You, Me & Beauty...: Routine

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

Acne Prone Skin

Out With The Old In With The New..

10:38

New blog layout and a new everyday makeup routine!

I was looking at my blog today, and was just not loving the layout, so i decided to give it a little pick-me-up. I also, filmed, edited and uploaded a new video today which is about my everyday makeup routine (Click here to see my YouTube Channel and watch the new video)

Hope you like the new layout and video!

Lara x

Products I used:
- Murad Shine Control and Acne Prone Primer
- Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in 'Caramel'
- Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara
- Nars eyeshadow in 'Bali'

- Nars blush in 'Gilda'

Ayurveda Gift Set

A Few New Rituals...

10:49

Almost five months ago i celebrated my 19th birthday. I got to celebrate it with my amazing friends in the city of Madrid, i honestly thought it couldn't get any better, that is until my friend pulled out the birthday present that he got me, and its safe to say that the boy did very well! Knowing my love for all things beauty, and how i like to keep up with the latest products, he got me the Ayurveda Gift Set from Rituals...

In the gift set you get a 200ml bottle of the Yogi Flow shower foam (full size), 150ml of the Daily Rose deodorant (full size), 75ml of the Yogi Flow foot scrub (full size), 70ml of the Honey Touch body cream (sample size), 70ml of Brilliant Bliss shampoo (sample size), and lastly a 100ml sample of the Energy Bubbles bath cream. Now if you ask me thats pretty good value for money, with the gift set priced at £32.50 (naughty Lara for looking up the price of a gift) you get full sizes in what in my opinion are the best products, and the sample sizes are large enough for you too have a good old test of them before you go out and buy the full size. The over all smell of the Ayurveda collection is very tropical, with the exception of the foot scrub, and when you use any of the products, whether it be the shower foam or a spray of the deodorant, its smells like you could be on a beach somewhere sipping a pina colada, making these products that you will love to use on a daily basis.

Yogi Flow Shower Foam

The shower foam was probably the thing that i was most excited to try as im a sucker for nice smelling shower products. When i first used this product i was unaware of how powerful the pump was, all it took was one push and a load of foam was all over my shower door, never the less i managed to get some onto my hands and actual use it properly. The fact that the product is already a foam consistency means that it lathers up in a instant, and i don't know about you but, if a product doesn't lather well, weather it be a shampoo or body wash it gains an instant position on my naughty list of products. Having used the product a few times, i can safely say that this is one of the most hydrating body wash products i have ever used, i went through a bit of a dry skin phase while using this and i think it really helped.

The sent of the shower foam doesn't last on your skin once it has been washed off; personally this doesn't bother me and it certainly isn't a downfall of the product, as i like to be able to put a perfume on without the sent of my shower products distorting it, however it does make your bathroom smell heavenly for quite some time.

Daily Rose Spray Deodorant

On to my second favourite product in the set. Normally spray deodorants aren't really my thing, i given the choice, i'd much rather have a stick deodorant; However it was like love at first spray, its no surprise that the smell was what made me fall in love with it initially, it definitely in keeps with the overall tropical feel of the set. The way it went onto my skin is also another reason why i really like this product (as weird as that may sound) most spray deodorants seem to go onto my skin at 100mph and its always a bit of a shock... for me at least, but this comes out as a mist, and this makes it much nicer to put on. I usually put this on just before i head out to class, and if i had a euro for every time someone has asked me what perfume im wearing, i'd be one wealthy student; you can only imagine their surprise when i tell them that its in fact my deodorant.

Its slightly pricier than your average drug store/high street deodorant but if you ask me it is definitely worth every penny.

Yogi Flow Foot Scrub

This was the surprise product for me, as im kind of picky about my scrubs, i like the ones with the big grains so it actually feels like its doing something, this goes for both face a body scrubs. When i first used this product i decided to do it as a part of one of my pamper nights nice which i do from time to time, and it made giving myself a pedicure a much more enjoyable experience. I would call this the black sheep of the gift set, as it doesn't inkeep with the overall tropical sent, instead it is very minty and refreshing, and once applied it has a lovely cooling affect on the feet.

Being an oil-based product it is very hydrating and after having it on for about 20 minutes the oils will have soaked into your feet; because its so hydrating a foot moisturiser isn't really necessary, however if you wanted to take pampering to the next level, follow up with a heavy duty moisturiser and sleep with soaks on and in the morning you'll have feet to be marvelled at!

Honey Touch Body Cream

If you're one of those people who like to feel the moisturiser on their skin then this is the product for you, however if your not, you may want to have a hunt for something else as i found the cream it leave a residue on my skin for a good hour or two, but lucky i quite like that in a body moisturiser. Combined with the shower foam, this is your skins dream as it is left hydrated and thanks to the cream, it is left smelling pretty heavenly.

I would definitely consider buying the full size of this and use it for days when i want to smell and feel amazing!

Energy Bubbles Bath Cream

Talking of things that smell heavenly, this bubble bath is incredible. There is not much else to say really, it produces bubbles like no other and the smell will send you into the most calm a relaxed state. Just add some candles and relaxing music and you're good to go!

Brilliant Bliss Ultra-Shine Shampoo

Its a shame that the conditioner isn't also in the set as i would have loved to have tried them both together. The shampoo however is good, again as with as with all the other products the smell is by far the biggest plus, however i can't say that it was particularly nourishing or that it made my hair ultra shiny, but it did the job i guess, i would be interested to see if my opinion would change is i had a the conditioner as well... i will keep you posted!

I don't know if its obvious or anything but i really do love this set! I have tried not to use anything too much as i don't want anything to run out, i would highly recommend the gift set, wether it is a gift to your sister, friend, mum or simply just a little gift to yourself. Thank God my friend brought this for me or i would probably have never tried any of these products, and im now looking into making a few more cheeky purchases form Rituals...

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

Everyday Makeup Routine

14:39

This is a blog post that i have been wanting to put up for a while, but i just haven't had the guts to as it requires me to plaster pictures of myself without makeup on, on the internet; and having suffered with acne, the thought of doing that scares me a bit, but here i am. This is basically just going to be a step by step look at how i do my makeup everyday. This look is what i wear to go to class, shopping, lunch with friends etc. Its incredible simple and natural, which i personally think is what an everyday should be. *Be warned, this will be a picture heavy post*

Here is are the before and after pictures. As you can see in the top picture my acne scaring is quite prominent and i look like i haven't slept in days and in the botom picture, i like to think that you would agree with me in saying that there is a vast improvement. Keep reading to find out how i achieved the end result.

After moisturising using the CVS moisturising lotion for all skin types i apply my Bare Minerals Foundation (Full Bare Minerals makeup review here) I apply this using the Bare Minerals Full Flawless brush, in the buffing action that they tell you to use. I apply this until i have a medium coverage. My acne scaring is never fully covered, but i feel that if i put anymore on i would just look like a cakey mess.

Once i've applied my foundation i move onto my eyes. I always without fail curl my eyelashes, it helps to open up your eyes and make you look more awake, and if you've had a late night, you're going to need all the help you can get; the curlers i use are by tweezerman. I then apply two coats of mascara; i personally like using two different mascaras to get my desired result. I use the YSL Shocking mascara first, which adds volume like no other, and then i use the Clinique High Length mascara, to lengthen and separate my lashes.

Now its time for the eyebrows. I naturally have quite thick and dark eyebrows, but i like to use i bit of eyeshadow to help in the areas where my eyebrows are slightly more sparse (I tried to find out the name of the eyeshadow i use, but was unable to, i can however tell you it is a MAC eyeshadow that's a kind of coffee colour... not that thats much help). I apply the eyeshadow using the Real Techniques brow brush and comb it through using a spooly from MAC.

Next up is what i consider to be the most important step in my routine after applying my foundation... under eye concealer! I use Benefit's Erase Paste in number 3. A little goes a long way with this product, i think i've have mine for something like a year and a half and its still going strong. My first impression with this product was not a good one; when i first started using it, it would look really cakey and crease like nobody's business but having watched many YouTube videos in which this product was i used i realised that i was just putting way too much on. This concealer can help you hide a multitude of sins, no one will ever tell that you had a late night once you put a bit of this on!

Unlike a lot of people, now is the point where i apply my translucent powder, don't ask me why, because, well, i don't have an answer for you, this is just what makes sense to me, but you can apply it at the very end if you wish, i honestly don't think it makes a difference. I use the Laura Mercier Translucent Powder with my Topshop Powder brush. Being translucent it doesn't add any colour or take away colour to/from my face, it simply helps my makeup last longer and stops me from getting shiny; and since im living in Spain, this will be my best friend in a few weeks as the weather will start to warm up.

Bronzer time! This is a step that i will miss out once i get a tan, but in the winter months i like to put a light dust of NARS Laguna bronzer on my cheeks, neck and then blend a bit into my hair line. I don't put a lot on because i'm not really a fan of the tangoed look; sometimes you can't tell that i've even put any on. I apply the bronzer with the Bare Minerals Flawless Face brush.

Now its time to put some colour back into my cheeks. I've been using MAC PeachyKeen since i started wearing makeup, and i haven't really tried anything else. Its the perfect colour for both summer and winter; in summer it enhances my tan, and in winter i just put a little dusk of this on and it just brightens my face up. Now this is a shimmery blush, so if you go crazy with it, you won't look to great, however it does mean just you can get away with not putting a highlighter on.

After i've done all this, i will then go ahead a choose my lip colour for the day, it will normally be a natural lipgloss or lip balm. Below are side profile pictures of me with and without makeup, as you are able to see how the acne scarring on my cheeks is covered up.