December Birchbox, Oh Sorry, I Mean BAG!

This months Birch'box' is a bit different to usual, and you might be able to tell why from the title. It's not a box at all, it's a bag. To be more precise a clutch bag that is actually the perfect party accessory for this season!

You can't really tell from the picture but the top part of the bag is green, the bottom right is gold glittery and the bottom left is black leather. All in all i think this is a lovely bag and a really nice alternative to the usual box.

The first products I pulled out of my bag were these three. 

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream:

This is an Anti-Aging day cream that aims to improve firmness and hydrate the skin. It feels really nice on the skin and smells fresh so doesn't seem like it would irritate your skin.

Roloxin Lift Revitalising Facial Treatment:

To be honest, I don't think I've ever heard of this brand before. The RRP of this product (for a full size) is £79 so it seems like it's a high end product. In the booklet it says this is supposed to diminish pores, firm skin and boost radiance for up to 24 hours after use, so it sounds pretty good to me!

Skin & Co Sicilian Body Gel:

If you've read my blog before you'll know I'm big on smells and this one doesn't disappoint. It smells like something from Lush! The sicilian Orange makes it smell oh-so fruity and good enough to eat (but obviously, don't...). I can't wait to use this.

Next up are these two beauty products. I love seeing beauty products in my Birchbox, especially lipsticks. 

Ciate Mini Nail Polish in Mineral Love:

This is a really cute sparkly pink shade. I'm not massively into pink nails but this might look nice as a topcoat and is the perfect size to take travelling.

Model Co. Ultra Long Lasting Lipstick in Kitty:

As you can see from the swatch above, this is a really lovely pinky-nude colour. It seems like it will be hydrating on the lips and give a subtle pop of colour. 

I was really excited to see these two Benefit samples in my box this month. Benefit are a brand that I always hear so much about so I love trying out there products.

Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner:

I've actually tried this before at a Benefit counter and really liked it. It has a very precise nib and the full size is easy to use. However, I find this sample size a bit fiddly so if this is your only experience of this liner I suggest going to a counter and trying the full size.

Benefit Puff Off!:

This has been on my list of products to try for a while now. I can get quite puffy bags under my eyes sometimes and have a few fine lines so this seems perfect for me. 

Overall, this bag is a real hit with me, and I'm sure it is with many others too! I have so many boxes from Birchbox's that I don't know what to do with them anymore so it's refreshing to receive this reusable bag.

What's your favourite part about this months Birchbag?

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Becky

XO

Is Epilation For The Faint Hearted?

I think epilation is a form of hair removal that is often over looked. It seems that shaving and waxing are the methods that most people gravitate towards. When I tell people I epilate they instantly ask 'does it not hurt?!' but I don't really see how it could hurt any more than waxing does. I first started epliating around 4 years ago I think, I only epilate my lower legs and under arms as I find the hairs on the tops of my legs are too fine to be grabbed by the epilator and my bikini line too sensitive.

I decided to try epilation as I saw a video on YouTube about it and how it helps to get rid of hair for a longer period of time and also reduces the amount of hair that grows back. I'm not going to lie, when I first started it was quite uncomfortable and took a while to get used to, but believe me, it's worth it for the results you get.

Braun Silk Epil 7 Wet and Dry Epilator (similar here)

The epilator I use is the Braun Silk Epil 7 Wet and Dry, this epilator comes with 3 interchangeable heads, a brush to clear out the hairs, a bag to store it in and the charger. Mine also came with some 'Pre-Epilation Wipes' but I'm unsure as to whether these are included as standard or they were an added extra at the time, I've only used the wipes once and didn't notice a difference so haven't used them since. This epilator has a light which comes in very useful for spotting really small hairs. 

Before Epilation 

It is advisable to exfoliate the skin before starting to epilate as this gets rid of any dead skin cells and will ensure the skin is completely clean. Any exfoliator with large grains will work, I use Soap and Glory's Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub, or some exfoliating gloves and just normal body wash. 

Soap & Glory Breakfast Smoothie Scrub / Exfoliating Gloves (The ones shown are 99p from B&M but you can find similar here)

Once you've scrubbed your skin you can select which head you would like to use and start the hair removal process. I tend to use the normal white head (shown on the epilator in the image above) as I feel it gets closest to the skin and, therefore, removes the most hairs. The black and white head has small 'massaging' nodules on it, but I feel this lifts the small tweezers on the epilator further from the skin so isn't as efficient. The smaller white head it used for the under arms and bikini area (if you're that brave!).

How to Epilate

Once you've selected your desired attachment it's pretty straight forward. All you have to do is turn the epilator on and use it as you would if you were shaving. My epilator is wet and dry so have the choice of using it in or out of the shower, but please check first to see if your epilator is water resistant. 

When you first start epilating it may feel a bit uncomfortable, that's totally normal and you'll soon get used to it.

After Epilation

Some people, me being one of them, experience ingrowing hairs after epilating. To prevent these you will need to keep exfoliating in the same way that was discussed in the 'Before Epilation' section and also make sure to moisturise. If you have dry skin, when the hairs grow back they will not be able to push through the top layer of skin so will become ingrown. Although these are not always difficult to remove, they can sometimes be painful so prevention is better than cure. 

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturiser / Tend Skin / Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

The image above shows two of my favourite moisturisers. Vaseline Spray & Go is perfect if you're in a hurry as you can quickly spray it on, rub it in and it will be dry in seconds. However, if you have more time, or feel like your skin is really dehydrated, you can opt for a body butter such as this Soap & Glory one, this will leave your skin feeling moisturised for days but doesn't dry as quickly as the other moisturiser.

A product I recently discovered for ingrowing hairs is 'Tend Skin', this can also be used for razor burn/bumps as well. I haven't been using it for long but so far it seems to be reducing any red bumps on my skin and also the amount of ingrowing hairs I get. It's for both men and women and can be used on the legs, face, neck, bikini line and under arms.

The more you epilate, the slower and sparser the hairs will grow back. If you decide to go back to shaving for a while, which I did for about a year, don't expect the hairs to stay like they were when you epilated. They will most likely go back to their normal state and start growing normally again, so when/if you decide to epilate again it will probably be like starting back at square one.

I hope you enjoyed this post about epilation, although I'm not an expert, if you have any questions feel free to ask :)

Now sit back and enjoy you're beautifully smooth and hair free skin!

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Becky
XO

Skin Care For Oily/Blemish Prone Skin

I've been debating with myself for a while what my first blog post should be about. I finally decided on skin care as in the past I've found it hard to find products that worked for my skin so thought I could give people, who have similar skin issues, some advice and suggestions of products to try out.

In this post I will showing you which products I use to remove my make up every night and also two of my favourite scrubs/masks.

Below are all the products that will be mentioned in this post and links to where you can buy them:

Soap & Glory's The Fab Pore / La Roche-Posay Effacler Duo [+] / La Roche-Posay Micellar Solution 

Simply Pure Eye Make-Up Remover  / Garnier Pure Active Gel Scrub  / Johnson's Face Wipes

Products Used Daily:

These are the products I use to remove my make-up at night. First I start by removing any eye make-up with the Simply Pure Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover, to do this I use an oval cotton pad. This is the best eye make-up remover I have ever used, it doesn't sting my eyes and removes every bit of make-up and, to make it even better, it isn't tested on animals!

Next I reach for my Johnson's 'Make-Up Be Gone' Wipes. There are two types of these that I find work well for my skin, the ones in the purple packet are 'for all skin types' and the green packet is 'for combination skin'. I'm not going to lie, I basically use these because I'm lazy and can't be bothered to wash my face every night but these do really get most of your make up off and are the only wipes that don't make me break out. There are also three other types of these; dry, sensitive and normal skin, I'm sure they used to sell one for oily skin but I can't seem to find them anymore.

I then go on to using my La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution, I apply some of this to an oval cotton wool pad then gently use it to remove any last morsels of make-up. I really like this micellar solution, it feels light on the skin and really does seem to clean your face. This does a good job of combatting any oils, but I wouldn't suggest using it after washing your face as it can then tend to dry the skin out too much. It says on the bottle that you can use this on the eyes as well as the face but I prefer to use a separate product for that.

Finally I use my faithful La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+]. I saw this mentioned in a lot of blogs and in YouTube videos a few years ago so after all the rave reviews it was getting I just had to give it a try. I have to say it is an amazing product! It does exactly what it says on the tube, it has evened out my skin tone and dramatically reduced the appearance of dark spots/marks on my skin. Also, it has stopped my skin from being over oily without ever drying it out. I apply this after taking my make-up off and also after being in the shower. The image below shows the consistency of this moisturiser, it is very light and a little goes a long way.

From Left to Right:

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] / Soap & Glory The Fab Pore / Garnier Pure Active Gel Scrub

Scrubs/Masks:

These two products are ones that I use when I feel I am 

having a bad skin day or my skin needs a deep clean

Garnier Pure Active Gel Scrub For Oily Skin Prone To Imperfections:

As stated on the tube, this scrub is specifically for oily skin and as it includes extracts of grapefruit, pomegranate and vitamin C it not only does your skin good but it also smells divine! I use this in the shower around 2 times a week as sometimes I feel my skin can start to look a little bit dull. This is described as an 'Energising Gel Scrub' and certainly makes my skin look fresh and 'awake'. As you can see on the image of the swatches above, the consistency is just as described, like a gel, which has really small little beads in it to help gently scrub the skin. This would be gentle enough to be used daily.

Soap & Glory The Fab Pore:

This is literally the best face mask I have ever used. Whenever I get a break out, I pop this on for 10-15 minutes and the next day my blemishes have started to dry up, it's a miracle mask in my eyes. This can also be used just as a face scrub but I prefer it as a mask as I feel it works best this way. It is suggested to use this no more than twice a week as it may dry the skin out too much. The image of the swatches above shows the consistency and colour of the mask. It is mint green in colour and has medium sizes beads in there to help really clean the skin and minimise pores. After washing this off, my skin feels extremely clean and very fresh, it's a strange feeling as it's like you can feel all the air on your skin. I know that sounds really odd but you'll just have to try it to see what I mean!

So they are all my basic skin care favourites for Oily/Blemish Prone skin, what are your favourites? If you have any recommendations for me please leave them in the comments below, I love trying out new products :)

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Becky
XO