Skincare - How to deal with breakouts

As much as I love rambling about new fancy lipsticks and other beauty goodies, I've decided to go for a less exciting subject that we unfortunately all know too well; breakouts. Now, I'm not going to put you through the boring (but necessary)  "basic skincare lesson" as I've already done it here, but let me tell you that if you follow religiously those rules, it helps a lot at minimizing breakouts. So don't forget to remove your make-up, cleanse your skin properly, apply the right products, drink enough water and get some sleep. I'm stopping now, I promise. Of course it isn't that simple - not only is there tons of reasons for suffering of breakouts, but there also is many spot types. Problem is, getting into all of those details would take me hours and make that post last forever. You couldn't handle it and neither could I. But as always, you're very welcome to ask any question in the comments and I strongly recommend you to check out Caroline Hirons' blog - that women is the absolute Goddess of skincare. Seriously.

One of the most common (and unmanageable) reason for our breakouts is hormones. Ladies, I can assure you that I curse and hate that week of the month just as much as you do. There isn't much you can do against it, at least to avoid it, but from my experience and after everything (let me tell you that it's a big everything) I've been testing, there are indeed a few products worth some affection. That's why I 'm now going to share some of my favourites with you, as they really do help me to deal with my breakouts when I have some (God knows I do, hello combination/oily/sensitive skin!).

HOW TO : MAINTAIN A CLEAR SKIN & PREVENT BREAKOUTS

Origins - Out of trouble mask £ 20 // La Roche-Posay - Effaclar duo  £13.50

In order to keep my skin as clear as possible as well as minimizing my breakouts, I use the Effaclar duo everyday, usually during my morning skincare routine. This is probably one of the most famous product of all time in the bloggers world and I'm sure you've heard of it thousands of times before. To make it short, I can't live without it. That's the one product which survived the "skincare crisis" I've been through during the last year, trying out way to many products. When I first started to use it, I wasn't that satisfied with my skin and applied it morning and evening. I know for sure that it's one of the reason why my skin improved so much, so quickly. It acts as a serum, can be use as a moisturiser (even if I wouldn't recommend it - for me you should always use a proper moisturiser, oily skin or not) and does not dry out the skin. Plus, it makes quite a nice base under your makeup, as it slightly matifies the skin. All benefits.

On a weekly basis, I like to use the Origins' Out of trouble mask. I'm sure you know plenty of those masks, there're a lot of good ones out there (I won't quote them all 'cause again, we'd still be here tomorrow) but this one is one of my favourite. Maybe it's only in my head, maybe it's only because of its name (what a shame it'd be) but whenever I have a few spots pointing out and getting me angry, I feel like using that bad boy helps calming everything down, limiting further damages. Literally, when i pop it on, my spots seems much smaller the next day. You can chose to believe me or not, but in the end you won't risk much at giving it a try do you ?

HOW TO : GET RID OF IT

I'm sorry to say what you don't want me to say and admit, even though deep down you know it : there's no miracle cure. Just like no shampoo can make your hair grow faster or a cream can erase your wrinkles. Nope, no Santa Claus. Sorry. The only way ? Patience. Now, read it again, accept it, and move on with your life (don't hate me, I wish someone had told me that there isn't any magical hair treatment when I was fourteen, desperate and hard up. So be grateful. Or mock me, whatever ;))

There're a few tricks that can help though, such as "spot remover". Again, keep in mind that it won't instantly erase your spot. Look at all the tiny little bottles on the picture, those are just a few that I've tried, and I can assure you that they pretty much do all the same ; they dries out the area, make the blemish look smaller, sometimes helps it to go away faster. That's it. I won't recommend one in particular because I wasn't immensely impressed by any of them. The Origins' one seems to be quite famous though and isn't too pricy. You also can go for the natural option and simply apply some Tea Tree oil on your blemish (but be warned, it stinks). Oh, and please, stay away from it. I know how ridiculously hard it is not to squeeze it, but the more you're messing with it, the more it will be messing with you in return.

HOW TO : HEAL THE DAMAGES

Sudocrem £2.55 // Heal gel £37.50

If like myself you get a stubborn scar after every single spot, you'll love The Heal gel which does an amazing job at fading the old scars and avoiding the new ones (if you put it on your blemish soon enough). A natural and cheaper alternative would be to use some Rosehip oil (as a serum or as a weekly treatment).

A last piece of advice ? STAY AWAY FROM SUGAR ! It'll only make the inflammation worse and breaks you out even more. Sugar is evil.

Let me know what your secret weapon(s) is/are and feel free to ask any more specific question, I'd be glad to share what I've learn with you if it can help !

And keep in mind that it does get better. So if you're in a bad skin period or whatsoever, give yourself  and your skin some time, try not to freak out too much (stress is a way too underestimated factor of breakouts !) and find some alternative to your favourite yummy chocolate. A new lipstick, a gripping book, a TV show, a man, any addiction will do you 'no.

xxx

M'

Face of the day

Here we are, our last sunny days  and warm summer evenings are numbered; it's time for autumn. At the risk of sounding a bit pessimist, I actually am quite happy to welcome the new season. As much as I enjoy the summery mood, weather and holidays and that I adore spending days and nights in light dresses and mini-shorts, autumn always remained my favourite. I love how the nature is getting on fire with all those red and orange-y tones, I love the fact that you're never either too hot or too cold, everything is somehow balanced. And of course, I love the repercussions of autumn on the beauty and fashion world. 

I'm not too keen on rules, specially when it comes to make up. Of course, I admit that some classic basics have to be followed,  but I am the kind of person who think that if you want to wear something, no matter how inappropriate it might be according to some seasonal rules, to your skin tone or even your style, you should do it. As long as you're comfortable with it, it's all that matters. Anyway, I've tried to be wise this year and get used to the pastel-y colours of this summer, I almost even liked wearing nudes. Almost. But now that summer comes to an end, I have only one thought in mind ; it's time for my beloved dark berry colours again (not that I really did stop wearing them though, to be honest...). 

In a bold lip kinda mood (nope, not like everyday, I swear) I thought I could do a FOTD. The entire look is very simple, super quickly done - neutral eyes, nothing too crazy with the base and bold lips.

For the base, I used my usual Collection concealer in combination with my new Mineral powder from Laura Mercier. I didn't used any bronzer (yay, no more summery guiltiness, I can embrace my snow-white complexion again !) but I went for a quite defined contour, using my NYX blush in Taupe. On the cheeks, I used a tiny little amount of Stila convertible colour in Lilium.

On the eyes, I used my Naked Basics palette and used a neutral colour all over the lid as well as a darker one in the crease to slightly define the eye. I then used the shimmery shade of the palette to highlight my inner corner and therefore make my eyes look a tiny bit bigger. I finally added some mascara, lined my waterline with some flesh-y pencil and boom, done !

Finally on the lips, no big surprise, I used my M.A.C Captive (reviewed here).

That's it for a very simple make-up look ! Let me know what you think about it or about the products that I've used in the comments. Also feel free to follow me on Bloglovin if you like what you're reading so far or/and on Instagram (vicky9469)  for some extra updates !

Take care' xx

M'

NYX lip cream - Review

GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

You might or might not know that I'm a bright lip kinda gal' - if the step you can't miss when you're in a minimal make-up mood is foundation, powder, mascara or eyebrow pencil, mine is lipstick. How logical. Yeah, I know. It's just that I can't stand having bare lips ; I look washed off, even paler than I already am, worse, I feel exposed. No need to say that wearing nude color is so off my comfort zone. We all have those barriers, some people feel too uncomfortable with their skin to skip the foundation part, some can't live without three coats of mascara - so what ? Sometimes trying something new help us to see things differently, specially when it concerns our physical appearance - we give ourselves options instead of barriers. Some changes are good, some aren't, but in the end the only fact of being experimental is a huge step forward - to what ? To use make-up the only way it should be used; to enhance your features, rather than to hide or change them.

So I've decided to change a bit, try something else, 'cause we never know, maybe nude isn't that bad ? As I am freshly obsessed with my Laura Mercier lip glacé, I wanted to keep going and try another product of that glossy-family. I've heard a lot about those NYX lip butters and lip creams, and the lip creams are the only ones I could get my hand on in Switzerland (but honestly, it's a waste of money when you know that you can get them here for their real price : $5 - be smart ! ). I was intrigued by many shades, almost  felt for the gorgeous bright red shade Spicy - that's when I spotted Buttery nude, a dark warm pink with some orang-y undertones. Not exactly your average nude color. But it is a nude to me. I put it on as soon as I went home and loved it. The texture make me think of the Rimmel Apocalips as it is very similar. You need only one coat to have it all covered - plus it is quite sticky, like any lip stain so I wouldn't recommend to go to crazy on the coats anyway. It is super easy to apply and is quite long lasting. I'm not too keen on the smell but it isn't that disturbing either. I'd say it's more practical than a lipstick and less discreet than a lip gloss. Kind of a good deal isn't it ?

I'm getting used to that "nude-lip-thing", slowly but surely, and I have to admit that I quite like it; it allows me to go back to my beloved heavy smoky eye without being tortured by sacrificing a bold lip. New isn't that bad, not only with make-up - it is scary for sure, but one lives only once right ? It's all about taking your time. Baby step by baby step.

London haul - Review

THE PICK

As I spent last month in the gorgeous capital, it was time for a huge haul; make-up, skincare, clothes, all of it. Yes, I got a bit (a lot) nut, but I've been planning it/saving money for a very long time. Here's a review of some of the make-up related products that I picked up in London, mostly in Boots, Superdrug or Selfridges (except for MAC, Topshop and Kiko).

BOBBI BROWN- CREAMY CONCEALER KIT

                        Tint : Warm Ivory // Price :  £24

I'd be surprise if this is the first time you see that bad boy, as most beauty bloggers already raved about it in the past. As a fairly fan of the brand, that product has been on my radar for quite a while and after my experience with the corrector I had to give this one a try.

In term of texture, I have no fear or regret to call it a holy grail product; its name was very well chosen, because it undoubtedly is the most creamy concealer I have ever tried. Therefore if you suffer of dry patches under you eyes or have a very sensitive skin, I highly recommend it - it almost feels like applying your eyecream. Almost.

I bet you're now waiting for the "but" before thinking about investing £24 in a concealer, aren't you ? Fair enough. I'll start by saying that I'm a freak when it comes to concealer ; I have very, very impressive dark circle on a daily basis (yes, even if I'm being a good girl and have my much-needed 10 hours of sleep) and am always going for a  quite heavy coverage on that area. Being used to the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer it is almost impossible to find anything more covering, but still, I had great expectations for that one, too great. I'd say you get a medium coverage when applying it,  it works very well on any blue-toned patches, but not so well on my purple dark circle. Now, don't take me wrong, it does the job and I guess most people would be pleased with it, but I  can't help myself of using a tiny little bit of my Collection concealer where the issue is the deepest, just to be sure (which I know, is a shame to ruin such a beautiful texture and polished finish). So if you're like me, you may not be a 100% satisfied with that baby. Plus, it has a tendency to slightly crease, even when applying the powder of the kit, but hey, I guess it's always better than a caky concealer right ? I really am a harsh one when it comes to "high brand"because of the price, but also the hype that surround those products - a good review is all about honesty isn't it ?

Otherwise, what always impress me with the Bobbi Brown products is their range of shades; there's something for everyone, even for the palest skin tone like mine, which is rare, believe me. Bobbi brown will always get a big thumbs up from me, for the quality of their product, their texture and shade, even if I haven't found my soul mate concealer yet.

RIMMEL - KATE MOSS LIPSTICKS

Rimmel - Kate Moss lipsticks in 101,110 and 05 // Price : £5.49

Again, those babies are more than famous in the beauty blogger world and for a reason ; they really are that good. Specially for their price. My first experience was with the over-hype Kate Moss 107 and to be honest, I wasn't that impressed when I first put it on ; it was hard to blend all over, kinda drying and I wasn't a huge fan of the scent. I definitely think that it was just a bad-lips-day because when I tried again one of those, the 110, I was amazed ; super pigmented, nice matte finish, last quite well (even if matte lipsticks are always a bit drying, that's what they're about) almost as good as an ol' good MAC Russian red ! Yes Sir ! And I'm sure you'll fall for at least one of their shade - there's a bit of everything really - from a very nice dupe of Please me to a bright orangy red, you'll find your type for sure ! Oh and there's something about their packaging that give such a charm to the product ! If you're from the UK (lucky you !) you can find them in any Boots or Superdrug - if you're not you can order them on feelunique.com 

MAYBELLINE - BABY LIPS

Maybelline - Baby lips in Peach kiss and Mint fresh // Price : £2.99

God knows I've been waiting for those one ! As soon as I spotted them in Superdrug, I couldn't not buy them - and I'm so glad I did. First of all, the price is more than reasonable, no one can complain about it. Then, the packaging is so damn cute and original, who thought a cheap lip balm could be that attractive ? About the product itself (finally!) I've nothing bad to say about it; it is moisturising and the sheer one that I've tried (the green one) does a very good job as a lip primer before applying a fancy lipstick (in plus the fresh scent of mint is amazingly . The tinted one does add a tiny bit of color indeed and a shiny finish, any nude-lip addict will like it,  I even almost got used to it myself (which is very, very surprising, as I can't stand nude lips on myself in general). I just wish there were a wider range of colors.

LAURA MERCIER - LIP GLACE

Laura Mercier - Lip glacé in Bonbon// Price : £18.50

After lipstick and lip balm, let's talk lip gloss ! That product has been such a revelation to me as it almost was the first time that I've tried, bought and wore some lip gloss. Yep, I was a twenty-something lip gloss virgin - how outrageous ! I have good reasons though ; I'm a bold matte lips kinda girl who rarely wear "nude lips" (for the simple reason that if I do, I look terribly washed off and sick. Not so glamourous is it ? ) so lip gloss never were pigmented enough for me. Plus I found them sticky and hated the smell of the few I've tried . That's when once upon a time this one caught my eyes, first on youtube, then in Selfridges. Honestly, I could have bought it just for its ridiculously compelling smell - the scent of Bonbon, literally. From now on, I always carry it with me and regularly grab it from my make-up bag to smell it. Sad, I know. What about the actual color and texture then ? The color is a perfect warm coraly pink, without to much shimmer in it and it surprisingly is quite pigmented. It last very well, even if you'd rather pretend it doesn't, just for the pleasure of reapplying it again. It is slightly sticky, but come one, which gloss isn't ? I have no fear to say that I'm a fully converted lip gloss addict now, or at least, the biggest fan of those Laura Mercier ones (and yes, I think it was worth spending £18.50 and I'll do it again - troubles coming). Who knows, I might get adventurous and try some others ? 

MAC - CAPTIVE

MAC  - Satin lipstick in Captive // Price: £15

I swear it's the last lip product ! And it'll be short, because what is there to say about MAC lipstick that we don't already know ? So far, MAC remains my only love when it comes to lipsticks - they're super, super pigmented, they last forever, only a few are drying (any Ruby Woo fans out there ?) and the colors are...inimitable. For the price, let's just keep in mind that Tom Ford lipsticks are £36 pounds, that way MAC's ones don't seem that pricy do they ? ;-)

BARRY M - NAIL PAINT

Barry M - Nail paint in Peach Melba and Matt White // Price :  £2.99

Another pleasant discovery has been those Barry M nail paints. I've tried one of them a long time ago and shamefully forgot about it, dumped it somewhere among my (too) large nail polishes collection. In London though, I picked those up in Boots and that's how I realised my mistake ; they're damn amazing, so worth any fancy/pricy OPI one. The formula is impressive, I was looking for one of those gel texture and this one is perfect. The other thing that convinced me is how heavenly long it lasts ! Almost a week without any scratch ! Trust me when I say that I wore some Chanel ones before and they weren't that long lasting...Now have a look at the price...yeah ? See the difference ? Good. For sure, next time I'm heading to London I'll enlarge my collection even more.

HOURGLASS - AMBIENT LIGHTING POWDER

Hourglass - Ambient lighting powder in Dim Light // Price : £38

Last but not least,  Hourglass' lighting powder. I wanted that one for so long ! Actually, the whole brand was giving me the eye for quite a while. Put off by the price, I randomly added this one to my wish-list and finally ended up buying it in Space NK on my very first week in London. I had a hard time trying to figure out which shade I was going to take, I eventually went for the most "natural" one, the one that I thought could be the most multi-tasking, Dim light. The texture is magical, one of the finest powder I've ever tried, the one who never gets caky during the day or after touch-up. I adore it. Having a combination to oily skin, more on the oily side, I've tried many, many powders and this one is definitely on my top 5. You can use it as a very subtle highlighter on your cheekbones or on the bridge of your nose for example, or as an overall powder for a glowy kinda look. Beware though, I was so thrilled to find a non-caky powder that I once wanted to fix my concealer with it - but even if it is a lightening powder, the slightly pinky tone of Dim light made my under-eyes look...weird. It definitely didn't make me look more awake, on the contrary, maybe it was just due to a bad lighting though, but I'd rather try that trick with the more yellow toned one called Diffused light. Otherwise, I have nothing to complain about, it does a wonderful job at making your pores appear smaller, your skin smoother, your look healthier. I definitely don't regret spending £38 and the other shades are definitely in my radar I'm afraid...

That's it for my London haul's pick ! Of course it doesn't mean that the rest is rubbish, but those are the products that I love the most and that I've used long enough to be able to review them properly. If you catch any other product that you'd like to know more about, please comment and let me know which one(s), I'd be glad to give this haul's review a round 2 ! 

Lots of love xx

M'