Skincare Empties 2018 UK - Best and Worst

Best and Worst Skincare UK 2018

Over the past couple of months, I've been collecting a varied array of skincare empties. You guys know how fond I am of skincare lately and so I thought I'd share with you a bunch of skincare products that I would re-purchase again and a few I wouldn't...

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:
MAKEUP REMOVERS - (Watch at 1.29)
- Garnier Micellar Water* 
- Aldi Lacura Caviar Facial Cleansing Wipes

CLEANSERS - (Watch at 3.23)
- Una Brennan Vitamin C Brighten Cleansing Oil: Boots
- L'Oreal Pure Clay Detox Wash
- Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleanser*
- Nip + Fab Glycolic Cleansing Fix*
- Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish*
- Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser

TONERS - (Watch at 7.39)
- L'Oreal FIne Flowers Toner
- Superdrug Vitamin E Skincare Hydrating Mist
- Caudalie Beauty Elixir*

GLYCOLIC ACID - (Watch at 9.30)
- Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme*
- Superdrug Optimum Glycolic Overnight Peel

FACE MASKS - 10.59
- Una Brennon Salicylic Acid Pore Purifying Clay Mask: Boots
- L'Oreal Pure Clay Detox Mask*
- L'Oreal Pure Clay Purity Mask*
- L'Oreal Pure Clay Glow Mask*
- Neutrogena Visibly Clear  Pore & Shine In-Shower Mask*
BEST DRUGSTORE FACE MASKS 

EYE CREAMS - (Watch at 2.37)
- Superdrug Optimum Anti-Wrinkle Swiss Ice Wine Eye Cream

SKIN PROTECTANTS & TANNING - (Watch at 13.03)
- Elizabeth Eight Hour Cream*
- St Tropez Self Tan Express Sheet Mask

OILS - (Watch at 14.18)
- Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate*
- L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil*

MOISTURISERS & SPF's - (Watch at 15.16)
- Soap & Glory Speed Plump All-Day Super Moisture Marvel
- La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 SPF 50*
- Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced SPF 50*

For more Skincare Inspiration, Demo's and New in Beauty be sure to follow the PPB Instagram here.

St Tropez Bronzing Face Sheet Mask Review & Photos

st tropez self tan express sheet mask 

The St Tropez sheet mask is the first I've ever seen in this format before. Now I'm already a big fan of the st tropez bronzing face lotion as it gives a great natural looking glow, that sinks in straight away, so when I heard that st tropez had released a face tanner in a sheet mask form, I had to give it a go! So here are my thoughts...

Price
This retails for £14.99 here in the UK, although prices vary from store to store. I have linked where this is available both in the UK and US.

- Boots £15 (on offer for £9.99 at the moment)

- Feel Unique* £8

- Beauty Bay* £6.25 

- Sephora* $9

- Ulta* $9

Packaging
The mask is from the ever popular Self Tan Express Line and inside you'll find two sheet masks, conveniently sealed in separate packages. On the back of both the outer packaging and foil packaging, is easy to follow step by step instructions.

Application
Upon application, it is recommended you cleanse your face beforehand, then you can go ahead and apply the face mask for the desired time. The mask itself is protected with a plastic film as it is quite delicate to handle.

Here are some pointers and tips for ease of application,

1. Choose the desired time you want to leave the mask on for...
 - 5 mins is a Light Tan
- 10 Mins for a Medium Tan
- 15 Mins for a Dark result.

2. Smooth out the mask on the face ensuring you covered your whole face with the sheet.

3. Wash hands straight after application and set the timer.

4. Once the required time is up, remove the mask and blend in the serum, ensuring you go down the neck and chest, and up onto the hairline etc. (I made the mistake of not blending the product out into the hairline, which resulted in an attractive line around my forehead!)

5. Wash hands again immediately.

6. Leave for the recommended 8 hours for the tan to develop properly.

I've linked the complimenting video above if you would like to see a live step by step demo also.

Immediately after my skin did look more glowy and the product did sink in really quickly, which was good. The next day I woke up to a lovely medium tanned face, I really like the intensity of the colour, despite the hairline error!

I left this on for 10 minutes for a medium glow.

Longevity

I'm now on day 3 and my tan still looks as good as the day I put it on so, so far so good!

Overall Thoughts

I have to say I really loved the concept of this, however, they're not the best value for money compared to how much you get in a bottle, and how many times you can use a tube of St Tropez Bronzing Face Lotion. 

Time wise this is a little more time consuming and I would consider this more of a luxury, pamper face tanner if you have a bit more time to spend of an evening. Overall I loved the fact that this sunk straight into the skin, giving me a beautiful glow and a lovely tan the next day. (just remember to blend into that hairline and down the neck!)

I award the St Tropez Bronzing Face Sheet Mask a 4.7 out of 5

Other Sheet Mask related posts you may also like:

Four Drugstore Sheet Masks Put to the Test... 

Korean Animal Sheet Masks Review and Photos 

Sephora Sheet Masks Review and Photos

My Morning and Night Skincare Routine

My Skincare Routine

At the start of the year, I radically shook up my skincare routine by re-introducing some old favourites and new products to my everyday sequence, so I wanted to share with you my updated routine right from when I get up to what I use before bed.

AM - Cleanse, Tone & Moisturise
I tend to keep my morning routine simple, quick and efficient, as for me the most important thing in the daytime is protection. So for cleanser I use a basic cleanser to wake up my face and at the moment I'm using the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser. For toner I spritz my face with one of my all time favourite tonics, the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer. Then finally I finish with my most important step, an SPF. I'm particularly fond of the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SOF 50+ as it sinks in really well and doesn't leave that horrible white cast, that some SPF's tend to do.

PM - Cleanse, Treat & Moisturise
In the evening I focus more on cleansing, treating and moisturising, starting with removing my make-up using my favourite Make Up Eraser to get rid of all my make-up and daily grind. I then go in with my holy grail Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water and a large cotton pad, just to make sure my face is super clean before I cleanse.

Next onto the cleansing portion of my routine. I usually double cleanse of an evening if I have been wearing a full face of make-up that day, so without fail I always start with one of my newest finds, from Una Brennon, the Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. This is a pleasure to use, smells divine and a little goes a long way. For my 2nd cleanse, I go in with an old favourite, the Cleanse and Polish from Liz Earle. This has a beautiful buttery texture which helps make my skin feel pampered and refreshed. I also wipe away each cleanser with a damp muslin cloth too.

Just lately I've really been into Glycolic products, so once or twice a week I alternate between the Nip + Fab Glycolic Cleanser and Pads and the Pixi Glow Tonic. If I'm using the Nip + Fab Duo, I will swap out my cleanse and polish and replace it with the glycolic cleanser or if I do my normal cleansing routine I will follow with the Pixi Glow Tonic, swiped over the face with a cotton pad. And when I'm not using my Glycolic products, I exfoliate once a week with the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel.

I've also been obsessed with Charcoal Nose Pore Strips from T-Zone, which I have been using once every two weeks. These really do the trick at removing any blackheads I may have, but be warned these are a little painful to remove!

Masks are another must have in my weekly routine and at the moment I'm currently rotating between the Una Brennon Salicylic Acid Anti-Blemish Pore Purifying Clay Mask and the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask. The Una Brennon one is great for deep cleaning the skin and the Bliss one is perfect if your short of time and you need a quick energising fix.

Lastly I finish my evening routine with using coconut oil around my eye area and my holy grail Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream and if I'm in need of a subtle to glow to the face, I use the St Tropez Bronzing Face Lotion.

St Tropez Bronzing Face Lotion Review and Photos

St Tropez Bronzing Lotion Face

Now we are hopefully getting into the warmer months, it's time to whip out the fake tan and prepare for the bikini season. But as you all know it's important to look after your face and neck area especially in the Summer months and this is something I've become especially conscious of as I get older. So now I pay even more attention to my face by protecting it from the elements on a daily basis with an SPF 50. (I will talk more about this in my updated skincare routine in my next post.)

With all of this taken into consideration I now only like to fake tan my face in the Summer and so I wanted to try out a few self tanners, that are especially designed for this area. First up is the St Tropez Untinted Bronzing Face Lotion, so here's my thoughts.

Price
The bronzing face lotion retails for £22 for 50ml, for me this is a lot for a fake tanner just for the face, but this is St Tropez, so this sort of price point is to be expected. The plus points are this does claim to be hydrating, non pore blocking and quick drying, plus this is a nice size too.

Packaging
The packaging is simple, sleek and reminiscent of all St Tropez products. I also like the fact that the tube itself has a hygienic pump dispenser and lid.

Application
Although this is untinted, it actually applied really easily to the skin, just make sure you've covered the whole of your face and neck evenly and you shouldn't have any real problems with patchiness. Upon application I also found this to be non-greasy, pleasant smelling and it sank into the skin right away, which was great as this does mention you can apply the lotion under make-up, like a primer.

Longevity
This lasted about 4 days on my face, which was good considering what I tend to use on a daily basis on my skin. The colour is also buildable, but I would say one application is ampules to give you that sunkissed glow.

Overall Thoughts
I did like this fake tan, as it left my skin with a subtle sunkissed glow, that gave me just that hint of colour to liven up my face for the summer. Overall this was easy to use and it sank in really quickly, which is always a must for me when using face products.

The only thing I didn't like was the price because your not getting as much for your money, like you would with a normal body self tanner, that potentially you could use on your face too. Despite this I thought the lotion had a lovely holiday smell to it and it didn't block up my skin either, I also love the fact that you could wear this under make-up too. So if you are in need of a natural, but safe self tanner, that's especially designed for the face, then this could be worth a try, if your not to bothered by the expensive price tag.

I award the St Tropez Bronzing Face Lotion 4.5 out of 5

Drugstore Makeup Haul - NYX Cosmetics, Crown Brush, Makeup Eraser and More

Makeup and Beauty Haul

Last Sunday I attended the Professional Beauty Trade Show and thought it would be a great opportunity to pick up some bargains, so here's what I managed to find. Let me know if you've tried any of theses products and what are your thoughts?

NYX Cosmetics

While I'm a big fan of NYX Cosmetics I haven't bought anything from them in a while now, as I do find in the past NYX hasn't been as accessible as some other drugstore makeup brands. Thankfully I have heard NYX will be opening some stand alone stores within the UK soon, which is exciting and they have also started selling on Boots.com and Feelunique.com.

It was great to see NYX at the show again and this time they where bigger and better, meaning I managed to pick up some exciting new products to review including.
> NYX Brush Cleaner
> NYX Micro Brow Pencil
> NYX Eyebrow Gel
> NYX Wonder Stick - Vegas Nay
> NYX Lip Liner Mahogany
> NYX Matte Lipsticks in Natural, Whipped Caviar, Nude & Tea Rose
> NYX Butter Lipstick in Pops & Snow Cap

Make Up Eraser

Having already reviewed the amazing Make Up Eraser, I was keen to grab a couple more, meaning I can alternate between a few, while the others are in the wash. I picked up three including a black one and the new baby blue release, so I'm defiantly well stocked up now!

Blank Canvas Cosmetics and Crown Brush

I've been wanting to try out some new make-up brushes for a while now, in particular ones I don't already own and also back ups of some I use on a daily basis. Excitingly I discovered a new make-up brand that reminded me a lot of a cross between Morphe and Sigma. Blank Canvas Cosmetics stocks an affordable range of synthetic brushes to cater for any make-up enthusiast. I picked up a E32, F15 and F21 to try, so I'll keep you updated on my thoughts!

I also grabbed a MAC 217 dupe and a few eyeliner brushes from Crown, so I can perfect my winged liner skills, which I mentioned about in my New Years Beauty Resolutions.

St Tropez and Fake Bake

Face Tanning is something I wanted to try more of this year, as this is an area I've never really delved into properly. I grabbed a few face tanning lotion's to try and review for you including, St Tropez Bronzing Face Lotion and Fake Bake The Face Anti-Aging, Self-Tanning Lotion with MatixXL-3000.

How to Fake Tan - The Ultimate Guide

How to Fake Tan

Although fake tanning is the safe way forward, it can be daunting on what fake tan to choose and how to apply it correctly, but with a little experience you'll be a tanning pro in time at all! Here's my ultimate guide on tanning preparation, what to choose and how to apply.

PREPARATION

Preparation is the most important part of the tanning process and can help give you a flawless and evenly covered application. Both exfoliating and moisturising should be done the day before you tan.

1. Exfoliate - Whether you opt for some affordable exfoliating gloves or a scrub, exfoliating the whole of the body is essential to remove any old build up of fake tan and dead skin cells. If you can't afford a decent exfoliator, why not make your own DIY one.

 

2. Moisturise - After you have washed off all your exfoliator, it's important to replenish with a good thick moisturiser, like a body butter.

 

APPLICATION

With the right tools and the right tanning product for you, the tanning process will become second nature, making look like you've spend a week in St Tropez, without the harmful rays.

3. Tools - To avoid the dreaded orange hand syndrome, it's essential you use the right tools to not only protect your hands but to help apply the tan with ease. I recommend a pair of plastic gloves, a tanning mitt for flawless application and an old make-up brush to help blend in around the hands and feet.

 

4. Tanning - As I mentioned before choosing the right fake tan can be a daunting task as there is so many different options out there on the market. Here's my rundown on my favourites.

Gradual Tan - Perfect for beginners and building up colour gradually. I also like using a gradual tan first as a base and then building up with a fake tanning lotion to get a great deeper colour.

 

Tanning Lotion - These are best left to more experienced tanners, but they generally have a guide colour which is good to make sure you haven't missed any areas.

 

Tanning Mousse - This a great option to get a beautiful looking, natural, flawless tan.

 

Spray Tanning - If your really no good at fake tanning, leave it to the professionals and visit it a salon to get a spray tan, it's quick, painless and comes in many different shades to suit your complexion.

 

Instant Wash Off Tan - If your strapped for time or need instant colour last minute, then a wash off instant tan is the best way forward. Rimmel is my favourite and has been for years as it gives amazing colour and comes in lots of different finishes and shades.

 

5. Maintaining - To get the best longevity from your tan, it's important to moisturise everyday as well as exfoliate on the fourth or fifth day to remove any unwanted tan. Finish off with a gradual tan moisturiser to top up your tan and keep the colour going a few more days.

September Beauty Favourites 2012 featuring NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss and Nails Inc. Baker Street

1. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Nude Peach

This is the first lip gloss I have tried from Nyx and I love it! This smells like sweets, the colour is gorgeous and it is really moisturising on the lips.

2. Nails Inc in Baker Street

This colour is unlike anything I have ever seen before, as seen on Beyonce, this is a true crème finish royal blue and is stunning on the nails!

3. The Body Shop Shea Body Butter

This is one of my all-time favourite night time body butters to apply, the texture is so luxurious and really makes the body feel hydrated from top to toe. I also love the comforting smell of the Shea.

4. MAC Lipstick in Cherish

This lipstick I bought a while ago to use for weddings, but just recently I have loved wearing it for the perfect nude lip and is stunning with a gloss on top to finish it off.

5. Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

I did a review on this recently comparing it to the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, I love both of these foundation's but have been using this more lately for a cheaper alternative at the weekends.

6. St Tropez Everyday Body Moisturiser in Medium Dark

I rediscovered this when it came free with a magazine a couple of months ago, this was one of my most loved fake tan brands until the fake tan market exploded and I ended up trying alot of new innovative tan brands. I have really fell in love with this again because it's great for everyday use just to give you that glow with no streaks and it has a gorgeous scent to it.