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?

7 Oils That Can Transform Your Skin

I remember when Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil, £40, first launched. Everyone was shocked and amazed that you could put oil on the skin but the skin care oil trend was blowing up -- all the mainstream brands were clamoring to get one on the market.

The Bobbi Brown version came in a hefty glass jar, smelled appealingly earthy (patchouli and lavender oils will do that), and was luxurious in that classic Bobbi Brown way. I dabbed some on the back of my hand; it felt lovely. However, despite being curious about face oils, there was absolutely zero chance I was going to put it on my face. Oil on my acne-prone skin? That seemed like a terrible idea.

One of my co-workers routinely rubbed a few drops between her palms and patted it on -- like a man applies aftershave -- right over her makeup. I was disgusted -- I could just imagine the oil mixing with her foundation and clogging her pores. However, I never saw any evidence of that happening -- her skin was amazing, and the oil made her makeup look refreshed and more luminous.

It wasn't until I came across Sundari Essential Oil for Oily Skin, £75, that I dared to try a skin care oil for myself. The formula is extremely light, the instructions call for only two drops (how much damage could that do?), and the website explains that peppermint helps control skin's oil production. Of course I was hesitant the first night I used it, but when I woke up to glowing, more even skin I knew it was the oil -- and I haven't looked back since.

I've been using face oils regularly for at least five years now, and I'm hooked. In fact, I'm such an oil fanatic that I also use cleansing oils, body oils, and hair oils -- all of which used to scare me as well. My skin isn't as likely to break out as it used to be, so I've swapped out peppermint and tea tree oils for anti-agers like Argan and antioxidants like rose hip seed.

Despite the popularity of face oils, I realize that there are still plenty of people who are as intimidated as I was. Here's the key: You have to figure out which face oil is right for your skin, and start slowly with just a drop or two. These seven skin care oils are some of the most popular, and they come highly recommended by experts. Read on to find out which one you should try.

Tea tree oil

Best for: Acne
Even though I was afraid of face oils, I remember using The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil, £5, as a blemish spot treatment when I was in high school. It feels and smells more like an astringent than an oil, so it doesn't have the same ick factor that turned me off with the others. And tea tree oil really works: Studies have found that 5 percent tea tree oil is as effective at treating acne as 5 percent benzoyl peroxide. Dermatologist Leslie Baumann recommends it as a gentle, natural alternative to harsher acne treatments.

Try: Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick, £10.29

Grapeseed oil

Best for: Oily skin
If you have oily skin -- even if you don't have acne -- you're probably as averse to oils as I was. In the middle of the afternoon I needed blotting papers or pressed powder -- definitely not more oil on my already shiny forehead. But grapeseed oil (like peppermint oil, which I mentioned earlier) can actually help regulate your natural oil production. Plus, it's packed with antioxidants, including skin-brightening vitamin C. Still not convinced? I often tell people who are interested in skin care oils to start using it on your body, and if you like the results, try it on your face.

Try: Caudalie Vinosource Nourishing Concentrate, £19

Argan oil

Best for: Anti-Aging
When I think about Argan oil, supermodel and skin care guru Josie Maran immediately comes to mind. Her entire line is based around this miracle ingredient -- and her perfect complexion is proof of how well the stuff works. The oil contains a high concentration of vitamin E and fatty acids, and it's more stable in sunlight than other antioxidants -- so it's perfect to wear during the day. It's also very rare and expensive -- so it's a good thing that you only need a tiny amount for it to be effective. If you see 1 ounce of Argan for £15 that's not right. And these cheaper versions may have added ingredients that make them less effective.

Try: Josie Maran Argan Oil, similar found here. 

Black currant oil

Best for: Repair
I asked an expertwhat she would recommend for a client whose skin had been traumatized in some way -- like after a laser treatment, too much time in the sun, or even wind-burned from skiing. Her answer? Black currant oil. It's her favorite reparative treatment because it's rich in fatty acids and has anti-inflammatory properties. It even works on eczema.

Try: Cecilia Wong Reviving Black Currant Serum, £58

Chamomile oil

Best for: Sensitive skin
The same way you can drink chamomile tea to relax, you can use chamomile oil to calm your skin. It soothes redness and irritation in a matter of seconds. "It has amazing anti-inflammatory properties that make it ideal for patients with rosacea," says Baumann.

Just be sure to dab some on your wrist and wear it for a day to make sure you don't have an allergic reaction, she says. And be especially careful with organic versions. Since organic ingredients are treated with fewer chemicals, they're often growing alongside weeds and other allergens, which means organic essential oils are more likely to have traces of those allergens than conventionally farmed varieties. The result? They're more likely to cause allergic reactions on the skin.

Try: Darphin Organic Chamomile Aromatic Care, £36

Rose hip seed oil

Best for: Discoloration
Mally Steves Chakola, the founder of M. Steves Skincare, first realized the healing power of rose hip seed oil after applying it to an 18-year-old scar for two weeks -- it faded significantly. So she developed her brand around the ingredient, which contains essential fatty acids, an antioxidant (vitamin C), and a natural retinol (vitamin A). It's ideal for protecting your skin as well as increasing cell turnover. She recommends using it as a boost for your moisturizer -- just mix in a few drops before you apply. If you're skeptical about putting oil directly onto your face, this is a great option.

Try: M. Steves RHSO Power-Packed Ultra-Nourishing Boost

Olive oil

Best for: Dry skin
We've all heard stories about women in Italy bathing in the stuff -- and I'm sure they have beautiful skin. But using olive oil as a face oil is the scariest of all. I may have become an oil enthusiast, but I've never been able to use this one for anything other than cooking and salad dressing.

However, some people swear and love extra virgin olive oil for people with very dry skin. (Note the word "very.") You can buy it at the grocery store -- just be sure to look for the term "first cold press" on the bottle. (These formulas are higher in antioxidants than other varieties.) Not only is it super moisturizing, olive oil is also rich in compounds like polyphenols, squalene, and fatty acids -- all of which are nourishing and help fight aging.

So there you have it, oil up!