Acne

Acne: Story So Far..

08:23

Having suffered with acne for about three years now, my skin is never something I like talking about, let alone writing about it on the internet and including a picture of myself with no makeup on, but like they say there's a first time for everything. 

Before I hit the age of sixteen I had lovely clear skin, not a blackhead, scar or spot in site. However that summer my skin had a bit of a meltdown and decided now was the time for me to get acne (couldn't think of a worse time in my life if I tried). For a while I didn't really treat my acne, all I did was buy every face wash and scrub available on the high street that was geared towards spot prone skin, but none of those were helping, if anything they made matters worse. 

I then went to my local GP and got put on antibiotics, which I took for about a year and a half I think, but those didn't really do the trick either; it wasn't getting any better, and by this point my acne had spread to my cheek and chin area, were as before it was just confined to my T-Zone. 

Unfortunately I don't have any bare faced pictures of myself from when my acne was at its worst because as you can imagine, makeup was my best friend and the camera... was not! What I can offer you however is a picture of myself now. 

                                                                        An unedited, bare-faced, HD picture of myself taken straight after my workout! 


After having taken Trimethoprim (Click here to read my in depth blog post all about it) for 10 months, this is how my skin looks now. 

While on Trimethoprim my skin was beautiful, it was spot and blackhead free; my facialist was extremely impressed! But I couldn't be on medication for the rest of my life, so in June, my dermatologist and I decided that it was time for me to come off it. My skin stayed clear for a few weeks once I had finished my course, but while in Mallorca I noticed I was starting to get a few spots here and there, it was a bit disheartening, but I knew this would happen anyway. 

As you can see from the picture above I don't have any big red nasty spots on my face; the only red spots that you can see are actually scars, and I get those whether I pop a spot or not. Besides the scars all I have are a few little bumps on my forehead and on the side of my nose, and considering I haven't been on medication for three months now, thats actually pretty good going.

I would highly recommend Trimethoprim to anyone with acne who is a bit afraid to try Accutane. You may still get a few spots when you come off it, but the same can be said for Accutane, and the possible side effects of Accutane just did not seem worth the risk to me. 

Now I'm on the hunt for really good skin care that will keep my skin in the condition it's in now or better yet, clear it up even more. It's going to take time and a lot of trial and error, but its important to me that I only use whats best for my skin. 

To any of you suffering with acne all I'll say is, keep your head up and don't let it knock your confidence too much. The people that mean the most to you and are true friends, really won't care that you have a few spots on your face, and those who do aren't worth your time. Have patience, do your research and enjoy your life! 

Lara x 

Beauty

Review: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

08:05

I've been having a bit of a love affair with Nars recently; Its gone from me not even knowing where to purchase their products in the UK, to me using something of theirs on a daily basis, and even giving the Sheer Glow Foundation holy grail status (Read my review on that here) and i have a feeling that the Radiant Creamy Concealer could fast become the proud owner of a holy grail title also.



I was on the hunt for a new all round concealer and had heard good things about this new Nars product, so when i stumbled across a Nars counter on a shopping trip with mother dear, i just couldn't resist trying it out. 

It was like love at first sight, I swatched a random colour on my hand to get a feel of the texture, and, as it says in the name it certainly is thick and creamy, but despite that its a real joy to blend into the skin. 

There are 8 shades (In the UK, in America there is a choice of 10) in total, and normally I would hold no hope in finding a colour to match my skin with such little choice, however I was matched to 'Med/Dark 2 Caramel' and it is honestly the perfect shade for me, and blends seamlessly into my natural skin tone.


In terms of how it sits, feels and blends into your skin... its a dream! I have been using this on a daily basis, so I can sit here and safely tell you that if, like me, you aren't the biggest fan of wearing foundation during the day then this product is perfect!

I would say it has a medium coverage but can very easily be built up into a much fuller coverage without looking cakey on the skin, which is just what I want from a concealer. 
Its creamy hydrating texture means that it can be used all over the face, whether you want to conceal that annoying spot or hide those 'I stayed up all night watching One Tree Hill' eyes. It doesn't crease anywhere on the skin and in terms of staying power i can't tell you how it fairs on its own as i do always powder my T-Zone as I hate the thought of being shiny, although I have never felt the need to top up during the day.

It is slightly pricey being £21 for 15ml, but I can honestly say that this is my favourite concealer of the moment, if not all time! It is something I am constantly reaching for, and will probably always have in my makeup collection and thats always a good sign! 

Click Here to see me using it in my 'Everyday Makeup Routine' video. 

Lara x

Acne

My New Holy Grail?!

13:13

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 I finally did it, i finally brought the famous NARS Sheer Glow Foundation!











































After having been on holiday for just under a week my Bobbi Brown foundation had become way too light for me, so i decided i would take the opportunity and buy The NARS Sheer Glow foundation. Now unless you've been living under a rock you will know that this has been one of the most talked about products in the beauty world; because i had watched countless videos and read numerous blogs on it, i felt pretty confident in my purchase. 

The words 'sheer' and 'glow' are not words you want to be associated with a product your about to buy if you have acne/combination skin, however i was pleasantly surprised! I got matched to the colour 'Syracuse' and its perfect, it neutralises my overall skin tone and takes away any redness in my skin without making it look cakey. I would say it is a medium coverage and could very easily be built up to a fuller coverage for a night out etc. 

So far i have been using this product nearly every day and have pretty much fallen in love, and i now completely understand why it gets so much love and is considered by many to be a holy grail. 

















Me before (Top) and After (Below) applying the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

Lara x

Beauty

Mini Haul: Madrid Style

14:46

First off i feel like i should apologise for being a bit MIA recently, its been a crazy few months and blogging kind of slipped my mind; but fear not, i'm back, and i've come back with a haul for you guys. Now i don't know about you, but im a big fan of hauls, maybe its because im incredibly nosey like that; this is only a small one, but hey, any new makeup is good right?



So being the smart shopper that i am, i brought all the products at El Corte Ingles here in Madrid (i think the english equivalent would probably be John Lewis) and because i have a foreign passport i got a 10% discount (nice bit of helpful information for anyone traveling to Spain). 




 Nars Blush in Gilda






 Nars Long Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte


The first two products, as you can see from the photos above are from NARS. Now these two products made this a pretty exciting purchase as they are the first things i have ever brought from the brand, it may surprise you that i didn't go for the cult favorites such as 'Laguna' bronzer and 'Orgasm' blush, but they weren't really what i was looking for. I was in desperate need of a new blusher, but didn't want to go down the pink sparkly route that i normally do when buying blusher and Gilda was the perfect product. As you can see from the picture it is a pretty vibrant salmon/ coral colour and i will admit that the thought of using it kind of scared me, but if i use a little and blend it well it looks really lovely and natural and looks even better now that i have a slight tan. The whole non-glittery blush thing means that you would probably have to use a highlighter with it, especially in the evening time. 
The second item i brought was a flesh/light coloured eyeliner to put in my waterline as part of my everyday look to brighten up my eyes. Having used this product for a while now, i can happily sit here and tell you that it does the job, im not going to give it holy grail status just yet, as i feel that i could find something better. In terms of it being called a 'Longer Than Life' eyeliner, i'd have to disagree a bit, it doesn't last all day on me and it does need touching, but thats the only down side i can think of. 



Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara + La Roche-Posay Cleansing Gel

Now im not a fan of wearing/ applying false eyelashes, therefore i always buy mascaras that can give me the same amount of intensity minus all the fussing about. For this reason i have always been a huge fan of the Maybelline 'The Falsies' but this Rimmel mascara was on a 2 for 1 offer so i thought id give it a go, and i can't quite believe that im typing these words, but this may replace my beloved Maybelline mascara!! One coat of this, and i have my perfect day time look- defined but not crazy in your face lashes, and on a night out 3-4 coats of this and i may as well be wearing false lashes, and at times have even been asked if i am... i highly highly recommend that you go buy this and give it a try.
Last but certainly not least, i brought myself a face wash. If you have read some of my last posts you will know that i have/ some times still do suffer from acne breakouts. I would normally buy a product that was geard towards acne prone skin, but i decided to give my skin a break from all the harsh stuff, and get the most gentle thing i could find, and that is why i brought the La Roche-Posay Cleansing Gel, and my skin has really thanked me for it. It gets every little bit of my makeup off and doesn't sting or irritate my eyes. I've had very few breakouts since using this product and my skin feels a lot more hydrated then it did before. If you are looking for a bog standard face wash then this is without a doubt my highest recommendation. 

Lara x 





Acne

Bedtime Makeup?

13:41

See, did i or did i not tell you i would be writing more posts? Today's post is about The Bare Minerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment, as you may have noticed that Bare Minerals is somewhat of a recurring theme on my blog, but fear you not, i will spice things up a bit!

 Priced at £45/ $60 The Bare Minerals Night Treatment, is quite a bizarre concept, as you are going to bed with coverage, now i'm the type of person that likes to go to sleep with a squeaky clean face, so the thought of putting makeup on and then sleeping in it, kind of freaked me out, but i'm happy to report i was pleasantly surprised. The active ingredient in this product is called ActiveSoil complex, the main factor that this ingredient helps with is your cell turnover, this basically means that it helps shred dead skin faster so that the new healthier skin can replace it, as well as delivering a faster cell turn over, the night treatment also helps reduce your pores, and increase luminosity. Seen as the product does provide some sort of coverage, it is available in 4 colours; clear, light, medium and tan, now the sales assistant told me that the clear one isn't exactly clear, therefore is you have a olive/dark skin tone, it will give you a kind of white mask affect, for that reason its recommend that people with these skin tones, go for one of the other shades that best suites there skin tone (i own it in the colour medium).




I'll start off by telling you weather or not this product actually lives up to the expectations; and im happy to report that it does. I've found that when the time comes and i have one of those horrid spots that just sits there under your skin, this really help to diminish it slightly, along with another product that i put on in the evening (Clinique anti-blemish solutions, spot treatment gel). I found that the brush does have a tendency to put too much product on the face, however this does not affect the longevity of the product, as a little goes a long way with this stuff; i have had my one for abut 4 months and it is still going strong, the only thing i would say is that when you are coming to the end it is hard to get enough product on the brush, i normally sit there shaking it like a mad woman until something comes out! 
Now you may be concerned that if you get a colour that matches your skin tone that it will transfer onto your bed sheets but don't worry, if you don't cake your face with it then you will be safe. I have white pillows both at home and at uni, and for the most part the colour doesn't transfer  but like i said if i put too much on then there will be faint orange patches on my pillow, and to be honest thats the only down fall, but then again its something that can easily be avoided. 

 If you have any problems with acne/blemishes/scarring then i would really recommend this product, not only for the results that it brings but because it has some form of coverage, if you live in a comunal area, like a university halls of residence or you've moved into a flat with people you aren't 100% confortable with, then this will that little bit of confidence to just go downstairs in the mornings and face anyone who's there, as you can count on most of your imperfections being covered, it certainly works for me at least.

 (Sorry for the bad picture quality, using my IPhone until i can get a good camera, forgive me?)

Lara x



Beauty

New Year. New Makeup.

14:06

So people its 2013, now i don't know about you but im pretty disappointed that there aren't any hover crafts like in 'Back To The Future'. However we are in store of more beauty products, and limited addition collections, which is always exciting! 

 Now my last post was quite some time ago (naughty Lara!) but i pinky promise i will post things more often im not going to sit here and tell you that i'll post every other day, because to be honest i may not, but i will be posting more, that you can count on. I have a few posts lined up that im looking forward to writing, and i'll also be posting new stuff on my lifestyle blog too, so check that out if you're interested. 

 Happy New Year!

 Lara x



Acne

Acne Be Gone.

12:43

So i thought i would make my first proper blog post about something that is important to just about every woman. Our skin. As you can probably tell from the title of this post i have acne prone skin, but as well as that i also get an oily T-Zone and sometimes my skin can even be a bit sensitive.
I only developed acne about two years ago; i started noticing a growing number of spots around the end of summer 2010 just as i was about to start my A Levels, and it hasn't left me since. I'm not entirely sure what brought on my acne so suddenly because prior to that summer i had perfect skin, and i don't mean that to sound arrogant, but it was, i had no spots except for the odd one when it was that time of the month, and because i never really got spots, i never had scaring on my face. 
Having now lived with acne for the past two years, i have learnt to just get on with it, i go to the shops with no makeup on and i try to wear as little makeup as i can. Life is too short to be constantly stressing about your skin and inevitably stressing about it will only make the acne worse. 
This post is going to be a bit of a medical dictionary as i'm going to tell you the treatments i have tried and am currently trying to tame my acne. 

Lymecycline/ Tetralysal ® 300

For a long time when i first got acne i wasn't on any form of treatment, it was just a case of me washing my face with face wash geared towards 'blemish prone skin' but no matter which one i tried the spots just were not budging (and believe me i tried a lot). Lymecycline was the very first treatment i started for my acne, and it was prescribed to me by my doctor. Lymecycline is a very common antibiotic used to help combat acne. The way it helps with acne is by helping your immune system to kill the bacteria with causes acne. It helps to calm down any inflammation of the skin, therefore making the skin smoother and clearer. 
When i first started using Lymecycline i thought it was going to clear my acne for good, and for a while it did exactly that. For the first few months i had clear skin again, i still had the scaring but spots were no longer an issue, however after those first few months i started to notice that my spots were coming back, and they were coming back in force; the acne had now spread to my cheeks where as before is was contained to my forehead and chin. I continued my course of treatment, but it was never as good as those first few months. So after a year of being on Lymecycline, i decided to stop my course and see a dermatologist, and the dermatologist that i saw prescribed me Trimethoprim.

Trimethoprim

Trimethoprim is the most recent thing that i am currently trying to help 'cure' my acne, and I've only been on it for about two weeks. Trimethoprim is again another anti-biotic used to help treat acne. The way Trimethoprim works is it stops the bacteria from producing folate; this is what the bacteria cells use to make DNA (sounds scary i know). Just like the Lymecycline is helps to stop inflammation of the skin.
As i said, i have only been on Trimethoprim for two weeks so i can't give you i proper indication as to if it is working for me as it normally takes about two months for it too kick in and start working, however i have already noticed a difference in my skin. First of all the number of spots i have on my face has reduced, not dramatically but there are much less that i need to deal with. However with any medication there are side effects and since being on Trimethoprim, i have noticed my skin has changed from combination/oily to combination/dry skin. I'm finding that i need to use a lot me moisturiser and have also invested in a hydrating mask (something i never thought i would be buying), my skin has now become a lot more sensitive, which hasn't really caused any problems as of yet but it has meant that i am now only allowed to exfoliate once a week (according to my beautician) and have to be extra carful when i'm in the sun. So far it seems to be working but I'll give you another skin update in a few months once it has really got to work on my skin. Finally the last product i was prescribed by the dermatologist was Differin cream. 

Differin Cream

Differin cream is basically a form of vitamin A, in which the active ingredient is adapalene. The purpose of Differin is to aid your skins natural exfoliation process; meaning that it increases the turnover of cells which therefore helps to unblock pores and the glands which produce sebum. 
So far so good in terms of the Differin cream, i haven't had any allergic reaction too it which is a relief considering i have had an allergic reaction to the last two creams that i tried. Now i can't really tell you if it is helping with my acne as I'm currently using in conjunction with the Trimethoprim, so I'm not sure with one is helping more, but the two together seem to be combating my acne pretty well. 

I'm sorry for crazy long post, but i just thought it would be helpful for all you acne sufferers out there. Any questions just leave me a comment below and i will be happy to answer :) 

Lara x

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