Current Skincare Routine

Hello everyone! Today I have my current skincare routine to share with you. Since moving to London and experiencing the colder climate I've had to trial a few new products to find what works best for me. I'm happy to say I rarely get any blemishes (even around my period) and I do honestly think these products play an important role in that factor! I'll show you which products I use, and when I use them for maximum results. Let's jump right in.

Got a bit carried away on Photoshop. :)

Daily (AM): Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel (RRP £3.39 for 150ml)

This facial wash gel is very simple (as the brand name suggests). It's not outstanding, it doesn't do anything dramatically different for me to be obsessed with it, but it does the job.. and it also helps to wake me up in the morning. It's a cooling gel and makes my skin very soft afterwards, but I will be on the hunt for a new morning cleanser so this section may change soon. It's seriously affordable though and works perfectly after a sweaty gym session.

Daily (PM): Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (RRP £22 for 125ml)

This balm is incredible. I knew I would love it from the moment I saw it because I love anything to do with balms, oils, or in this case, a balm that turns into an oil! It is lightweight, fragrance-free and removes make-up and dirt very effectively. I use about a 50p size amount and warm it up in my fingers and massage it all over. It has become a holy grail, can't live without product for me and I love it!

Daily (AM & PM): Darphin Revitalizing Oil (RRP £25.00 for 50ml)

I have only recently been introduced to Darphin (since I started working for ELC) and I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to try it. I was lucky enough to receive a 2 hour Darphin facial the other week and it was blissful! Back on track though, this Revitalizing oil is so amazing. It is a multi-usage, dry oil that can be used on your face, hair, body and nails (suitable for all skin types). I use this product on my clients' nails daily, and I use it on my face morning and night as my moisturiser. I have been using facial oils for years and believe it is the key to dewy, soft, youthful skin and this revitalising oil is no exception. It smells wonderfully of Rosewood, Jasmine and Lavender.

Weekly: Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask (RRP £23 for 100ml) + Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask (RRP £23 for 100ml

I use these two masks together, using the two on different areas of my face that have different issues. I use the active charcoal mask on my chin and jawline (where I seem to break out occasionally and have congestion) and I use the Original Skin everywhere else (particularly focusing on my nose and cheeks). I ride to work everyday, and the pollution in the air is a lot more noticeable here in London, wreaking havoc on my skin! These two masks have helped a lot with decongestion and I particularly love the Original Skin Retexturising Mask with Rose Clay because it contains Jojoba beads which gives your skin a gentle exfoliation when you remove it! Overall, my skin appears brighter, cleaner and smoother than ever!

Let me know if you've tried any of these products in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading and have a great evening!

October Favourites

Hi everyone! How are you on this dreary Saturday? I've had a busy week working, and finishing up at work to start my new job on Monday! Exciting times ahead. Today I want to share with you a few favourites of mine that I gathered in my first month living here in London. So let's jump right in!

Garnier Ultimate Blends Shampoo (RRP £2.79 from Boots) - This shampoo was bought on a whim because my old shampoo was making my hair greasy with residue and flat looking. Oh boy did I choose a winner. This smells SO good! It is literally like lathering liquid chocolate into your hair - with a hint of coconut. If there's one shampoo you try next - make it this one! Besides the irresistable smell, it cleans my hair really well and makes it look so shiny and gives it lots of volume too. Win!

Simply Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion (RRP £3.29 from Boots) - This is obviously not a brand new product to the market, it's been available for as long as I can remember but I was just never drawn to try it. I'm really glad I did. I was in desperate need of a gentle skin cleanser because I was getting some sort of skin allergy/rash on my chin area (just below my lip) and it was so raw and red and looked a bit suspicious (lol) but it was because I was using a very abrasive facial scrub daily. Yep, i'm one of those people who feel like their face isn't cleaned unless i'm scratching it off. This cleanser alleviated my allergy within a week and my skin has been so soft and flawless since using it! The only negative is the bottle design. I have to shake the bottle so much to get product out when i'm more than halfway down. Boo!

Mavala Active Hand Gel (RRP £16.85 online here) - A gel hand cream that refreshes and moisturises. I was skeptical on this product because i'm so used to using creamy hand creams, but as this is a gel it dries super quick - which I love (and I know my mum would love too). At first it's really wet and slimy, like a gel, but after a few minutes it will completely dry and leave a slight stickiness to your hands but after about 5 minutes that sticky residue also disappears! Try using it before bed - I guarantee your hands will feel like a baby's bottom.

Mavala Mavapen Nutritive Oil For Cuticles (RRP £10.40 online here ) - A cuticle oil pen - every nail lover should have one (or two) in every bag they use! I'd rather have one in every bag I use so I don't have to remember to put it in (and risk forgetting it). This is like a felt-tip pen and doesn't over disperse product - making it very cost-effective by lasting longer! It gives great hydration to my cuticles too.

Mavala Mava-White Optical Nail Whitener (RRP £11 online here) - My favourite product from the lot, a nail whitener. It dramatically transforms your nails into a beautiful, natural, healthy looking nail! I'm assuming 90% of my readers will have slightly yellow/stained nails from all the nail polish they use - and i'm no exception either! Look how amazing the results are. It dries to a natural semi-matte finish and dries really fast. Perfect when you're too lazy to paint your nails with colour but want them to look presentable and polished. 

There you have it guys! My monthly favourites! I am loving trying out all the new products here in the UK. Are there any products in particular you think I should try out? Let me know! Have a great weekend!

Current Skincare & Haircare Favourites

Hey guys! Today I want to show you some new skincare and haircare products I have been using over the past few months and that have now become quite regular in my routine.

I have never used the brand People for Plants until about a month ago and I am so in love with their range now! Their Cleanser & Makeup Remover (RRP $24.95) is such a nice, creamy and hydrating cleanser that removes make up very easily. It has white tea, aloe and witch hazel properties to help give a gentle but thorough clean. Plus it smells like lavender! Another product I just started using is their Body Scrub (RRP $19.95) which is a scrub full of papaya, quillaja and apricot properties that gives your skin a vitamin boost and helps to gently remove and slough off dead skin cells all over the body. The scent is citrus-y. Lastly from this brand is the Organic Lip Balm (RRP $9.95) in the flavour vanilla and cocoa butter. Holy moly. . .this lip balm is seriously the best I've ever used. I love super hydrating and moisturising lip balms that I feel working instantly. Besides Carmex (or Blistex with menthol) I haven't found a non menthol lip balm that works like they do, until now. This lip balm is so so good. I use it all the time and it gives my lips a really healthy glow as well as restoring and smoothing out any dry, chapped skin. It is quite oily (sunflower seed oil being the highest ingredient on the list) but it works so well and my boyfriend said it smells like cake batter. . . winning! People for Plants are available online here.

I've heard of so many great things about Jojoba oil and finally got my hands on some of the Jojoba Company products. I've been using the Jojoba Bead & Bamboo Facial Exfoliant (RRP $39.95) for weeks now and love the way it makes my skin feel after using it. It has helped my blemishes diminish and even out my skin tone. It doubles as a face mask as well but I usually just clean my face with it at the end of the day. It smells like butter with bamboo essence. The 100% Natural Australian Jojoba Oil (RRP $29.95) is very different to what i'm used to. I'm no stranger to face oils (using rosehip oil for so many years now) but the texture and feel of this oil surprised me. It is really loose and oily. It has a similar consistency to water rather than rosehip oil which has a thicker consistency. I have been using jojoba oil over my rosehip oil, by applying 5 drops of rosehop oil and waiting for it to absorb and then applying 1 pump of jojoba oil after. It has helped my skin stay moist, look dewy, and heal my blemishes more quickly. The only thing I don't like about this product is the smell. It's nothing too strong to deter me from using it though. This product can also be used on your body, hair and nails too! Multi tasking products are such great value! The Jojoba Company stockists can be found online here for your nearest supplier.

The latest collection by Schwarzkopf is the Essence Ultime range which was developed with the help of supermodel Claudia Schiffer. I got to try out the new Omega Repair Intensive Hair Mask (RRP $14.99) which helps rebuild and control split ends, infused with omega oil. I didn't notice any significant changes using this mask but hair was very soft and smelt amazing after each use.This can be found a Priceline and other selected pharmacies nationally.

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to know what your favourite products currently are!