My new treats

Been a busy couple of weeks..getting back into work mode..getting up early, sleeping early...oh how I miss summer (I'm a teacher). Well since being back in England, my skin has declared war on me. I've been forced to try new skin care products that have surprisingly been working (I think).

Organic Tamanu oil: I've been really wanting to try oils on my face because of the hype they have, so I researched which ones have been effective for other people with similar skin to mine. Jojoba oil is one that got good reviews, but is also said to cause breakouts. Tamanu oil is said to be "a soft, smooth oil that has the capacity to promote the formation of new tissue, thereby accelerating wound healing and the growth if healthy skin." It contains the following fatty acids:  Linoleic, Oleic, Stearic, and Palmitic. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-neuralgic, antibiotic antioxidant properties. Used to treat many things, including acne. At first I put it all over my face in the night, but then realized I should really only put it where necessary. It's dried out and decreased pimples I have overnight without making the surrounding area dry. Not all my pimples have decreased overnight but it's definitely working. Great stuff!

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre: I've been using this as a night cream and it really moisturizes without feeling greasy. I put on the tamanu oil in certain spots and put this cream over on my entire face. I think this is a good moisturizer that does its job without irritating the skin or causing any breakouts (so far!). I would recommend this to anyone who wants a basic moisturizer that actually moisturizes. I had a few dry spots on my cheeks and since using this the dryness has gone down considerably and I've only been using this for the last week. It's not a miracle product but it definitely works much better than many things I've used.                                       

MAC Prep+Prime Face Protect SPF 50: I hadn't bought a primer in a very long time. The last one was years ago by Lorac. I would get tons of samples from Sephora and just end up using them. I like the silky feel this gives the skin and it blends over the skin very nicely. I do need to make sure my skin is moisturized like crazy, because this primer does nothing for any dry spots. I noticed a difference when using this primer compared to not using anything. My mineral foundation definitely lasts all day when I have this on. I've used tons of primers and this is one of the good ones. The worst was probably Benefit Porefessional Primer...my skin ended up drier and flakier after putting that on. Thankfully, it was just a free sample. 

Avene Cold Cream Ultra Rich Cleansing Gel: Because my skin was getting drier but can also be acne prone and sensitive I thought I would use a gentler cleanser in the morning and my Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel in the night. I found this at Boots and I figured since it's for dry skin it would work for me. I've been using it for the last 2 or so weeks and so far it's worked well. Because I only use it in the morning, I'm not worried about it having to take off makeup. I'm just looking for a good, gentle cleanse and this does the job. The best thing about this is that it isn't pricey...it's a big bottle and I'm sure it will last for a looong time.

Products Not Worth Buying

It's been almost 2 weeks since I've written anything...I'm back in England and it's been hard to adjust back to life here. Still trying to adjust my timings back to normal..uhh not worked out so far...that's why I'm awake at 3:30am. I did get to take a trip to Selfridges on the weekend...the one good thing about this place, but Sephora still rules! So today, I'm going to list the products that are just not worth buying..either they don't work or the'yre just too pricey for what they are. I have combination skin which tends to get very dry in the cheek area, and breaks out from time to time. I usually have a pimple or two (very small ones) at any given time.

1. Yes to Blueberries Age Refresh Smoothing Smoothing Daily Cleanser: I was soo excited when I bought. I'd been wanting to switch my morning cleanser to something with more natural ingrenients and more gentle for the skin. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE!! I broke out after using this. It leaves a greasy film on the skin no matter how much you wash your face. Stay clear of this!

2. Kiehl Line Reducing Eye-Brightening Concentrate: I've been using this for over 2 months and haven't noticed any positive change. I bought it because it was supposed to be eye-brightening and so far, my under eye area has not brightened. Maybe this is one of those products that takes months and months to work. It's too pricey and not worth it. It doesn't moisturize, so you do need to put another moisturizer on top. I'll finish the tube I have, but will not be purchasing another one. I would recommend, however, Kiehls Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado..I just bought it over the weekend and love it already. My underye area feels so much more moisturized...this is going to be my eye cream from now on!

3. Chanel- Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Powder: There's nothing wrong with this, but it just isn't worth the price. There's sooo many good bronzers out there for cheaper...Estee Lauder, MAC, Tarte, etc. I've used Bare Escentuals All Over Face Colour in Warmth for years now and I find to give the best bronzer colour for my skin...amazing stuff and you only need a tiny bit.

4. Philosophy's On A Clear Day Retinol Clarifying Lotion: I've been using this for over 2 months now..thought it would be a good lotion to use in the night. It states on the back of the tube that it "refines the appearances of pores and overall skin texture". Well I'm still waiting for that to happen. I was not impressed by this product. For the price I paid, I expected better. I used Philosophy Help Me about a year and half ago and found it to work much better. My skin was less irritated with that one compared to On A Clear Day.

5. Max FactorSmokey Eye Effect Eyeshadow: I never used anything from Max Factor until I bought this. Well, the first time I used it one of the eyeshadows (Onyx Smoke) broke off. The colours themselves were okay, nothing special. There are brands that are about the same price that work much better, but are not eyeshadow sticks. After that experience, I've stayed away from any stick eyeshadows.

6. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate: I got this as a sample and absolutely loved it. I used it about once a week until it ran out. Then I bought the full size bottle..bad idea. It was okay using it once a week but not more than that. It's not very moisturizing and just seems to sit on top of the skin. I hate putting moisturizer on top because it starts to feel too heavy.It didn't break me out though. I think there's products out there that work much better, and are actual serums. Or you could try using oils, which are so much more reasonably priced.

7. Lush products: I know many people love products by lush, but I have not had a positive experience with a single product, and I've used quite a few. Their masks/exfoliants didn't do a thing except give me small bumps on my face. Their shampoos either make hair oilier or dry. The products are a bit too pricey for what they are, and not worth it.

These were the products that I could think of right now...I'm sure there's tons of stuff I've used that hasn't lived up to my expectations! One more important point I wanted to make is don't use more than one new product at a time. I've done this recently and when my skin reacted negatively I couldn't figure out exactly why. So if's a new cleanser you're using, and you also bought a new bronzer or foundation don't use them in the same week.