Tag Archives: blackheads

10 Things You’re Doing That Are Causing Spots

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Is your skin getting you down? You think you’ve tried everything but you’re still getting those stubborn spots? Well there may some things you’re doing that you don’t realise which is causing your skin to be this way! You might have the perfect skincare routine but there are many surprising causes of acne that you probably didn’t know about!

1. Not Washing Your Hands Before Touching Face

Your hands harbour loads of bacteria from everything you touch during the day, including propionibacterium acnes which is a bacterium that lives on the skin and is responsible for clogging pores which causes spots! Not only is there bacteria on your hands but also oils, which again can cause spots, so keep those hands away from your face! If you do need to touch your face remember to wash them before doing so or to use hand sanitiser.

2. Using a Dirty Towel to Dry Your Face

Every time you wash your face if you’re not using a clean towel to dry it then you will unfortunately be transferring bacteria onto your lovely clean face, which can result in spots and worsen existing skin conditions. A cute idea to help you with this is having a small basket in your bathroom with neatly rolled face cloths stacked up, ready for you to use a clean one every time you wash your face!

3. Not Washing Your Makeup Brushes Regularly

Makeup brushes are another location where bacteria can grow if you don’t clean them often. All that old makeup and bacteria, as well as oil buildup from your skin, makes dirty brushes a major cause of spots! You wouldn’t put dirty water on your face so why put dirty brushes on your face?! It’s important to clean your brushes at least once a week; you can even buy some gadgets to make your brush cleaning less of a chore, like the Stylpro Original that cleans and drys your brushes in seconds.

4. Transferring Bacteria Into Your Makeup

It’s strange that a lot of makeup brands don’t produce their foundations with a pump so you end up having to pour it out onto your hand if you can’t find a pump that fits. Not only is this annoying but it causes bacteria to be transferred into your foundation! This also applies to other products you have to dip into so it’s important to buy makeup pumps where you can and always use clean brushes when dipping into products to prevent your makeup from being contaminated! It should also be remembered that makeup actually has an expiry date, and it’s not recommended to use the products after this date because it’s safe to say they will definitely contain a good dose of acne causing bacteria!

5. Not Changing Your Pillow Case Regularly

For a long time I wondered why I was getting spots on the side on my face, in particular my cheeks. It wasn’t until I realised it was being caused from my pillow cases that I discovered a build up of oils from your hair can transfer to your pillow, which in turn transfers to your face and can cause spots. I made sure to change my pillow cases at least twice a week and like magic I started seeing an improvement in my skin! It’s particularly important to do this if like me you love putting argan or coconut oil in your hair, which can transfer onto your pillow cases.

6. Letting Your Hair Touch Your Face Constantly

Similarly to changing your pillow case, always allowing your hair to touch your face can cause spots. Your hair is coated in natural oils, along with any other products you may add which probably won’t agree with your skin. If your hair is always touching your face these products can transfer onto your skin and clog your pores. Wearing some cute clips to keep your hair off your face or using less products can help prevent them from forming!

7. Using Too Many Harsh Ingredients in Your Skincare Regime

When you have acne it’s can be very easy to think that throwing everything at it that you’ve got will make it disappear, but this can cause the acne to get worse or other skin conditions to appear. It’s important to remember to treat your skin kindly, it’s very easy to dry your skin out by overusing AHA/BHAs which can make your skin more sensitive, trigger more spots or lead to dermatitis. You may think that moisturising will make acne worse if you already have oily skin but trust me moisturiser is not your enemy! Investing in a good oil free moisturiser will make sure that you’re not over drying your skin and can actually help regulate sebum production. When you over dry your skin, it can respond by producing more sebum than before so it’s important to get the balance right.

8. Making Calls on Your Phone Frequently

If you’ve been changing your pillow cases frequency but are still getting spots on your cheeks then it might be because your making phone calls a lot. A recent study showed that your phones harboured more than 25,000 per inch and some even had more bacteria than a toilet seat! The issue is that your phone is rarely cleaned, if you’re someone who likes to sit on the toilet with your phone, you’ll most likely wash your hands after but not your phone. Additionally, all the bacteria from everything you touch during the day gets transferred to your phone, and this gets transferred to your face, in particular your cheek area when you make phone calls. It’s worth investing in some headphones with a microphone to make calls or carrying round alcohol wipes to give your phone the much deserved cleaning it needs!

9. Increased Stress Levels

We all get stressed at the best of times, but most people don’t realise that stress can have a negative effect on your skin. Stress doesn’t directly cause acne but it has been found that the stress hormone called ‘corticotrophin releasing hormone’ increases the production of oil on the skins surface which can cause more spots to form. Another important factor to remember is that when we are stressed we may forget to follow our usually skin routine!

10. Poor Diet

Many studies have shown that eating a healthy diet can improve your skin and help reduce the amount of spots you get. Diets high in sugar increase your insulin levels, which in turn caused your oil glands to produce more oil causing more spots. Sugar is not the only thing in your diet to do this, but also high glycemic carbohydrates, dairy, saturated fats and trans fats. If you want to help your skin it’s suggested you consume more:

    Fruit
    Vegetables (especially leafy greens)
    Legumes
    Whole grains
    Oily fish
    Nuts and seeds

Final Note

Recognising the underlying causes of your acne is the first step towards helping to treat it. If you follow these 10 easy steps then your on the way to getting your acne under control! Always remember that if you’ve tried all of these steps, as well as over the counter products, but your acne persists then its best to seek advice from a dermatologist.

What’s your best tips to fight acne?

Laura ♡

The Envy Facial at Dermoperfection UK

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Over the festive period whilst we eat, drink and be merry, the partying and over indulgence can really take a toll on our skin. Thinking there’s no way to rescue your skin? Dermoperfection in Birmingham has come to the rescue with the ENVY Facial!

Dermoperfection is a medical aesthetics clinic that opened in early 2019 within Birmingham city centre and is now the first establishment in Birmingham to offer the ENVY facial. If you haven’t heard of the ENVY facial as of yet I’m sure you will be hearing much more about it soon, this celebrity favourite facial helps you achieve the skin of your dreams leaving your skin red carpet ready in under an hour!

How does the ENVY facial work?

Photo credit: Dr Nyla Raja

The ENVY facial, created by ENVY medical cleverly utilises a 3-in-1 skin resurfacing treatment carried out by a patented diamond tip hand held device, which exfoliates and extracts dead skin, blackheads and impurities, whilst infusing your skin with serums all one one step. The ENVY technique allows the serums to fully penetrate your skin, absorbing into the layers where they’re most needed.

The most exciting thing about this treatment is that it’s completely customisable, which the choice of different serums targeted to specific skincare issues. But as many of you know most people have more than one issue with their skin and the founders behind the ENVY facial understood that, creating a device that can infuse two separate serums into the skin to target your different concerns.

Interestingly at the end of the facial you are actually able to see what impurities, dirt and blackheads were removed from your skin. If you book a course of facials you will be able to see that over time your skin will improve with each facial and less impurities will be present in the jar at the end. Not only does the ENVY facial reduce the appearance of wrinkles and plump up the skin, but it also has been shown to be very effective at treating other skin concerns such as acne, hyperpigmentation, rosacea and large pores.

My Experience

Upon entering the clinic I was greeted by Stuart, the friendly and knowledgable owner of Dermoperfection. Stuart showed me to the treatment room where I had my consultation and skin analysis during which it was decided what serums would be best for my skin. The ENVY facial offers 4 different serums to chose from:

  • Pro-Infusion Ultra Hydrating serum
  • Pro-Infusion Vitamin C serum
  • Pro-Infusion Skin Brightening serum
  • Pro-Infusion Pore Clarifying serum

Each facial uses two serums and with Stuart’s advice I decided to opt for the Pro-Infusion Pore Clarifying serum and the Pro-Infusion Vitamin C serum. The pore clarifying serum contains salicylic acid, bakuchiol and Origanum Vulgare leaf oil, which work together to target bacteria, unclog pores, reduce surface redness and prevent future outbreaks. The vitamin C serum contains vitamin C, vitamin E and grape seed extract which work together to help the production of collagen synthesis, protect against free radicals caused by oxidisation from sun exposure and helps the skin to retain moisture by preventing transepidermal water loss.

Next my skin was cleaned, followed by the serums I had chosen then being placed into the ENVY medical dermal infusion device with the facial then taking place shortly after. During the facial you feel a slight scratching sensation and pressure as the device is applied to your face, which is due to the diamond tip exfoliating the dead skin away. It was not painful in the slightest and the pressure applied can be altered so even the most delicate areas of your face such as your under eye area and lips can also be done. The facial itself took under half an hour and I was left with dewy glowing skin! My skin looked radiant and had no redness after, so I was able to leave the clinic and carry on with the rest of my day. However the best results from the facial appear 1-3 days later after the serum has been able to get to work , which is when my skin began to look even more radiant and youthful.

For me the best part of the facial is the jar of ‘junk’ you get at the end of it. This jar contains all the dead skin cells, blackheads and impurities that we’re extracted out of your skin and it really is a shock to see how much grime can be extracted from your face even if you have a brilliant skincare regime! Below is a photograph of my before (left) and after (right) jar.

I’m not sure if it was satisfying or disgusting that I was actually able to see the dead skin and blackheads floating around within the mixture extracted from my face which can be clearly seen in the photograph below.

I believe the ENVY facial is the perfect treatment to get your skin in tip top condition again without having to use invasive techniques. What’s also brilliant is that the ENVY device can be applied to any area of your body, so if your suffering from back acne or maybe want a glowing décolletage then this might be the perfect treatment for you. It’s really exciting that Dermoperfection has become the first clinic in all of Birmingham to start offering this revolutionary treatment and I can’t wait to see what other groundbreaking treatments Stuart and the team will be offering in the future! No other facial technique is able to carry out the 3-in-1 technology and infuse serums deep within the skin like the ENVY facial does. So what are you waiting for, 2020 calls for a new beginning and what better way to start it than having an ENVY facial at Dermoperfection!

Will you be trying you the ENVY facial?

Laura 
♡

Disclaimer: I was gifted this treatment, however all opinions are genuine and my own.

 

Thēmaē Exfoliant Pur Théïshu Review

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Being a skincare junkie I can never have enough products, especially my favourite product for achieving perfectly soft and clean skin: exfoliator! I thought I’d tried every exfoliator you can think of until I recently came across a brand called Thēmaē. Thēmaē is an independent French brand that are unique within the skincare market as they combine the pharmaceutical benefits of tea with natural ingredients and spring water to create a pure product that have amazing effects.

The Thēmaē laboratory developed a unique technology where the precious mixed blend of green tea, black tea, white tea and blue tea produced a product with exceptional antioxidant effects. This new technology is the Complexe des 4 Thés. What I love about this company is that they rely on the natural power of biotechnology where formulas of natural ingredients are used in combination to create products suited perfectly for the skin, instead of using the lab-made chemicals found within many other brands.

Not only does Thēmaē produce amazing skincare products but also premium teas that provide an extra dose of polyphenols, one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world; the perfect accompaniment to the antioxidant effects within the products themselves. Surprisingly I also found out that Thēmaē has renowned spa in Paris and exclusive face & body treatments using their products are available at other spas too!

Exfoliant Pur Théïshu

After hearing about Thēmaē I was excited to try to the Exfoliant Pur Théïshu, which is a creamy facial exfoliant. Usually I am reluctant to try exfoliants that aren’t chemical exfoliants as they can be quite abrasive however this wasn’t the case with Exfoliant Pur Théïshu. The exfoliant component used was an very finely ground organic rice powder, micronised so it would be suitable for the most sensitive skin without causing the damaging abrasion associated with many exfoliants. I found that the product also contained other key ingredients to help promote the skins appearance which included:

Complexe des 4 Thés – Thēmaē’s trademark complex of 4 teas, with high concentrations of polyphenols which protect the skin from the effects of free radicals and delay the appearance of signs of ageing.

Macadamia virgin organic oil: due to its amazing ability to penetrate the skin this oil not only moisturises and reconstructs, but repairs the the most fragile skin.

Organic water young barley sprout: a concentrate of multi-vitamins and trace elements, helping to maintain vital functions of the skin. It additionally has a high vitamin C concentration which give the skin radiance.

Olive squalene: strengthens the hydrolipidic film of the skin for more comfort and protection.

Results

My first impression of the product was that I couldn’t believe how creamy and moisturising it was. With many exfoliants my skin is left feeling a little dry after but this creamy texture of this product left my skin feeling so smooth that I couldn’t stop touching it! I continued to use the product for a few weeks to see if it really lived up to its claims and was pleasantly surprised. Over the period of time I used it my skins appearance improved looking smoother and my pores looked a lot smaller. The rice powder which is the exfoliant in the product is so small in particle size and fine that it gives you a really gentle exfoliation which is perfect for my skin. Overall, after using this products for a few weeks my skin was glowing! I actually got a few compliments off friends and even my beautician about my skin. The Exfoliant Pur Théïshu will definitely be replacing my usual chemical exfoliant in my skincare routine because I can’t get enough of its moisturising effects. Also recently, reaching the age of 25, I think it’s important to start thinking about preventative measures against the signs of ageing and what better than using Thēmaē products, with their strong antioxidant effects to help prevent it.

If your looking for smoother skin and preventative measures to stop the signs of ageing then I’d definitely recommend Thēmaē’s Exfoliant Pur Théïshu. Being paraben free, using natural and also organic ingredients where possible, in addition to being cruelty free Thēmaē’s products are the perfect addition to your skin care regime, because if anything…your skin deserves it!

The product itself retails for £33 but using code LAURA10 at checkout you can receive 10% off your order at www.themaeuk.co.uk

Have you tried any Thēmaē products?

Laura 
♡

Disclaimer: the product I received was complimentary however all opinions are genuine and my own.

 

Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturiser Review

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Big news – after years of searching for the perfect product for my spot prone oily skin I think I have FINALLY found it! Since a teenager I’ve suffered with hormonal acne breakouts and blackheads, trying nearly every product you can think of to combat them. Whilst some products did seem to work for the spots, I couldn’t find anything that actually managed to get rid of my stubborn blackheads until I discovered the Mario Badescu oil free moisturiser.

The Low Down

The bottle isn’t that large at 59ml, however a little bit goes a long way. The moisturiser is SPF 30, meaning it does have a thick suncream consistency and smell, but it soon dries off once you’ve applied it. I was worried about my skin feeling oily after application but after leaving it a few minutes to absorb fully my skin was left feeling fresh and awake! Some of the main ingredients are:

Glycerin – hydrates your skin and acts as barrier, working well for oily skin types.

St John’s wort – soothes and repairs delicate skin.

Green tea extract – a powerful antioxidant giving protection against environmental pollutants, UV radiation and premature ageing of the skin.

Aloe Vera – hydrates and softens the skin.

The product itself is dispensed through a ‘flip out’ style nozzle applicator, which can actually be a bit of a disadvantage at times, because product gets stuck in the applicator and dries out, meaning that when you squeeze some product out upon next application you get some of the left over hard residue come out.

The Results

Suffering from very oily skin I’ve always been scared of wearing moisturiser daily, as I’ve never really found one that agreed with my skin. However I thought I’d give this one a shot, and for the FIRST time ever used a moisturiser every morning and night for a month. I wasn’t expecting much but the results shocked me. The blackheads which I’ve had for over 15 years and haven’t been able to get rid off had completely disappeared! My skin was glowing and I felt confident for the first time to leave my house makeup free. Not only did it leave my skin spot and blackhead free, but I was also left is super soft glowing skin. The only downside I found to the moisturiser was that if I wore it under makeup then my foundation didn’t last as long. This was a slight inconvenience but it was nothing some blotting paper and a bit of powder couldn’t fix, it was definitely worth it for the results I was getting!

During the month I had university’s exams I became so stressed that I let my skincare regime slip and forgot to apply for moisturiser for a few weeks. Low and behold the dreaded blackheads returned, so you have to be consistent with the moisturiser to make sure they don’t reappear. Overall I can finally say that I’ve found my holy grail product! Although a little pricey at £25 a bottle it’s worth every penny in my opinion. If you want to try it for yourself you can purchase it here.

What’s your holy grail product?

Laura 
♡

Lush’s Mask of Magnaminty

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In February I decided to buy my first EVER lush mask. As a brand I love Lush and their strive to use organic natural ingredients in all their products, as well as being cruelty free. After discussing my skin issues with the sales assistant, she advised me to opt for the mask of magnaminty. This was a self preserving mask so did not need to be refrigerated like many of Lush’s other masks. Priced at £12.50 for a large tub (315g) it was an absolute steal, and I couldn’t wait to get home and try it out.

Initial Thoughts

I couldn’t believe how good this mask smelt, it reminded me of mint chocolate chip ice cream! The peppermint oil gave it a lovely refreshing feel and left my face feeling very cool. The mask has a very thick texture which is from the ground aduki beans and evening primrose seeds which act as the exfoliant in this mask. One of the main ingredients in the mask is honey, which acts as a natural preservative which is why this mask does not need to be refrigerated. In the past I’ve found clay masks to be very drying on my skin, but I was pleasantly surprised that this mask left my skin feeling soft and moisturised. My skin as a whole looked less red and was so soft that I couldn’t stop touching it! I was so impressed with this mask that I started using it 3 times a week; I found a lot goes a long way, so the larger 315g tub that I opted for will last me at least 3 months!

2 Months Later

So how did I get on? My main skin concerns were oily skin and outbreaks which this mask is supposed to combat, without drying your skin out too much. I still got outbreaks whilst using this mask, but they were massively reduced! I could tell this mask was actually working because when I stopped using it for 2 weeks I had a bad outbreak, which was them calmed by the use of this mask. I additionally noticed the blackheads around the corners of my nose were reducing in size which was an added bonus! I found it was great to use in the shower, and applied it to my back also as I sometimes get spots there. I found it be as effective on my back as it was for my face, so if your looking for a product to combat your ‘bacne’ also then give the mask of magnaminty a try!

Final Thoughts

This mask is a great addition to your skincare routine if like me you suffer from oily skin or outbreaks. It contains natural ingredients mean that it’s not that harsh that it drys your skin out, whilst effectively reducing the amount of outbreaks you get. It is a self preserving mask it, you can only keep it for 4 months but I’m sure if you did decide to keep it in the fridge then you could keep it a little longer. Because a lot goes a long way, I found that the large tub lasted me quite long whilst using it on both my face and my body. I’d advice if your only going to use it on your face once a week then to opt for smaller size. The overall effect of this mask was clearer and brighter skin, without the over drying effect that I found many masks which combat acne have. It is well worth a try if your looking for something new to revamp your skincare routine and give your skin the love and care it needs! If you’d like to try it for yourself you can purchase it from the Lush website here.

Have you tried any of the other masks which Lush sell?

Laura 
♡