Q. How to get rid of pimples and prevent them from coming back? I’ve been having break-outs and IDK what to do with my face. I wash my face every morning when I wake up and before I go to sleep.

A. I feel your pain! I hate hate breakouts! I would say that to deal with yours you need to up your skin care routine from just washing your face because that may not be enough! Try face scrubs, clay masks, spot treatments and toners to treat the spots and help dry them out! However, please don’t pick at your spots- its the worst thing you can do because its makes the spot take a lot longer to go away! So whilst it will give you instant gratification you will have to wait much longer for the mark to fade and deal with scaring! Also don’t over dry your face as this can cause more spots to form so make sure you use a light hydrating moisturiser! Drinking tonnes of water will also help to clear your skin up because it will flush the toxins out of your skin! If you want more tips check outs Willa’s post on her skin care routine ! Hope that helps! xx

Q. What are your top acne face washes? drugstore and not drugstore

On the whole I would say that acne face washes are too strong for most people and will over dry your skin, causing more spots! So try combination skin cleansers such as avene cleanance gel (drugstore) or the clinique wash-away cleanser for oily to very oily skin (department store). xx

Q. What are the best eye creams? drugstore

I used to be into eye gels such as the boots cucumber eye gel, but I didn’t really find that they did much for me so on the whole the only drug store ‘eye cream’ that I’ve really found to have done anything for me is graniers tinted eye roll-on, which is great for the morning as it is quick to apply and doubles up as your concealer! In the evening I use a super hydrating eye cream which is department store. xx

Q: What Facial Toner do you recommend?

A: Toners really help mattify and tighten pores! Try these:

• Elemis Lavender toner -amazing for your skin concerns as it also helps calm the skin. Can also be used on Combination Skin.
• Avene Mattifying/Purifiying Lotion -again good for more oily skin.

For Dry/Normal Skin, try these:

• Biotherm HydraMineral toner -Nice and light for everyday.
• Estee Lauder Intense Softening toner- very nourishing!

So whatever your skin type you can give a Toner a try, as they also help remove excess of your cleanser which could them block your pores!

More Qs? Xx

Flo writes…

Hey everyone! Today I am posting on the products that I have been loving this month and why! So lets get started…

(From Right to Left)

• Bourjois Volume Fast and Perfect Mascara- I mentioned this a while back when I first got it and I really love it! It has a rotating wand that really helps to separate my lashes and gives them tonnes of volume and length!
• Neutrogena Visible clear spot stress control daily scrub- I don’t use this daily (and I wouldn’t recommend that you do), but I do use it every other day to just give my skin an extra thorough clean. Afterwards my skin feels fresh and tingling! Its really helped to clear up my skin and I love it!
• Soap and Glory The Breakfast Scrub- This smells so yummy- like maple syrup! Also it gives a good exfoliation and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. 
• Bourjois Mineral Bronzing Foundation- This is a perfect back to school product as mineral foundation takes a lot less time to apply than regular foundation because you don’t have to set it with powder. I particularly like this one as it has two sides (one with foundation and the other with loose bronzer) which you can mix to create your perfect shade! 
• EOS summer fruits lipbalm- If you read our blog regularly you will know that we love EOS! It really is the best lip balm I have ever come across and I wish that it was more regularly available here as it makes my lips so soft!

So what about you guys- what have you been loving this month? Let me know! 

Q’s? xx

Flo writes…

Heya! In this post I am going to be running through how I’ve been caring for my skin over the summer. I have combination/oily skin so this might be helpful if you have a similar type! 

I’ve found that this routine has helped a lot and with the recent additions I have made to it I’ve noticed that my skin has become clearer very quickly! 

Daily Cleansing

In the AM- keep it quick and simple!

• I wash my face once using Avene cleanance gel soapless cleanser for oily, blemish-prone skin (check out my review here!) and massaging it into my face with a Sephora face cleansing brush. 
• Next I pat my face dry and apply Avene light hydrating cream for normal to combination sensitive skin. This ones great for my skin type as it nourishes the dry parts but doesn’t make the rest of my face overly oily! 

In the PM- do a through cleanse to make sure all the days dirt and grime is gone! 

• First I remove all my make up with boots essentials cucumber cleansing wipes.
• Next, I cleanse my face in the same way as the morning but do it twice to make sure my skin’s really clean. 
• I then use a yes to tomatoes deep cleansing facial pad on my T-zone to get rid of excess oil and help to combat spots! 
• Then I apply the same moisturiser as in the morning onto my face making sure to massage it in.

Extra Care

• A couple of times a week I use a face mask- at the moment I’m loving the boots essentials cucumber 3-minute clay mask! Perfect for skin that it on the oily side! 
• At the moment I don’t feel that it is necessary for me to exfoliate as the face brush does that gently daily but if I did want an extra exfoliation I would use a damp wash cloth to remove the mask and work in small circular motions to stimulate blood flow in my face! 

Q’s? xxx

Willa writes…

September is coming and all we want is fab looking skin for back to school or work! So now is the time to kick your regime up a notch and achieve flawless skin by September! Follow these tips and say hello fresh skin:

• Go back to basics and clear up your diet. The long summer may have lead you astray but get back on track with lots of fresh fruits, veges and water!
• Cleanse Twice when wearing makeup. Once to remove makeup and twice to purify your skin!
• Tone Daily to remove any cleanser you didn’t wash off successfully. Excess product can clog pores.
• Use a Face mask weekly. Try a moisturizing mask for dry skin or a clay based mask for Oily Skin.
• Try out some new beauty tools, like the Konjac Sponge for super sensitive skin!
• Give yourself a mini massage when applying moistuizer, spend a minute or two massaging in small circular motions.
• Give your skin makeup-free days once in a while to let your skin recover and breath.
• Mix up the SPF! The sun can really clear up your skin as it is anti-bacterial and Vitamin D is great for your skin. So every now and again lower the SPF.
• Go heavy with your moisturizer around the contours of your eyes for an eye-cream effect.

Any Qs? Xx

Flo writes…

This mask, specifically for dry skin, contains protein, vitamins, lecithin and essential fatty acid, perfect for moisturising patched skin! If you want to make this mask even more hydrating simply add some coconut oil. This mask is also great for hands! 

Ingredients

• 1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 tbsp natural or plain yoghurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (optional) 

Mash the avocado with the yoghurt and mix well, or blend them in your mixer. Apply to cleansed and exfoliated skin and leave for 5-10 minutes to sink in before rinsing away with warm water. 

This mask is great as its super easy and quick to make! 

So thats it for face masks, but check back for more DIYs body recipes! 

Flo writes…

Hey everyone! Todays DIY is a face mask for Oily skin containing grapes, lemons and egg whites. The acidity of the lemon acts as a toner and an antiseptic on the skin and the grape helps to nourish, whereas the egg tightens the skin. This mask is great if you suffer from acne and can also be used on the oily areas of combination skin!

Ingredients

• 1 egg white (free range is best)
• 1 handful of seedless white grapes (a large ripe pear can be substituted) 
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tsp bran 

Firstly beat the egg white until it forms peaks, then peel and mask the grapes and drain all the juices. Next, mix the egg whites with lemon juice, bran and mashed fruit until the mixture becomes fluffy. To apply this mask simply massage it into your skin after you have cleansed and exfoliated and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water to remove. 

Flo writes…

Hey guys! So since it is summer I thought that everyone would have more time on their hands and that it  would be fun to do a series of DIY face and body treatments! So this one is for combination skin- the strawberries are packed with natural antioxidants which soften the skin and help to balance oil production and the mint helps to brighten your complexion. So here’s what you need and how to make it- 

Ingredients 

• 6 large ripe strawberries
• 1 handful of spearmint leaves
• 1 tsp wheatgerm oil
• 1 tsp orange juice 

To make all you need to do is blend the strawberries and spearmint leaves, before adding the wheatgerm oil and orange juice. Spread the mixture on freshly cleansed and exfoliated skin and leave for 5-10 minutes before rinsing. 

So what do you guys think? Will you be trying this recipe? I will be posting many more DIYs for you to do so stay tuned! 

Q: Whats the best way to cover/conceal a spot, without the skin getting dry and disgusting? thank you -Jen

A: Hey Jen, thanks for your question! First of all I suggest that you try changing your skin care routine if you are getting a lot of spots- its better to treat them rather than just hide them! But of course, all of us end up with blemishes from time to time so here is how I conceal and hide them:

• First of all I like to apply a little spot treatment to the spot to help treat it whilst I wear my makeup. The ones from Avene and Clarins are great!
• Next I apply my foundation on top as normal. However make sure you don’t try to cover the spot with foundation- thats not what its for! Don’t do this if you use powder foundation, you’ll be using it on top as your setting powder.
• Take a concealer with a thick consistency, such as Benefits erase paste, and using a very small concealer brush, dap it directly on the spot avoiding the surrounding area. By doing this you are only highlighting the blemish! 
• Finally use a puff with powder to set all your hard work! 

If you follow these steps then your spot should be much less noticeable. As for worrying about dryness and general ugliness, I would say that using a q-tip to apply your spot treatment or what ever you choose to use on the area will stop the surrounding from getting dried out. 

I recommend that if you have a spot, say, on your forehead, then you should play up the skin on your cheeks by using a pretty blusher in a bright pink or peach. Or if the spots are on your cheeks, play up your eyes! Its all about down playing that area so peoples eyes aren’t drawn to it. 

Hope that gave you some useful advise! xxxx

Any more Q’s? Ask here: http://makeupwrites.tumblr.com/ask

Flo writes…

Hey girlies! Today I’m going to do a review on the Avene cleanance gel soapless cleanser as I’ve been using it regularly for the past couple of months and I’ve got through at least 3 bottles of it so, I can safely give you an accurate review!

This cleanser is designed for oily/blemish prone skin but I think it works very well for combination skin (which is what I have) and that it perhaps would not be potent or strong enough to treat chronic acne, but don’t quote me on that. It worked great for me and I really like it! Unlike most cleansers for combination skin it did not dry out my cheeks and chin area but it still successfully removed the excess oil from my t-zone and has helped to get rid of any blemishes.

The formula is a liquid-y gel but foams up when you apply it. I’ve been using a scrublet with it but it works fine with out, thats just what I prefer personally. 

Oddly enough, it smells like soap even though it doesn’t contain any, but the smells not unpleasant. 

I would defiantly recommend this cleanser as I think it works really well and its not too expensive (I don’t have the exact price but I think its around £10-12) 

I would rate this 8/10

Tip- if your looking for a cleanser for combination skin check out the ingredients, look for stuff like salicylic and lactic acid (they help to remove dead skin and excess sebum on your skin without drying it out!).

Any questions about skin care? Ask here: http://makeupwrites.tumblr.com/ask

Q: What cleansers do you recommend for treating acne? I have combination skin that’s sensitive o: -famousforalittlebit

A: HIya! Here are a few options your could try out:

• Oil Based Cleanser: This is kind to sensitive skin and also good from combo skin as it dissolves excess oils on your face but also moisturizes dry parts! Simply remove with hot cloth for extra deep cleansing. BONUS: When using this there is no need to use a makeup remover as the oils also remove stubborn makeup! Try Botanics Soothing Cleansing Balm from boots.
• Gel Wash Cleanser: Try Vichys Norma-Derm Purifiying Cleansing Gel, this is good to treat acne but is also soap and fragrance free so its great for sensitive skin! With this you will definitely notice a clearer skin within a week of use! But you will need to use a makeup remover before to get rid of eye makeup and foundation properly, I would adivse a milk cleanser! This is kind to skin and can be removed just with a cotton ball. Try Avene’s Gentle Milk Cleanser.

Hope this Helped! Any more Qs? makeupwrites.tumblr.com/ask

Willa writes…Yes! A Benefit Skincare Line called B.Right is launching in April this year!

Karen from MakeupandBeautyBlog.com writes; 

“The eight-piece collection, which focuses on hydration and brightening, is designed to work hand in hand with Benefit’s makeup. ..with prices ranging from $21-38. Expect to see cleansers, a toner, an eye makeup remover, an exfoliator, an eye cream and face moisturizers.”

This seems pretty cool! I wonder if its any good?! xxx

Flo writes…

Today is just a quick post to tell you about a cleanser that I am really into right now. Normally I have combination skin and I use cleansers which contain salicylic acid, but just recently my cheeks have been getting much dryer and my t-zone is less oily so I have swapped my cleanser. Instead I have been using Avene extremely gentle cleanser. It is really creamy and is a tissue off formula. This means that you do not have your skin dried out by water. It leaves your face feeling unbelievably soft and smooth. It is also great for sensitive skin because it is specially formulated to not irrite skin.

To be perfectly honest I would recomend their entire range because I have not had one product from there that has done my skin badly and they are all quite cheap . 

Any way if you were looking for a new cleanser (and you have dry skin) I hope this gave you idea for one to try! 

xx

Flo writes…

Hey guys! This is just a quick post showing 3 ways that you can make your moisturiser go further and do more for your skin.

1. apply your moisturiser onto freshly cleansed skin within three minutes to seal in the moisture already there.
2. when applying your cream make sure that you massage it in for at least 30 seconds. Doing this will help push the cream in as far as possible and boost circulation, giving your skin that healthy glow!
3. Lastly, make sure that you screw the lid on tightly. If you don’t the cream will be oxidised, which can reduce the potency of some of the ingredients. 

I hope that was helpful and if you have any special mosturiser tricks let me know! 

have a great Sunday guys! xx