The Ordinary A Mini Guide.

I am absolutely loving the ordinary skincare range, but when I first took a look at the whole range I was so confused and I really didn't know where to start! 

So I did a little research into the ingredients and what they are and do, so I could then make an informed decision as to which products would work best in my skincare regime.

I mentioned in my previous post, I purchased the vitamin c 23%+HA, Retinol 1%, and the Natural Moisturising Factors. My skin is absolutely loving these products. But after a little research I made the decision to switch the Retinol out in favour of the Azelaic acid. Simply because I wanted to focus more on my redness and breakouts and Azelaic acid is much gentler to use on sensitive skin. 

Looking at The Ordinary's whole range, it can be more than a little confusing and very tempting to try all their products as they are so affordably priced!

However that's not recommended as several of the products are actually very similar ingredients or derivatives. So will either cancel each other out or essentially do the same job! 

It may seem like you need a degree in science to understand which product is for which skin concern but once you realise that they are just their science names and you translate into their 'normal names' its fairly simple. For example Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate is a derivative of vitamin C 

So, if you wanted to add some Vitamin C to your regime, then you actually have several choices:

The obvious and highly concentrated one is the Vitamin C 23% + HA

Then the derivatives are:

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F

There's really no point to using all these products at same time as they are all very similar derivatives of Vitamin C. Perhaps try one form, see how that works out and if you don't like it try another form.

Another tip, don't use Niacinamide at the same time as Vitamin C. This is because the niacinamide which is vitamin B3 affects the integrity and effectiveness of the vitamin C. Use one in the morning and one at night or even alternate days.

The Vitamin C 23% has the vitamin c suspended in hyularonic acid spheres to ensure it remains stable and actually reaches your skin. As you apply it can feel grainy, these are the vitamin c's which break-up and get to work on your skin. If you don't like the grainy feel, switch to another form of vitamin c or try adding a few drops of their hyaluronic acid + B5 serum. This helps to dilute the grains of vitamin c. 

Don't use a Retinol with an acid eg Glycolic or salicylic or Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) at the same time. This is because they do similar jobs but also in order to work effectively Retinol needs to be at a higher PH level, whereas the acid needs a lower PH level. Adding them at the same time means that neither will work as effectively as they would on their own, they kind of cancel each other out as neither are at their optimum PH. For example: Use Glycolic acid in the AM then use the Retinol in the PM. 

Save the 'light sensitive' ingredients for the night-time. This means that it will work much more efficiently. Light can degrade the ingredients but also makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. So you will find you burn much quicker. So best to use at night and remember to use sunscreen in the day time. Examples of these types of products are Retinol, AHA's, Lactic acid and Glycolic acid, Salicylic acid too.

Don't use AHA's with Glycolic Acid or Lactic Acid because they essentially do the same thing. They break down the dead skin cells and chemically exfoliate. Using two types of acid will harm and possibly irritate your skin by over exfoliating.

Facial oils go on last. This is because they have a heavier molecule and products find it difficult to penetrate. Putting the lighter ingredients first allows them to penetrate and enter the skins layers. As the oils take longer to soak in they are more effective applied at night where they have longer to get to work. 

Hope this mini guide to The Ordinary helps you when building your own personal regime. I think The Ordinary really is a skincare game-changer. It offers high quality ingredients at affordable prices, which makes it possible to build your own skincare routines based on your own personal skin issues. And great results to boot!!

Have fun and take care xoxo

Out of The Ordinary ... Skincare

Have you heard of a brand called The Ordinary? 

Up until a month ago I hadn't, however in the beauty world it's hard to miss a brand which has a massive 25,000 person waiting list for their new foundation, yet to be released here in the UK.

Of course I immediately signed up to the said waiting-list! I need to find out what all the fuss is about!!

In the mean-time I thought I'd give some of their skincare offerings a go. I have to say I am impressed. The names for their products are simple, packaging plain but sleek. But what I love is you know exactly what you are getting in terms of ingredients. 

According to their website the idea is to layer the products depending on the skin issues you wish to tackle and best of all the price is amazing. So for 3 or 4 products it's actually affordable to layer them probably for less than a high end skincare product. Only you've chosen the specialised ingredients to match your skincare concerns. Win-Win I say!

So based on my current skincare routine I was lacking in a retinol. I am acutely aware that as I age over 30 I'm going to need to reinforce my age defence on the skincare front. 

So here is what I chose... 

As you can see packaging is very simple, but I think it is appealing and I enjoy the openess of their products. No fuss, no frills.

Retinol 1%

As I said I'm a lady over the age of 30 looking to start using more anti-ageing targeted products so I thought I'd start with the lower 1% retinol they offer and see how I get on with that. So far so good. I've been using this gel like treatment twice a week for the past 3 weeks. I haven't experienced any ill effects so far and it seems to be a fairly gentle retinol.

High Adherence Silicone Primer

A thick, creamy smoothing primer. I apply this before my foundation and it really helps to make my foundation last throughout the day. I feel it helps the foundation not to settle in my pores or creases, which previously I felt it did, highlighting issues I wanted to cover up. Best of all is the price, at only £3.90 you really can't go wrong!

Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%

A slippy oil / cream suspension, as you can see from the swatches photo, it starts off a white creamy consistency  then as you rub it in goes an oily see through shade. Has a slight grainy feel to it as you put it on your face. These are the vitamin c spheres. As a rule vitamin c tends to be unstable however the ordinary have developed a unique delivering system. Which is really working for me. I noticed the effects from this the first night I used it. The next morning my skin felt super soft. It's really helping me tackle stubborn dry areas and since using my makeup has been applying with ease. An absolute steal at £4.90!!

Natural Moisturising Factors + HA

A lovely creamy moisturiser which contains multiple amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides and more importantly for my dry parched skin,  hyaluronic acid. This last one is what helps to hydrate the skin as it can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. I have been reaching for this moisturiser over  my more expensive ones. It does what it says hydrates the skin without feeling smothered or greasy. Its a really nice moisturiser and a £4.90 price point is amazing.

Swatches

Top to bottom:

Silicone primer, Vitamin C, Retinol 1% and Natural moisturising Factors HA

I really like the simpleness of their products, low key packaging and clear, understandable ingredients list. I like having the option to layer products according to my skin concern. It makes their skincare adaptable and with their price point it's very tempting to add several products to your skincare line-up.

Their foil seal keeps the products fresh inside until you are ready to open them. Easy to use squeezy tube packaging, no need to faff with pipettes etc!

I am seriously impressed with The Ordinary their skincare offerings have fast become my favourite products to use in my routine. I'm excited to try more and with their amazing prices, why not?! Simple affordable and best of all high quality. I'm eagerly and impatiently awaiting their foundation!! Their skincare is far from ordinary.

Have you tried anything from The Ordinary? What would you recommend.

Spring Skincare Resolutions

Happy Easter, hope the 'Easter Bunny' brought you lots of goodies! My favourite egg was the large Ferrero Rocher egg. The outer shell was exactly like the outer of the normal Ferrero Rocher's and it was utterly delicious!

So now we're a hop, skip and a jump closer to the summer weather I definitely feel the need to switch up my skincare routine. My skin has been feeling the after effects of the winter months, incredibly dry and flaky especially on my eyelids. Which makes it difficult to wear eye-shadow as I feel it just looks awful. Liquid foundation just seemed to go on flaky and I ended up with patches.

So I think I need to do more of a morning skincare routine as previously it consisted of a swipe of bioderma micellar water, primer and then onto makeup. The main reason for this was I didn't want my skin to appear too greasy looking, but with my skin being so thirsty I really need to add in a moisturiser before the primer. Hopefully this will help my foundation to last longer and not go so patchy.

I also need to be much stricter with my night time routine. I plan to use the pixi glow tonic most nights. 

As this contains glycolic acid, it provides a gentler way to scrub the dead skin cells, leaving me with refreshed flake free skin. My blog post is here: Pixi Glow Tonic if you wish to know more.

I also need to not be so lazy! I often skip a few steps and in my opinion it's starting to show on my face. Some nights if I'm really tired I'd just swipe a cotton pad with micellar water around my face and go to bed.... I KNOW - BAD BEAUTY BLOGGER!! So my resolution now spring is here is to ensure I take care of my skin EVERY night and hopefully my skin won't be so cross with me ha ha! The key to having your makeup last and go on nicely definitely starts with skincare.

As for my dry flaky eyelids, I was a little stumped at first, as each of my eye creams weren't really helping so I decided to apply a little coconut oil before bed (without washing it off) and "fingers crossed" it really seems to be helping. 

More about Coconut oil here: Coconut oil blog post

So I'm off now to do a face mask, I'm thinking Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel. I just love the way it leaves my skin feeling fresh and it smells sooo good!

Take care xx

The Foundation trials - Who came out top....

Finding the two best foundations you can purchase today...

Have you ever struggled with Oompa Loompa Syndrome? You know, when your foundation just refuses to match your skin tone. It happens to the best of us. 

What do you get with 40 hours, 364 foundations considered, 6 experts interviewed, 7 formulas personally tested and 57 make-up wipes used? An in depth review of course!

The dedicated team at Reviews.com found the top 364 best-selling foundations and put them all through rigorous testing with the aim to discover which are the best so we can all stop looking like we got a bad spray tan!!

Early on, to whittle down the contestants, they removed the foundations that had controversial ingredients and less than 12 shades. Everyone is born with different skin tone, and no one likes having to play chemist to find their perfect shade, mixing shades together is both time consuming, more expensive and not to mention messy!! Most make-up artists say they end up having at least 15 shades of foundation on hand, ranging from light to dark!

Next they removed foundations with less than a four star rating on websites such as Amazon, Nordstrom, Sephora, and Ulta. While this can be tricky since everyone's skin reacts differently, generally it's a good overall indicator of product quality.

Finally, they combed through YouTube reviews, comments and pain painstakingly tested them personally. They made the final contestants really battle it out, at times wearing two at once to see which looked natural, even, and had the most staying power.

So who are their winners? Drum roll please.....

For Sheer to Medium Coverage: MAC Studio Face and Body Foundation

Once you've gotten used to MAC's watery, but refreshing consistency, you'll fall in love with it's "film formers", which is what gives this foundation it's permanence and "second skin" effect. This foundation is best for someone without many blemishes, or who is ready to put some extra work into concealing imperfections later.

For Medium to Full Coverage: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup

Boasting a whopping 30 shades, this foundation goes on sheer and dries light. A huge benefit of this is the "build-able" aspect. So long as you don't mind taking extra time blending, it shouldn't appear cakey. The promised 15-hour coverage isn't a lie- some reviewers even suggest double washing your face after use. Who is this foundation for? Everyone!!

Head over to see their full review and the runners up: http://www.reviews.com/foundation/

Just had to share this research as I think it is brilliantly done and a very interesting read. If you are a make-up junkie like I am you will know how difficult it is to find the perfect shade of foundation. Often they have as little as 5 or 6 and you end up having to mix. They have taken the time to analyse and find the best all rounder high performing foundation, taking the guess work out of the equation. And saving you time and money!! Bonus!

New in Garnier Ultimate Blends - Delicate Oat Soothing Balm

I popped into Boots to pick up my family's favourite shampoo - The Garnier Ultimate Blends 'Honey Treasures' Shampoo - Which has been really great at helping to strengthen my hair and prevent breakages. 

Only to find some new exciting versions had been added to the line-up!

I of course picked up my trusty 'Honey treasures' shampoo.

Out of the new versions, the ones that interested me were: The Mythic Olive Shampoo, The Delicate Oat Soother Shampoo - which is designed for sensitive scalps and The Delicate Oat Soothing balm for Face and Body.

The delicate oat soother shampoo couldn't have come at a better time as lately my scalp has been really irritated and sore. Think it must be this cold weather, I really should wear my wooly hat more! I have had a few washes with this delicate oat shampoo and it seems to have helped. My scalp is less irritated but hasn't gone altogether but I suppose that takes time. My scalp certainly feels less itchy and it leaves my hair feeling touch-ably smooth and silky soft. I haven't tried the Mythic Olive shampoo yet but will certainly be giving that a go when my scalp has calmed down. It has a pleasant olive scent and says it nourishes your hair when it is feeling dry.

The product that excited me the most was the 'Face & Body Delicate Oat Soothing Balm'. 

First of all, when I saw this I thought "surely it can't be for both face and body?" but I have since tried it on both my face and body. It was lovely to apply, thicker than a lotion but also not a greasy balm, it feels light enough for the face but nourishing at the same time to be enough for the body too. 

Has a pleasant almond oaty slightly vanilla scent but it isn't overpowering, very subtle and sinks in nice and quickly. Your skin feels lovely and smooth. It contains 2 caring ingredients - restoring oat milk and soothing white almond cream. The thing I like most about this balm, is that it is suitable for all the family and is incredibly gentle on sensitive skin. I can confirm this as I have very sensitive skin on my face and any harsh products irritate and bring out the redness in my cheeks, after using this balm it didn't sting or feel tight and seemed to help soothe too. I would say it definitely helps to protect and restore the skins barrier and best of all doesn't leave you feeling sticky or greasy. 

So I would say if you are looking for a time saving multi tasking moisturiser that is just as good on your body as it is your face then this is ideal. Great for after a morning shower, when time is of the essence.

There are a few more shampoo and conditioners as-well as body butters and lotions added to the Ultimate Blends line-up, may be worth checking out whilst they are on offer at Boots and Superdrug. Half price! The Honey Treasures restoring body butter is next on my list!

The Delicate Oat soothing balm 200ml was £2.99 in Boots (£2.89 - In Superdrug)
The Shampoos 400ml were £1.94 (£1.93 - In Superdrug)

Have you tried anything from the Garnier Ultimate Blends range? What was your favourite?

Trilogy Make-Up Be Gone Cleansing Balm Review

Trilogy Make-Up Be Gone Cleansing Balm

I absolutely adore Trilogy's Rosehip Oil Review can be found here

So when I saw they had released a cleansing balm I was eager to give it a try!

That was a few months ago, so I thought I'd share my thoughts...

First of all, I love the fact it comes with a good old cotton flannel and is in sturdy packaging. 

(unlike my Emma Hardie cleansing balm which is is pieces!)

Inside the pot, the balm is a solid which I need to rub my fingers over to loosen it, then I warm it up in my fingers rubbing the balm all over my dry face. Then wetting the flannel with warm water I rinse the cleanser off. 

It leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh without stripping my sensitive skin or making it feel tight.

Ingredients Include: Mango butter, Rosehip oil and Coconut oil

It may just be the cold weather, but like I said I find it a 'solid balm' which takes a bit of warming with the fingers just to get it out the pot.

The scent is 'spa-like' slightly herbal one which isn't over-powering. More of a head clearing de-stress fragrance.

As you can see above the balm melts into an oil with the warmth of your skin, which makes it easier to spread onto your face.

Leaves my skin feeling clean, not tight or irritated. 

Feels looked after, removes dirt and dissolves make-up as-well. Even waterproof mascara which is notoriously difficult to remove.

I also love the quote on the box - but I do feel it may have been better placed on the actual tub as most will throw away the outer box.

Overall I enjoy using this as my evening cleanser to remove the day and any make-up. It's lovely to massage into the face, doesn't sting your eyes when removing mascara and leaves your skin beautifully soft. It is a nice slightly cheaper alternative to Emma Hardies Balm which is £38 for 100ml. Trilogy's edition is just £19 for 80ml. 

Does what it says on the tin! Cleanses and best of all its packed with all natural ingredients to soothe.

I highly recommend this cleansing balm. Have you tried this balm, what were your thoughts?

Happy New Year 2016! x

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful festive Christmas and wishing you a healthy, happy new year. Are the resolutions still going strong?! 

The tree and decorations are all packed away, so I feel refreshed and ready to blog again after having a little break to spend time with my family. So expect lots of make-up and skincare reviews to head your way shortly. 

Adele xx

Charlotte Tilbury Film-star Bronze & Glow - My thoughts!

I won a blog competition last month and the prize was none other than Charlotte's Film-star Bronze and Glow!!

This bad boy has been on my wish list for absolutely ages!! I always see it mentioned on blogs and you tube videos and I was desperate to try it for myself however the price steared me away. Imaginge my surprise and excitement when I got an email from Laura who blogs at laurzrah to inform me I had won!!

Gorgeous bronzer perfect for attempting - (if you are me!) a contour. The bronze shade goes in the hollows of your cheeks to create the appearance / enhance your cheek bones. Then the highlight shade goes on the tops of your cheekbones to add radiance and draw the eye.

Both shades are so pretty and the packaging is stunning, I smile every time I get this out to use.

Do I think it is worth the price tag? I think that if you are over due a treat to self, have a voucher or a birthday / Christmas fast approaching then it is definitely worth popping on your list. It is such a luxurious face palette to own and gives you the appearance of cheekbones in no time! 

Have you tried CT Bronze and glow? x

Trilogy Rosehip Oil - My thoughts!

I've been using this little gem for a while now and have really noticed the difference in my skin. So much so I never want to be without it in my skincare routine!

It's a lovely light nourishing oil containing Rosehip, that I use after toner before moisturiser.

I add 2-3 drops in my hand rub together lightly and press onto my skin. Feels lovely to apply and helps you to relax and unwind.

I remember the first time I used this in my night time routine, I woke up the next morning with noticeably soft dewy skin. I was hooked!

Rosehip oil is fantastic for scars, imperfections as-well as fine lines and wrinkles too. Rosehip contains Omega 3,6, and 9, Vitamin E and Lycopene - an anti-oxidant. Which are all known for their abilities to repair, rejuvenate and hydrate the skin. 

Can be used both morning and night and can either be added to your moisturiser or used before hand. It's nice to apply, not greasy or overly oily. It sinks in nicely without leaving a residue and I really can tell the next morning when I use this before bed as I know my skin will feel lovely and smooth!

I highly recommend this amazing oil especially for the up and coming winter months where skin can feel dry and often needs the extra hydration.

Trilogy is an Australian brand which is available at Feel Unique, John Lewis, LookFantastic and their own website. 

Have you tried any products from Trilogy? xx

A mini Elemis order

Following my amazing Elemis Spa Facial experience I was keen to try some of their products, especially one or two of the ones recommended. However the price put me off. By coincidence when I got home I was checking my emails and lo and behold there was a massive sale on Elemis products at lookfantastic.com.

I was able to pick up the Papaya Enzyme Peel Full size 50ml for just £19.19 usually £32! 

and the Soothing Apricot Toner 200ml for £13.13 usually £22.50

Having previously tried and thoroughly love the papaya enzyme peel from a sample with a magazine I wanted to get the full size as I have all but run out! I use this once or twice a week depending on how my skin is behaving. It is such a gentle exfoliator mask which you leave on for about 10 minutes then rinse off with a flannel. It truly leaves your skin feeling baby soft and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.

The apricot toner feels lovely and refreshing to apply. I use this both morning and night after cleansing. It helps to soothe and settle my skin ready for the next step serum, oil and moisturiser.

Have you tried any Elemis products you would recommend? xx

Elemis Spa Pod Facial - My Experience!

Elemis Spa Pod Facial

I treated myself to a facial. I've only ever had one facial before and that was years ago. So here's my experience with Elemis at John Lewis in Liverpool One.

First of all, I sat down with the therapist and I filled in a small questionnaire about my skin type and any medical conditions.

Then I had to place my chin on a chin rest whilst the computer took a photo of my face and analysed my skin's condition. It came up on screen in sections, so first it showed any parts that needed a deeper cleanse, then areas of dehydration, next any sun damage, etc. Based on the computer's analysis the therapist then chooses products from their range accordingly. The products chosen for my face were for targeting redness, sensitivity and providing hydration.

First of all you go into a secluded room, which is set up for relaxation. You sit in the chair, which by the way is no ordinary chair it is a fancy massage chair. At first I thought it would just sort of 'buzz' but no it actually physically massages your back, legs, shoulders and neck. It feels strange at first but after a while your muscles sort of relax into it. You can ask to have the chair off if you prefer. So whilst the chair goes to work on all the knots and tense muscles the therapist starts the treatments. I was so relaxed I forgot to look to see what she was using! But I can tell you it was all very gentle and soothing and smelt great. In the middle she placed a hydrating mask on my face (you know those strange jelly like ones) it felt lovely and cooling. Whilst that was soothing my face she used warm oils on my neck and shoulders.

The whole experience was incredibly relaxing, hard to believe it was in the middle of John lewis with shoppers outside the room!! Calming music and dulled lights set the mood with incredible smells from the products too. And the chair is genius, it magically knows the right pressure to use and feels so good. If I ever win the lottery it is first on my list!!

I drifted out of that room on cloud nine. It was amazing! 

One thing I was impressed with, was she recommends the products to you, but you don't at all feel pressured to buy them there and then, you have the option of course but it's not forced upon you. She gave me a sheet with the products that she recommended and I'm so glad she did as without I probably would have forgotten.

I was recommended the following skincare:


Soothing Chamomile Cleanser
Soothing Apricot Toner
Daily Redness Solution
Papaya Enzyme Peel









So if you ever get the opportunity to get a Elemis spa facial I highly recommend it you won't regret it.

October's Cohorted Beauty Box - Unboxing

What's in this month's Cohorted Beauty box, well stay tuned to find out!

Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser

Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Cream

Peter Thomas Roth Mascara

Ciate Nail Varnish

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss

Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Cream 30ml (r.r.p £10.00)

Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser

60ml (r.r.p £15.00)

I have already tried and loved both of these skincare items before. The cleanser is a lovely gentle wash off cleanser which smells of lavender and makes a soothing face wash for removing make-up and impurities from the day.

The moisturiser, similar to the cleanser smells and feels lovely on the skin, providing gentle non greasy moisturising and sinks in quickly. 

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in 'Hypnotist' (r.r.p £16.99)

This is the most unique lipgloss I have ever seen. It gives off a duo-chrome almost holographic shade which changes from a peachy gold shade to a slight lilac shade depending on the light.

Looks quite subtle on, has a slight tingly minty fresh scent and taste. I think this will be ideal to put over the top of lipsticks to change the shade slightly and create you're own unique and bespoke colour!

Ciate Nail Polish (r.r.p £9.00)

in the shade 

'Serendipity'

 I love the film Serendipity, it is one of my favourite films ever! So I really wanted to love this nail varnish, however I found the glitter in this to be far too chunky making it difficult to apply and get a nice smooth finish. So I'm afraid I can't recommend this nail varnish because of that reason.

Lastly it contained:

Peter Thomas Roth

'Lashes to die for' Mascara in Black (r.r.p £15.00)

Having never tried any of Peter Thomas Roth products, I am actually impressed with this mascara. I love the look of the sleek comb like wand and the mascara is nice to apply looks nice too.

 So that was this month's Cohorted Beauty box xx