can get liquid form nose pore strips, which is like a thick gel you apply a thick layer to the blackhead area, wait for it to dry, peel off after a few minutes then look at the results straight away! Amazing!



A few of my beauty guru friends from outside of UK was raving on about the Boscia lumizing black mask,  from their local Walmarts and we don't have that here so I was online searching for similar products!




One day, I was in SaSa in Hong Kong and found this small tube of japanese nose pore cream, made of seaweed extracts and I decided to give it a try. I Loved the product so much I went back and bought the rest that was on the shelf haha!! I got one of each for all my cousins and we all had so much fun playing with it and seeing the results haha! Unfortunately that tube of cream was only available in certain SaSa stores so it was very hard to find.

Luckily for me, I did a beauty gift swap with one of my youtube guru's Emily! She had got me the full size of the Boscia pore cream which I am still using now!! I love it so much!


I use it once a week as it does strip the skin off, I don't really have much oil in my skin so I don't need to use this more than what I need.

I apply a thick layer onto my dried clean skin to the area of the blackheads, wait about half hour for it to dry then peel off.
Instantly I can see the blackheads are off the nose and chin area, and onto the gel. Amazing hey?


Tip is to find a good cleanser to use for your face. When I say good cleansers, I mean ones that contain salicylic acid, glycolic acid or benzoyl peroxide because they help to loosen the dead skin cells you have that clog the hair follicles. I personally go for Neutrogena, because they specialise in skin and have worked very effectively on my skin throughout all these years. However, it is all about trial and error.

Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil

This is the Bobby Brown cleansing oil that I have tried and finished.
This item is available in big department stores so it is not easy to get hold of but you can also purchase this online.

For £29.00 you get 200ml, products comes out via the pump lid and bottle is made of hard plastic which means it is not too heavy and will not smash when its dropped to the floor.

I prefer products to have these pump lids, it makes it easier for me to use in the shower and not having to worry about spilling out too much in one go saves alot of time and waste of the product.

Alot of people worry and think cleansing oils can give you breakouts and spread pimples - no! Oil sits on the skin, not sink into the skin. If you don't believe me, try putting some olive oil to your skin and watch it roll off. This is what the cleansing oils do - it works on the surface of the skin.

This is one of the luxury cleansing oils you can get from a luxurious brand, Bobbi Brown.
I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of Bobbi Brown as I don't feel that it appeals to me even though she has a wide range of neutral colours of make up to create a good flawless look. I do enjoy all her beauty books which I have read more than once. HOwever, I do love the wide range of Bobbi's make up brushes, I have previously owned about 8 of them and still using them now.
I insisted to try out this product seeing I have tried the DHC and Shu Uemura cleansing oils and I have thoroughly enjoyed using them, but the Bobbi Brown one is my least favourite I have to admit.

The cleansing oil is a golden oil colour, once the product is pumped into the hand, making sure the hands are wet beforehand, ( I just use one pump as its enough to cover my face) I mix it on both hands and watch it turn into a milky colour. I then massage it into my face and let the cleansing oil sink into my skin and dissolve the make up. Let the magic begin!!

I only use the cleansing oils at night when I shower, because it helps to dissolve the make up and I always make sure my face is fresh before I sleep. 
Sleeping with make up on can age the skin by about 7-10 days each night!! so it is important to remove all traces of make up before bed.

I have normal/dry skin and this product didn't make it oily not dry. I guess the olive oil in this product maintains the glow and softness of my skin which is a bonus!

This particular cleansing oil, I favourite the least out of the ones I have tried. why? well, I have found this one is much 'thinner' than the one by Shu Uemura and DHC. I didn't particularly like the smell, (jasmine flower sourced directly from France!) "moisturising kukui nut oil, and a blend of Italian olive, organic sunflower and jojoba oils to dissolve surface impurities and makeup without leaving skin feeling tight or dry" (from the Bobbi Brown site).

It didn't remove much of my make up at all, especially my waterproof mascara! I still have to use cleansing cream after the shower to remove the rest of my make up. However, I like the ingredient's in this product - no trace of alcohol, which is what made me purchase it.
 This item is suitable for the eye area which is great because alot of skin products you cant use around the eye area as it is so delicate.