The best beauty tool

In my first blog post I wrote about my much adored Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser - the only product to get rid of my little under-the-skin bumps. See here: 

http://ineedtogetmykittogether.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-top-three-products.html

I do swear by this product, and I encourage anyone who has acne to give it a shot if they're willing to cash in twenty-something pounds every few months.  As a student however, It's a lot for me to spend so I wanted a product which was a little more cost-effective, which is why I came across:

No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush - £24.95 (but currently on offer at Boots for £15.00!)

You can see if you look at that blog post ↑ that as soon as I stopped using the Dermalogica my forehead started to break out, so the fact that I've weened myself completely off the cleanser using this facial brush therefore shows you how great it is! 

This product claims to clean the skin extensively removing dirt and unclogging pores. I found out that the reason little bumps were erupting underneath my skin was because my skin was congested, so immediately I was attracted to this product. 

A lot of the reviews I read before purchasing this product (or working the puppy-eyes so my dad would buy it for me!) said that the brush was too harsh on their skin. Luckily this hasn't been a problem for me and I use it twice a day... when I'm not feeling like a lazy bugger. 

Originally when I first got the brush I only used it in conjuction with Dermalogica, but have gradually lessened the use. Now I use it with L'oreal Skin Perfection Purifying Gel wash in the mornings (to refine texture), and Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2 in 1 Wash & Mask in the evenings (with clay to unclog pores). They both cost only a few pounds from any drugstore. 

For me, my skin started to look amazing after around two weeks of use. The reason I love this product is because you can feel the product penetrating the skin, giving it a clean I don't think a bog-standard hand wash could. My face feels incredibly soft and fresh after each use, and for some reason the products I apply afterwards seem to have more effect. 

A lot of women have said that they don't think this product would work for acne, but I would disagree - for mild acne anyway. My face has remained acne-free. It has also reduced my blackheads mahoosively. The pores are much smaller so they are no way near as noticeable. I had some red patches on my forehead from where the skin hadn't completely healed and that has now dissapeared, revealing an even complexion. 

Though twenty five pounds may seem like a lot to pay initially, the great thing is that you don't have to replace it. You only have to replace the heads, which is every few months and only a few pounds if you have one of those five pounds of No 7 vouchers. I've had the product for about two months now and no sign of needing to change the batteries yet either.

Anyway the brush is on offer right now and like I just said, if you have one of those No 7 vouchers you could get five pounds off. Only ten pounds! I personally think that if you purchase it you won't look back. 

Free yourself from flyaways

To say that I hate flyaway hairs is an understatement. I have a burning resentment towards them because they seem to have ruled my life for a fair amount of time. My hair story is a little long but it's going to be a big part of this blog so not to bore you, I'll try to be as brief as possible. 

It's not something that is common or seems to be discussed between women of my age at least, but I have been experiencing hair loss for around a year. It hasn't taken form as a bald spot, but rather just all over my head. Handfuls would come out several times a day and only naturally, I started to freak out!!! I'm serious when I say that I actually blocked the shower drain entirely because of my hair loss. It's not surprising, that I was a little alarmed to say the least. I had a blood test which confirmed that I had low iron stores and that I was deficient in folic acid, and it's important to say that this can be caused from being on the pill which I have been taking for five years now. I also experienced an increased amount of stress in my second year of uni which I think was a contributing factor. Anyway through a holistic approach including supplements, oils etc my hair has started to grow back and I promise that I will do a seriously in-deapth post on this shortly. I just want to have given it a proper period of time before I start making absolute conclusions. 

Anyway, I wanted a product that would smooth down both my weak, wispy hair and the new shorter hairs coming through. Annoyingly, lot of the frizziness occurs at the front of my crown where the hair is probably most visible. So the product I purchased for this was:

John Freida Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer - £10.99 

As you can see it consists of a wand that you brush through your hair to distribute the product. I think this form of application works really well because it spreads the product evenly. In terms of the substance inside the container, it can work well but the trick is NOT to use too much. It can get a little sticky and clump the hair together which obviously we don't want. Although if you wanted to go for a slicked back/down style (apparently the Kardashians' favourite look these days) then this would actually work in your favour. If you just go through the area of the hair once of twice however, I think it really does get rid of flyaways and make your hair look shiny. I also just sort of run my fingers through it to make sure the hair doesn't glue together. Another plus is that is lasts so well! If I put it on in the morning I will still be free of flyaways in the evening. The only thing I wonder is whether it would survive through rain? Maybe someone can tell me. 

The price is quite expensive but you only use a small amount of product at a time so it lasts for a while. I've had mine for three months and I'm not even a quarter of the way through. Also if you think what you would spend on an actual mascara, it's pretty equal! I would certainly reccomend this product, as I think it does exactly what it says on the tin.

Anyway if anyone who is experiencing hair loss at all has any questions or tips please let me know as it's something I'm constantly learning about and needs to be acknowledged more in my opinion. 

Thanks!

Can a blush that costs next to nothing actually do the trick?

I have an all-time favourite blush: Lancome's Magique Blush. I always used to sneak into my mum's make up bag and apply it to my cheeks in a guilty rush - she didn't like me stealing her make up and I was always scared I'd get caught! I loved it because it was so velvety and soft, and the colour was dense but subtle (depending on the shade), if that makes sense? It lasted until the very moment you wiped off your make up which is unusual as I find blushes tend to fade away during the course of the day. It pains me to say Lancome have discontinued it. Please bring this joy back into my life!

Anyway while I wouldn't have minded splashing the cash for this special product, as a student I just don't have the expenses to be paying twenty pounds, give or take, on a blush. On my search for a new blush, I came across:

MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher in Bittersweet

I don't love this blush anyway near as much as Lancome's Magique Blush, but I do really, really like it. I like a blush with a blast of colour as sometimes I feel like my face can look dull, and this really brightens it up. This colour certainly has an electricity to it, and it can be a little shocking at first glance! But no need to be intimidated; if you start slowly you can build it up in colour. If you just apply a little to the apple of your cheeks  it comes out as a little pop, but if you want more you can create a serious POP. I think in that case it would look great with a tan and a simple coat of mascara. Simple but dramatic. 

Anyway in terms of the consistency, I like the creaminess of it because it's very light meaning that it's fairly easy to blend. Depending on how much you use, it can either be slightly sheer or more opaque. Rather than the velvety effect of the Lancome blusher, this gives more of a dewiness as it's slightly shiny rather than matte. This may discourage some people, but as someone that uses a matte foundation (Estee Lauder Double Wear) it's good to use something that provides a bit of a glow. If you use a BB, CC, DD (the list seems to be expanding!) cream or a light foundation that is more radiant, then it might be better to use a matte, powder blush.

Now I wouldn't say that this product would last all day, but because the colour Bittersweet is quite bright the colour does seem to last. As for the more natural shades I'm not so sure. My best friend has this blush in Blusher Blossom, and she loves it, and I think it also looks really good on her. So it shows that the nude shades are just as good.

To be frank, this blusher is £2.00, and for such a low price there is just no going wrong. My only issue is that I wish they would bring out some more colours, like coral. All-in-all, it may not be Lancome Magique, but it will certainly do the trick for me.