Hello loves,

I'm sorry for an absence lately on the blog. I have an excellent excuse...I have finally finished my Master's Degree. It feels amazing to say that, because it has been challenging and very time consuming as I still worked full time throughout the process.

Additionally, quite soon there will be some changes on the blog. I haven't really been very happy with my blog lately, especially as my blog was hacked and I had to end up changing the name. So hopefully I will transfer this blog to a different platform and start from scratch. There will be a redirection service, but up until that point please do return back to this website and read read read.

I've also recently returned back from my holiday in Paris! I went to Disneyland Paris as well, which was both fun and frustrating. However, I've got a post coming up about that in particular within this week.

So as the title of this blog post implies...I'm talking oil. Oil is the bane of my skin existence and something that plagued my teens and twenties throughout. So many girls have combination skin with dryer patches along with areas (particularly the T-zone) that becomes oily throughout the day.

This is completely normal, however does hold an element of frustration when you want your makeup to look matt and pretty.  The beauty industry has come up with multiple products to combat this particular skin problem in the form of blotting sheets (which I find a bit cumbersome) and various other bits and bobs.

The reason oil is so readily available on the facial skin is due to the sebaceous gland producing oil throughout the day as a hydrating agent for the epidermis (or top layer of the skin). Some people create more oil than others and this can be due to various reasons but hormones tend to be the top reason. The hormones signal constantly for oil to be created, increasing the chances of the pores getting clogged with a mixture of oil and bacteria, which eventually creates spots and blackheads.

Some of the most beautiful women in the world have suffered from oily skin at one time or another, including the gorgeous Angelina Jolie and Renee Zellweger. However, something new has recently hit the market that looks pretty exciting....

Cult LA beauty brand BeautyBlender has recently introduced their newest product called the Blotterazzi, which is basically a tool to control the amount of oil on your face.

It is a sponge that you can carry in your handbag, with the iconic pink colour of the BeautyBlender, which can be used for blotting your skin throughout the day. The sponge is reusable, washable and more absorbent than blotting papers.

The shape of the Blotterazzi ensure for precise blotting, even in smaller areas of the face (like the nose). There are two sponges inside the cute compact with a handy mirror to see where to blot. It is ventilated as well to ensure that the sponges do not smell. The greatest part is your makeup won't smear anywhere as the sponge is thirsty for oil and not foundation or concealer.

The Blotterazzi is now available to buy at Selfridges and a direct link can be found here. It retails for around £16 which is not the cheapest, but if you think about how much money you save on blotting papers, well the price is marginal!

I'm adding this to my must-have list of beauty products.

What do you think? Yay or nay?

My Current Skincare Routine (Part 1)

Hello loves,

As I'm off on holiday quite soon, I've been assessing the skincare products that I may need. I don't like to overpack, because generally I don't use everything and I do not want to have to lug heavy bags around. Luckily I'm not flying this time round, which I'm happy for. Rather, we'll be driving and using the Euro Tunnel to go to France.

However, this post is to look at my current skincare routine, which I'll have to break up into a few posts. I do use quite a few different products, however this is some of my basic day and night moisturisers. I'll discuss my cleansing routine in part 2 next week.

Benefit's Triple Performing Emulsion, The Body Shop Vitamin E Facial Mist, The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion and The Body Shop Drops of Youth Serum.

On a recent shopping trip I purchased Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion on recommendation from one of the girls that worked on the counter. I was looking for a skin brightener that doubled as a good moisturiser as well. I was skeptical, I shan't lie. In the mornings I'll cleanse and tone my face to get a cleared canvas to work on and straight away I'd apply this Facial Emulsion all over my face and neck. It has a very faint fragrance, but it is not overpowering. The emulsion melts into the skin beautifully and is really moisturising. My skin had been suffering from dry patches and this emulsion with daily use just totally eradicated that problem. This had been on going for a year, and no other skincare products would sort this issue out. So I'm completely thankful for this beaut. I just can't wait to try some of the other skincare products from this range. You've done remarkably well here Benefit. I'm looking at the daily moisturiser and eye cream to buy next.

Next on my list of daily-use products is The Body Shop's Vitamin E Face Mist. I use it as a secondary toner in some ways but it really is a multi-use product. You can apply the spray to your freshly cleansed skin before you go to bed or in the mornings before you apply your moisturiser. It can be used as a make-up setting spray, which works well. Or you could just use it to freshen up your bare skin on holiday.  Again, I was a skeptic - however with prolonged use, it made a huge difference in the moisture levels of my skin. I also think that my skin enjoys the added Vitamin E levels that are offered with this mist. If you are wondering whether to add this to your skincare routine, I'd say yes go for it. You can also make your own by adding rose water to a spray bottle. The rose water has very similar properties and feels really nice and fresh on your skin. Rose water can often be found in the baking section of your local supermarket.

In the evenings I like to alternate between products. Sometimes if my skin is quite clear, I'll just use Benefit's Facial Emulsion to moisturise. At other times when I'm looking for a healing and deeper moisturising product, I opt for The Body Shop's  Drops of Youth Serum. This serum is very light on the skin, however the moisturising properties of this is amazing. It leaves the skin smooth and beautifully soft the next morning. This serum contains plant cells (which incidentally is also used in La Mer's highly sought-after - yet pricey - skin care products). These plant cells help to rebuild your skin's own damaged cells and restore the youthfulness of skin. Just a small amount of serum goes a very long way, and I've had my bottle for at least a few months. This means that even though it is a bit more expensive, it is well worth it. By just using this for a month, I noticed again that my skin was plumper and more hydrated.

My final product of choice here is The Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion. This is the step that I may or may not have to use during my usual skincare shenanigans. Obviously if I have a spot, I'd dab the lotion onto the area and it usually kills off any remaining bacteria to ensure the area dries out and heals as quickly as possible. This is personally a hero product for me, as it is just on the right side of gentle yet powerful. Some tea tree inspired products can be extremely strong and my skin often reacts to these types of lotions/serums etc. Luckily this beauty is just great for keeping skin clear but without reacting. Again, this is a step that I highly recommend for any type of skin. If you may suffer of the odd spots, this should quickly set you back onto the straight and narrow for skin.

I hope you enjoyed the first part of the look into my skincare routine. I should be adding a few more products to the repertoire quite soon.

My advice on skincare is do not be afraid to try different products and to step outside of your comfort zone. You may be one product away from that 'PERFECT' moisturiser.