My Botox With Dr Max Malik at Elate Health.

Some photographs from 3 weeks upwards after.

I make no secret of my thought on ageing, in that I will do everything in my power to avoid that whole ‘looking old’ thing as time creeps on. I also make no secret of the fact that I’m a bit partial to botox, having had my first injections a few years ago; I admit it, I love the stuff and have had nothing but good experiences with it. I see it as a preventative measure as well as a curative one for the few lines/wrinkles I already have developing and visible when I frown/smile etc, so that they don’t further develop and become deep set, staying visible whilst I’m not frowning or smiling… which would give me a big reason to frown even more.

I should add that whilst I’ve had Botox a number of times before, I haven’t been a rigidly regular user of it. However now I’m heading towards my mid-thirties, I’m thinking that I should up my treatments as if this can prevent more invasive treatments later in life, then for me, it’s worth doing.

Dr Max Malik, owner of Elate Health is a highly trained doctor (who just happens to train other doctors too), specialising in facial aesthetics, with clinics on the prestigious Harley Street in London, and also in the Birmingham area, with more locations coming soon. This is a guy who can give you a brow lift under local (not general) anaesthetic, who can sculpt your face using non-invasive procedures and generally make you look like the best version of you with minimal interruption to your normal life – so less invasive treatments are always preferred, unless absolutely necessary. He’s a wizard at his art with over 20 years of experience in medicine; and, having seen some of his before and after images from previous clients I’m thoroughly confident in his skills to make dramatic and positive changes that look totally natural.

Before treatment - ignore my unkempt brows, I was trying to grow them out. Forced faces to show extent of movement.

So, when I was presented with the opportunity to visit Dr Max back in September, I quickly accepted and off I trotted to visit him at his Birmingham clinic to see what magic he could work. The clinic is a modern, clean environment and Dr Max has his consultations up quite a large amount of stairs – although I’m sure this could be worked on for those who have more limited mobility. Whilst in his care, I was injected across my forehead to give my brows some lift, something I felt worked extremely well and would be quick to have again, rather than jumping in with a full brow lift – at least until I felt I needed a bit of extra oomph. ;-) I was also injected in-between my brows to combat my Glabella frown lines, and around the area to rid me of crow’s feet that I was beginning to notice when I smiled. Something that, whilst not extreme was really starting to affect my confidence quite a lot, especially when I noticed them in photographs.

The treatment wasn’t overly painful, with fine needles being used to inject in precise locations, obviously this also depends on your sensitivity to needles and pain, but I felt it was totally bearable. It was also over very quickly, so if you do have an aversion to needles, at least it’s over with pretty quickly.

Around 10 days after treatment.

As usual with Botox, I started to see results after about 3-4 days, with my muscles slowly starting to freeze, I love this part – it’s great to see the movement decrease, and I found myself checking the mirror each day and pulling faces, to see how much I could move the areas that I’d had injected. Full results are to be seen up to 14 days after treatment, where you’d normally go back to your practitioner for them to check their work, correct any asymmetries, and top up Botox where needed. Unfortunately I was unable to get back to Max due to illness, so I didn’t have my top up… but I was still quite pleased with the results I had, feeling whilst I think a top up would have been beneficial to my end results, that I had definitely benefitted from the injections regardless of having not had the usual top up.

More from after treatment 4 weeks+ - the top right shows some of the lift of my brows, along with the forehead line reduction.

My apologies for the lack of after photographs of any close up or non grainy quality, these were due to my technical issues, however I hope you can see that I do look more rested in them, despite the quality and at times, some funny face pulling.

If you’re in, or available to get to any of his clinic locations, then I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to you. More information on treatments, and Dr Max are available on his website, here.




There has been a delay in posting this (and a number of upcoming articles) due to both technical issues, and also having been through a sexual assault, which if you follow me on Twitter you'll have probably seen me tweeting about. Hoping that I have my mojo back now, and that technology starts to hate me slightly less. x

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

No Makeup for Marc Jacobs Models at New York Fashion Week!

So what do we think of Marc Jacobs models having not one single scrap of makeup on whilst on the runway at his spring/summer 2015 show at New York Fashion Week?

I love it, actual natural beauty (ok, they're models... but still) and a focus on skincare rather than hiding 'flaws'. Brilliant.

Only moisturiser was used by makeup artist Francois Nars (the genius behind the NARS makeup brand). It must have been the easiest job he's ever been paid to do too. :-)

Does this give you more confidence to go out sans makeup?

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Imperial Leather Foamburst Shower Gel - Honey & Almond and Sweet Vanilla & Cherry!

There are not many better feelings in life than being fresh out of the shower in my opinion, and so choosing a shower gel that makes you smell great, and feel as fresh as a daisy is very important to me. So, when I was given the opportunity to trial a couple of the new Imperial Leather Foamburst fragrances, I jumped at the chance, as I’ve always got on well with their products in the past.

The new fragrances each have their own genie to represent them, and with that, their own ‘personality’ which you can read up on here that reflect their individual scent.

I was sent the Sweet Vanilla/Cherry Blossom (Sebastian) and Honey & Almond (Cael) varieties to test out, and both are absolutely lovely.

The Sweet Vanilla and Cherry Blossom Foamburst is a stronger, more noticeable sweeter scent with a big hit on the cherry front to my nose. This is totally up my street as I do love a strong scent, especially when I’m not necessarily layering up on other fragrances. Great for you sweet scent lovers out there.

The Honey and Almond is a more subtle fragrance, just a nice clean and fresh scent… which I also love for a different reason; as sometimes you want your other fragrances (perfume, body lotion etc.) to do the talking, and this variety works much better in this instance, as fragrance clashes are never a good thing in my book. This is also perfect for those of you who don’t necessarily want a lot of fragrance, just a neutral, clean scent.

The thing I like about the Foamburst range is that the products really are true to their name. Literally moments after squirting out the gel, you see the gel turn white and start to foam in your hand. This makes it feel a lot more luxurious and expensive than it actually is, at £2.99 per bottle. Plus there’s something totally satisfying about seeing it foam up like this for me, is this weird? Maybe, ha!

However, this also means you don’t need to use as much product to start with, meaning it’s cost effective, and also means that it’s perfect for using not only for washing, but for shaving too – therefore saving you more money on having to buy extra products.

They say you get 40 uses from one 200ml can, which at full RRP of £2.99 per can works out at approximately 7p per shower, which is dirt cheap (pun intended). I’d agree with this, as you really don’t need to use a huge amount per wash, since the foam covers a large area, especially when used with a sponge, or flannel.

All in all, I would totally recommend this range from my experiences so far. I’m very much a luxury end of the scale kinda girl; and this, even though it doesn’t have a huge price tag or designer name, still ticks all the boxes for me on every level… so a big thumbs up here.


*In association with Imperial Leather, my views remain unaffected by this.

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

November 2013 Decleor Today's Special Value/TSV on QVC - Midnight Tonight!

I don't have many details right now, but I have had a few of you ask about this. I am told it's due to be on the 9th of November (so midnight tonight, guys), and Fiona Brackenbury added this photograph to her Facebook/Twitter accounts so I thought I'd post it up for those who haven't yet seen it. No price details as yet, they're embargoed until midnight, when you'll find out yourselves anyway. x

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

5 Skincare Mistakes You Probably Don't Know You're Making.

Most people take their skin for granted until something goes wrong. A spot appears, so you buy some cream to clear it up; you notice some lines, so you buy anti-wrinkle products. But you could be causing skin problems without even realising it.

The two biggest mistakes

We’ve all heard the warnings about covering up and using a high SPF cream in the sunshine, but did you know that you should apply sun cream every day? Even during winter, when you’re in the daylight, some ultraviolet rays can penetrate the cloud cover and damage your skin. Smoking is the next biggest cause of skin problems and is terrible for your health, not just your skin. Smoking restricts your circulation, reducing your skin's suppleness and leading to premature ageing. Quitting is the best option.

Sleep well and exercise

Lack of sleep can take its toll on your looks in general and leave you with lacklustre skin. As you sleep, your skin cells are refreshed because of a state called ‘parasympathetic mode’ in which the systems that are not part of your core receive more energy than usual. If you don’t get enough sleep, your skin cells will not be renewed as quickly as they should. As well as benefiting your heart, lungs and muscles, exercise is important for your skin. When you exercise, your circulation improves and that’s great for your skin, so get those trainers out of the cupboard and head for the park.

Skincare products

If you chop and change products frequently, they won't have a chance to work and your skin will suffer because of it. Give products at least three months to effect any changes, unless you notice sensitivity to them. The age of products is important, too. Are you still using make-up or toiletries that you’ve had for years? There’s a good chance that they have outlived their usefulness and they could be harbouring bacteria. One product you shouldn't be without is exfoliating cream. Exfoliating cream benefits come from removing dead skin cells, allowing the unhampered growth of new cells. It should be a part of your routine, but not every time you wash, as that would be too harsh on your skin.

Water

Some people like to take a long, hot shower as part of their beauty routine, to wash away all dirt and also to open their pores. However, this causes the loss of oils that are beneficial to the skin. Shower in warm water, for a shorter time, to avoid drying out your skin. Your skin also needs to be properly hydrated from the inside to enable its circulation to work properly. Drinking plenty of water will make sure that your cells can function properly. There is no set amount of fluid to aim for, as needs vary, but experts recommend that you don’t allow yourself to become thirsty.

Self-diagnosis

It’s unlikely that you are an expert in skin conditions, yet you’ve probably been guilty of self-diagnosis at some point. If you notice a blemish or rash that doesn’t go away within a week, ask at your local pharmacy or see your GP for a professional diagnosis rather than trying all sorts of self-prescribed remedies that may make things worse.

By having a good look at your habits and recognising your mistakes, you can make your skincare routine into something much more beneficial. Your skin has a big job to do; by treating it properly, you’re making sure it does the best job it can.


News piece*

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

My Bikini/Beach Body Challenge!

Possibly the only 'before' picture I can bear to show, from being in the garden the other week.

Going on holiday is always something to look forward to, especially if you're going abroad... getting out in the sun with your nearest and dearest and partying the nights away is absolute perfection for me. However, there is ALWAYS one bugbear that I dread (and I'm sure many of you do too), and that's getting my body out in full view in a bikini.

I have lost over 5 stone in weight, which is great but I still have about 1 stone or so still to go, and also with plenty of wobbly bits to tone up before I'd feel 'happy' being so bare, especially in front of a lot of friends this time (including male friends)... now I am single and not jetting off with my ex.

So, I have made it my mission to get my body bikini ready by the time I go away at the beginning of September, which gives me approximately 11 weeks to get in shape and ready for public viewing (god help me). I'm looking to slim down, tone up and generally get my body (and my face for that matter) looking the absolute best they can, including my skin tone/texture, hair removal and suchlike. :-)

I'd love to be able to go and have the fat sucked right out of my problem areas (tummy, bingo wings, inner thighs, back fat and hips - to list a few, ha), but my budget would not run to that unfortunately. :-(

So, unless I have a lottery win, I'll just have to do it the hard way with diet and exercise. That being said, I will be trialing products in the run up to the holiday that claim to help with weight loss, firming and toning and generally getting my body and skin in shape. So, expect lots of beach body posts once I am back, letting you know how well I did, and how well I felt specific products worked.

I'll also be finishing off with a recap detailing my results, including the highs, lows and what I felt worked the most, for me.

Are any of you off on your jollies? If so, what have you done/are you doing to prep for them? x

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Last minute sale! 45% off Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish - Until 10am Tomorrow!

"Hurray! Our iconic Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser has won 'Best Classic Beauty Product – Prestige' at the CEW(UK) 2013 Beauty Awards, and to celebrate we’ve lined up an incredible offer.

Until 10:00 am tomorrow Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and two muslin cloths will be at our original 1995 price of £9.50!"

http://uk.lizearle.com/cleanse-and-polish-offer-2013 

This is just a quick post to let you know about this offer, as this hot cloth cleanser is highly regarded throughout the beauty industry, and to get it at such a fantastic price just has to be reported on. Enjoy. :-)

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

My £60 Party Preparation Package Challenge!

Christmas parties and nights out can often end up costing a fortune in pre-party preparations alone, with salon appointments for beauty treatments and other general pampering often taking up a large chunk of your budget. In fact, the Most Wanted team at VoucherCodes did some research and found out that 18-24 year olds are spending an average of £110 on their party season beauty bits!

So, they approached me and set me the challenge of reducing that outlay to just £60!! Yes girls, you did just read that right, 60 English pounds for a party package to last throughout all the festivities! And so this week, I’ve been getting creative and finding my favourite, fabulous products for you to reach for, instead of spending all your drinking money on salon treatments that could be avoided, leaving you enough money to buy some perfect presents for your nearest and dearest.

Tanning is an important one for a lot of people, and professional spray tans can be costly, but with a fab selection of ‘at home’ products widely available, there is money to be saved here.

Fake Bake ‘Perfection’ Instant Fake Tan & Mitt (£10.98) has been one of my staple products over the last year or so, it’s incredibly easy to use because the colour is instant, no development time is needed – just apply, and then get dressed (especially good for people like me, who never leave enough time to apply and then let a tan develop before they go out),  and the colour is great, not in the least bit orange… plus it smells beautiful; vanilla, girls, no biscuits!!

I generally just apply to the areas that will be ‘on show’ because there’s not much point in doing a full body application (unless your full body will be on show, of course) and also it lasts longer, giving you more applications this way too.

Pre-tan preparation is important if you want a nice, even colour - even when using an instant/wash off formula. Now, I could tell you to go and buy an expensive exfoliator from one of the tanning brands, but you really don't need to do that. You can achieve the same result, using a normal body wash with a pair of scrubby, exfoliating gloves for a fraction of the price. The pair in the image above from Boots, (£2.69) do the trick nicely, although if you go to local pound shops/discount stores, I reckon you'd get a pair for £1 or less.

Hair appointments are also quite costly to factor into your beauty budget when getting ready for a night out. I’m talking styling and conditioning treatments, rather than your regular cut/colour appointments (but if you want to find a way of cutting down those costs – pun intended, this post may be useful for you), so I’m not factoring that into the budget, since I expect those would come from your regular maintenance funds.

When your hair is in good condition, it is generally easier to style, so a conditioning treatment/mask is my first recommendation. I love Wella's System Professional hair masks (£12.71), they’re used by hairdressers and professionals in the salon I go to and in my book, if they’re good enough for them, then they’re good enough for me. Obviously you’ll be choosing the perfect mask for your hair condition and texture, but I love the Volumize on my hair, as it conditions without weighing it down!

To get the true salon feel of a head massage, I really recommend using the Denman BeBop Massage Brush (£2.87)  (also available from boots for about £3.80) to massage the conditioning treatment into your hair, and also to use when shampooing to make sure your scalp is squeaky clean - just don't massage too vigorously at this stage if your hair is longer than your chin, as it could make your hair a bit knotty.

For almost effortless styling, rollers are your friend as once in, they do the work for you! I'd love to to suggest some heated rollers here as there are some fabulous sets available these days, but this would completely bust the budget, so instead I’ll recommend 'Velcro Sleep-In Rollers' (£17.95) as my favourite non-heated variety instead as they're a cheaper option but without too much of a compromise in results!

I’m not including this in the budget as many of you will probably already have styling products, but I really rate Aussie’s 'Aussome Volume Conditioning Mousse' when I want a bit of oomph in my hair as it gives volume without being sticky and horrible – just remember to blow dry your hair when using it, it doesn’t work quite so well if you leave it to air dry. If you did fancy trying it, it’s available from Boots for £4.89. 

This, along with a spritz of hairspray (which I’m also assuming you’ll already have, but I swear by Elnett Very Volume available from boots for £6.49 for 400ml) will keep your hair looking great throughout the evening.

Finishing Touches & Handy Tips!

A manicure might be the next thing on your list, and whilst it's lovely to have your nails done for you, it's not impossible to do them yourself for less of a financial outlay - especially if you get a friend to do yours, in return for you doing theirs (which certainly makes your weaker hand application better - you know this dilemma, don't you?!). I love nail polish, from a whole host of brands, but I'm recommending ORLY Nail Lacquer (£7.50), as I've never had a bad polish from them and they also have some beautiful colours out right now that are perfect for party season - the polishes shown in the image above is their 'Naughty or Nice' collection. They're also currently on offer at Beauty Bay for £7.13 each.

If you're a fan of false lashes, you could pay around £15 having them applied at a salon... or you could spend just £3.20 (by using code SCOOP-20) plus £1 delivery for orders under £15 on a fab set of lashes from LoveLashes at Lashizzle (more styles being added on a regular basis)! This discount code is exclusively for readers of The Beauty Scoop, and will be valid at least until the end of December 2012.

Fancy a facial? Give yourself an exfoliating facial on the cheap by using your everyday skincare products and putting in a bit more effort. Massage your cleanser into dry/damp skin (depending on the texture of the products you're using), and then use a hot flannel to exfoliate the cleanser off, before massaging your serums and moisturisers in afterwards (if you have a face mask already, you could also use this in-between washing and moisturising). It's simple, but effective, and what's even better is that you can get yourself a flannel for less than £1, with the flannel in the image above, from Tesco costing just 75p(!), although you can get them from about 20p each from cheap shops like home bargains etc.


So there you have it, my budget saving products all in one handy post; and in total, these products come to a very reasonable £58.28 (excluding any postage costs), leaving you just under £2 to splurge on whatever you like, maybe a £1 product from the MUA range at Superdrug?

What do you think? Do you think you'd swap your salon treatments to save money? Maybe you have a few budget beauty tips of your own?!

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

The Body Shop Body Butter - Almond!

I recently bought a ton of Body Butters from The Body Shop as I've always been very impressed by them in the past, and also because I noticed that they were on offer. Some were already reduced in the sale, but I also bought a couple that weren't and used the code BUTTER (I'm unsure if this still works or not) for an extra £2 off all Body Butters, including those that were in the sale - total bargain!

I ended up getting the following scents for myself: Almond (2), Brazil Nut, Shea (2), Cherry (2), Cocoa (2), Japanese Cherry Blossom (2), and Cranberry Joy so I should be fully stocked for quite a while, although that won't stop me lusting after even more of them! I also bought a few others as gifts for my mum and sister as I know they like them too.

Anyway, I'll be giving you my thoughts on each scent over the next couple of weeks as I start to use them. The first Body Butter that I just couldn't want to get my hands on was the Almond scented one, I love the smell of sweet almond products and I was hoping that this would be the same.

I have not been disappointed, it's gorgeous... it has a hint of a marzipan-like scent, that soon settles down to more of a sweet, almondy flavour. I adore this, it's strong enough to make you smell lovely but not enough to overpower any perfume you might wear.

The texture is firmer than some of the others in the Body Butter range but soon softens up and applies to the body with ease. I like this as it allows me to use it as a balm too, by taking a light swipe from the tub - very useful for when using on hands.

It's also seriously moisturising, I think this is hugely down to it containing almond oil (and a lot of it, as it's second only to water in the igredients list) and also shea butter, another intensely moisturising ingredient - the tub says it is suitable for normal to dry skin, which is perfect for me. It does leave a bit of a film on the skin after use, but it's not greasy and doesn't make me feel icky in the slightest.

I can't recommend this enough, I'd buy this over and over again. It's also currently on sale for just 5 of your English pounds here which is a complete barrrrrgain!

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Competition: Win Elemis FreshSkin Goodies Worth £100!

The Elemis FreshSkin range is a complete skincare reigime/range dedicated to young skin from teens to twenties because Elemis know just how important it is to look after your skin, even when you're young and (relatively) care free!

The FreshSkin range will nurture your skin, preventing premature ageing and brightening tired and dull skin in the process. My mum always taught me that it's never too soon to start looking after your skin, and with Elemis, you know you're getting quality skincare from an uber knowlegeable brand that creates amazing products for all skintypes at all ages; you might say they're experts in skincare!

This prize is the entire Elemis FreshSkin range, (minus the exfoliating face wash which unfortunately met its death at the hands of Royal Mail on its way to me) which is worth £100. The range includes:

• Elemis FreshSkin Peachy Perfect Gentle Face Wash (£12)
• Elemis FreshSkin Softly Softly Daily Moisturiser (£20)
• Elemis FreshSkin Dreamy Sleep Night-Time Moisturiser (£22)
• Elemis FreshSkin Tired Eyes Soothing Eye Rescue (£15)
• Elemis FreshSkin Loving Lips Quenching Lip Balm (£8)
• Elemis FreshSkin Make-Up Away Cleansing Wipes (£8)
• Elemis FreshSkin Face Mask Duo (£15)

The prize is fantastic and you can get your hands on it simply by following me via GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT and filling out the form below!

Competition closes at 11:59pm on Monday, January 2nd 2012!

Good luck!

Elemis QVC Today's Special Value - Sunday 20th November 2011!

Just a little heads up about the fantastic Elemis TSV coming up on QVC on Sunday as I love Elemis products, and love being able to get them at an amazing discount even more! The information that I have so far is as follows:

"We can reveal that the Five Piece Tranquil Indulgence Face and Body Collection will include NEW sp@home Pro-Radiance Hand & Nail Cream, the latest innovation to join the sp@home anti-ageing body care range and a product that cannot be bought anywhere else until February 2012 – yes, this is a special 3 month preview!! Completing the collection, we can also reveal it will contain: number one anti-ageing moisturiser Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (30ml), full size Exotic Frangipani Monoi Body Oil (100ml), full size Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir (200ml) plus one other full size hero Elemis product that will be revealed on the show - all packed in a luxurious high gloss navy make-up bag. The TSV price is set to be under £40 (exact price announced on air) with an over 50% saving guaranteed." 


How does that sound m'dears? I am thinking Christmas presents for my mum, sister and my aunty plus one for myself maybe (naturally) as the set looks like a lovely gift to give and will obviously look like you've spent much, much more than you have!

Pai Products, Psoriasis and Me!

A little while ago, you may remember me posting about my psoriasis after seeing that Kim Kardashian has gone public about also having the condition! After posting this, I was contacted by a lovely lady from Pai, asking if I would like to try their Comfrey & Calendula Body Cream as it may help to relieve the symptoms of my psoriasis (extremely dry, red skin) due to it being intensely moisturising.

I was happy to receive such an email, as psoriasis has been such a huge problem for me for most of my life, both in terms of how it looks, which is the obvious symptom but also the pain it causes, especially when the weak skin breaks so I am always willing to try anything that could help, even if it's just a little bit... so I took her up on her very kind offer.

A couple of days later, I received a package containing the cream, and also a bottle of Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil that she said would give the dry patches an extra hydration boost and I immediately started using it.

Before I tell you just what I thought of the cream, I want to explain quickly just how much I have tried in the past to alleviate my symptoms... I have never expected a cure for the condition, just a bit of relief from it:

I’ve used tar products such as T-Gel (and other prescribed, similar products) for my scalp psoriasis, which is frankly RANK, it does nothing for the condition of my hair and it STINKS to high heaven – plus it did flip all for my psoriasis!

I have also used topical creams from the doctor such as Aqueous cream and various other emollients, sudocreme, and various (very harsh) steroid(!) creams which sometimes help with the dryness but can only be used sparingly and they do nothing for the redness so I gave up with them as I didn’t want my skin to end up like crepe paper through long term use, for the very minimal benefits I gained from using them.

Then there’s the numerous lotions and potions that I’ve bought off my own back over the years... products that contain shea butter and other hydrating ingredients that I was told could help, various creams, balms and serums, organic, natural and no perfume products, exfoliators, dead sea products (again, I read these were ‘wonder products’ for psoriasis) and more, but basically nothing worked... sometimes the dryness would be less, but the skin was still sore and very, very weak with using pretty much most of the hundreds of products I tried.

Sunbeds, as they are also meant to help – I had high hopes for these as my psoriasis does tend to get a bit better on holiday (be that the sun, sea or whatever) but nothing, only the risk of skin cancer so I gave those up too!

I’ve probably not listed anywhere near everything that I’ve tried, but I am sure that you get the general idea! Nothing has ever helped enough for me to continue use... until now! Since I’ve been using the Pai products, I have seen huge improvements in my skin – in fact, the hydrating effects were instant – not only was the skin more hydrated but the flakes of dry skin that I did have, came away easily and left my skin smoother than it has been in a very long time.

I have concentrated on my hands and elbows with these products as that is where my psoriasis is on my body - I obviously can’t use them on my scalp due to my hair being in the way, although I do apply on my hairline at the back of my neck when I can. This is fine with me though as it’s these areas that get seen mostly, and that get knocked about a bit more so are therefore more prone to breakage.

Continued use of both products has seen an improvement in the texture of my skin in areas with psoriasis patches, it’s no longer as lumpy, and I have also seen a massive improvement in the strength of my skin around my nails (I usually mix a couple of drops of the oil with the cream). I no longer get cuts every time I slightly knock my fingers, which is a HUGE relief and also the redness has improved too.

I cannot tell you just how impressed I have been with the products, they have made such an impact on my life and hopefully a long term change for the better – who’d have thought that starting this blog could have been one of the best decisions I ever made for my psoriasis?!

Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t cured my psoriasis – it still flares up, especially when I have to go shopping or something but I know that if I put it on beforehand and then afterwards, the flare up won’t be quite so painful, or unsightly – and they happen less frequently too. My psoriatic arthritis has remained unchanged, which was to be expected as that is an issue for specialists – but ANY relief from the outward symptoms condition has always been welcome here, and these products really have given me a huge amount of it.

I am going to be brave and show you a few pictures as I want to show you just what a change I have seen – luckily I have some photographs of my left hand where my index finger was the worst offender for psoriasis (my middle, ring and little finger are generally ‘ok’) and I regularly either leave the index finger out of shots completely, or touch it up in Photoshop so that it doesn’t look quite so angry (as my Photoshop skills don’t run so far as to get rid of it completely lol) and ruin the shot of the polishes I show.

I will show you both my older, untouched photographs, and also how my fingers and hands are now. Please excuse dodgy nails in the photos showing my skin at its 'best', I used Seche Vite for the first time and my polish literally shrunk, got a weird effect over the polish and then peeled off – I was not impressed!

Before Pai:

Actually, these shots don't show it at its worst as I tend to only do nail swatches when my psoriasis allowed (ie was the best it could be).

After Pai:

I can't find a 'before' of this hand, but it was much, much worse than the pictures showing my left hand around my nails and on my knuckles!

I also want to say that in order to make sure that this wasn’t a fluke in my psoriasis just being better at this time anyway; I stopped using the cream for 2 weeks and I noticed huge changes in the few weeks that I didn’t use Pai products. The lumpy skin came back, as did the redness, the skin was so flaky, dry and weak again, and the flare-ups were more frequent (see below). This has meant that this review was delayed, but I really did want to make sure that it was the products that had such a positive effect and not a happy coincidence before posting about how amazing I thought they were.

If you have a skin condition, or even just very dry skin then I really do recommend trying Pai skincare out – I know all skins are different, but it should definitely be on the list of things for you to give a go, and hopefully you’ll have the same results as I have!

Apologies for such a lengthy, text heavy post! x

Philosophy, Amazing Grace Firming Body Lotion!

Philosophy's Amazing Grace Body Firming Lotion was sent to me just before my holiday and I’ve been using, and loving it ever since.

The lotion (that comes in a large, and very handy pump action bottle) has a fresh, clean scent – kind of like the smell of clean washing which is a lovely smell but not one I’d normally go for in a body lotion (although I definitely will in future), and it’s a scent that really lasts; I’m talking about when you put it on in the afternoon, go on a night out and then are still able to smell it (easily) the next day!! I love fragranced products so this is a real bonus for me. Not only does it smell lovely but it has made my skin buttery soft and smooth too!

It’s fairly thick for a lotion and as you can see in the last photograph, it holds its shape, a little bit like a stiff meringue (but without all the air) and a little goes a very long way. The small amount in the photograph above is actually more than ample to do my full arm, shoulder and part of my neck/chest area. It’s also very easily absorbed, almost instantly in fact yet is still deeply moisturising!

I sometimes suffer with those dry little lumps on the tops of my arms, but using this moisturiser has really sorted out the few I had at the time when I started using the it, and has kept any more coming back too.

On the bottle it warns that it’s ‘for external use only’ and whilst it amazes me that there probably are some people that actually need to be told this, I do hope that it’s not because somebody did actually try to drink it, in the hope that it would firm them from the inside – imagine that, ha!

This body lotion is beautiful, and I’m so glad I got given the chance to try it out, as honestly it’s stunning... and possibly not something that would have caught my eye otherwise. Available from QVC for £26.50 plus £4.45 postage, which isn’t exactly cheap but I think worth it (my motto is to spend where it makes a difference and save in other areas); and as a small amount goes a long way, it’s probably going to last a lot longer than a cheaper lotion too, so it’s probably a bit more economical than you’d think!

PR Sample: Views are my own!

Upcoming Liz Earle QVC Today's Special Value - Friday 1st July!

I love a good bargain, I really do - then again, doesn't everybody? So for that reason, whenever I see one I always like to let you guys know too. Well this Friday there is a QVC Today's Special Value from Liz Earle, the Liz Earle 9pc Summer Radiance Collection, to be precise.

I am not entirely sure what it contains, but it will be roughly 20% less than the usual QVC price... which is also usually a bargain price in itself. I can't give the exact price until it goes live on air, but (without knowing the exact contents) so far it looks well worth a little peek... and possibly a purchase too!

Liz Earle are a widely known and well thought of brand so I will be very interested to see what's in this set - if I can find out any contents (and I will do my best) I will be back straight away with the scoop for you!

All TSV's are available through this link... although it will show the TSV for the particular day that you click on, so today's is a SodaStream offer.

PRAI O2 Infusion with Vacuum Technology!

I’ve been asked to try out a new product from PRAI, before it launches on QVC Beauty next month, priced at £19.75 (plus P&P I’d assume). The product in question is their O2 Infusion with Vacuum Technology, a product said to help free skin from pollutants and impurities.

Apparently the product activates when massaged into the skin and transforms into a mousse-like foam which feels light and soothing. It’s meant to carry oxygen molecules to the surface of the skin while “vacuum technology” helps to detox and purify the skin.

I’m looking forward to seeing how well this performs, so I’ll report back to you once I’ve given it a bit of a test to let you know my thoughts.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - The Perfect Daily Exfoliator!

I’ve always had a soft spot for Dermalogica products as when I’ve been for facials they have usually been Dermalogica facials and I’ve always been impressed with how my skin felt afterwards. So when I was sent their Daily Microfoliant to try, I was really looking forward to seeing how it performed.

When I first saw the product I assumed it would be some kind of gel or paste like a ‘normal’ exfoliator consistency, but when I lifted it I thought it was incredibly light, definitely too light to be a gel/paste etc.

Upon opening I found it was actually a powder, one that you mixed (about half a teaspoon’s worth) with the tiniest amount of water (either a couple of drops, or just onto very wet hands) to form a lovely creamy paste that you then apply to your face in circular motions for around 1 minute or so, avoiding the eye area. The rice-based powder is said to activate when it comes into contact with water to release Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice enzymes that all have exfoliating properties and will leave skin smoother and brighter.

It took a few attempts to perfect getting the best consistency but I have it sussed now and it works perfectly every time; in fact I’d go as far as to say that this product is probably the best exfoliating product that I’ve ever used. It’s not harsh on my skin at all, it actually feels silky and gentle to use and not at all scratchy; but it does smooth my skin so incredibly well... more so than I thought possible because of it being so lovely to use.

In my past use of exfoliators, I’ve found that smooth exfoliating gels/creams (with no ‘bits’) didn’t seem to exfoliate enough, which was pretty much the same for those with tiny ‘beads’ as they were too sparse to do any real exfoliation on my skin. I’ve had more success with really gritty exfoliation methods such as Darphin Age Defying Dermabrasion, which I still love (a lot) as my skin is always left beautifully smooth with that, but there’s no denying that it is rougher to use on the skin and my skin does actually go red for about 10 minutes after use.

The RRP for 75g of product is £38 but you’ll probably pay around £28 online at places like Look Fantastic etc. I personally don’t think that the product is excessively priced, although it’s not cheap by any stretch of the imagination (unless you’re a millionaire) but I think it’s a fair price considering it works so well and lives up to its claims, and I don’t think you can put a price on that.

Sisley Party Season Facial Offer At Selfridges, London.

This is just a little heads up that if you’re planning on a visit to Selfridges in London; you might want to check out Sisley whilst you’re there. They’re offering express facials in 2 flavours to give your skin some much needed TLC (especially with party season looming, and cold weather/central heating already upon us).

These facials require a £35 booking fee, but this is redeemable against any purchase of 2 or more Sisley skincare products on the day of treatment – which is great if you were already planning on making these purchases as it essentially makes the facial a free bonus. If you weren’t already planning on purchasing, it could give you a great excuse to introduce yourself to Sisley products.

The first facial on offer is a ‘Pre Party Preparation Express Facial’ and claims to leave skin ‘smoothed, refined and radiant ready for a night out’. They say that your skin will be left in great condition – hydrated, smooth and plump, providing a perfect base to apply your make-up!

The second facial they’re offering is a ‘Post Party Recovery Facial’ that claims to leave your skin feeling fresh and revitalised. Removing every trace of dirt and make-up and allowing your skin to breathe again which they say will leave your skin looking ‘bright, radiant and rested’.

Treatments can be booked by calling Sisley at Selfridges on 020 7318 3475.

Lush Limited Edition Creamy Candy Body Lotion!

Today I treated myself to 2 pots of Lush’s very limited edition ‘Creamy Candy’ body lotions and I have to say I am very pleased with them. Not only do they smell delightful but they are actually good moisturisers too – which isn’t always the case with heavily fragranced lotions.

The scent in the pot and when first applied is just like the Lush Creamy Candy bubble bar that it is based on. This may seem weird to mention as this is what you’d fully expect as standard but fragrance oils (especially the more natural ones) can change scent depending on what kind of product you put them into; for instance a bubble bar and a body lotion are 2 different chemical compositions so the fragrance, although the exact same fragrance can end up smelling totally different from product to product and this is why I thought it would be a good idea for me to mention this.

Application is easy and although the product has a pink hue to it, it does not make your skin pink in the process, thankfully. It’s also very quick to soak into my skin and did not make it feel tacky either, which I was very pleased to find out as although I like a good lounge around every now and then, I don’t like it forced upon me just because my moisturiser refuses to soak in so I was pleased to find that this lotion didn’t take half the day to do so.

The scent is quite strong and lasted for a good few hours on my skin, which I find to be fairly acceptable as I’ve not found that many lotions that smell strongly for the whole day, unfortunately. It didn't disappear completely, I should add.

After a while when the scent does mellow on the skin it still smells a lot like Creamy Candy as it did on application, but I do also detect a subtle hint of the Comforter lotion (based on the pink and white comforter bubble bar) which is still very lovely, sweet and slightly fruity. You may find this different on your own skin as scents are very personal things and are subject to change from person to person.

This is available at Lush stores throughout September (or until they run out, which I think is very likely so if you do want to purchase this then I would advise you to call your local store to make sure they have it in stock as it really is VERY limited edition) and is priced at £12 for a 225g pot.

As you can see from the picture below, this is suitable for vegans, but not for people who are allergic to parabens.

Lancôme Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover!

Advantages: Removes eye makeup easily but gently.

Disadvantages: A little oily.

Removing eye makeup can be a pain in the bottom at times, especially when you're wearing waterproof products. I love my eye makeup but nothing I ever used would get the stuff off without a big struggle, rubbing away at the eye area it went red through doing so (this is really not good for the ultra sensitive skin around the eye) - not until I found out about this treat of a product anyway!

Bi-Facil is an eye makeup remover from Lancôme that is designed to remove even the most stubborn of eye makeup without a struggle and without damaging the eye area. It is suitable for even the most sensitive of eyes and those who wear contacts and is ophthalmologist tested for safety.

The product comes in a clear bottle with Lancôme branding and product information written in white on it. You can clearly see the two-tone liquid that is inside the bottle which consists of an oil based part and a water based part, which is why it continues to stay separated in there (to put it simply without going into science mode by giving a complete chemical breakdown of why the molecules do not combine).

To use it you need to shake the bottle to combine the 2 fluids and then drip a little onto a cotton wool ball or pad; you don't need to use too much I have found as it is so effective at removing the makeup that a little really does go a long way. Once you have done this, it is just a simple case of sweeping the cotton wool with the product on it over your eyes, basically anywhere that you have eye makeup applied; and the product will work its magic and lift it right off. After using it my eyes feel fresh and clean and most of all do not look red or irritated, and this has continued to be the case in the whole time of using it.

The product claims that it will:

Remove all traces of eye makeup, including waterproof - Well there's no argument from me on this one, as this product has always removed my eye makeup easily and without any real effort on my part.

Leave no oily residue - I disagree with this a bit if I am completely honest, as I do find that there is a slight oily residue left after using this product; although it doesn't bother me so much as the product does as it says it will when it comes to removing my mascara etc and it hasn't made the skin around my eye permanently oily after using it.

According to Google translate (since my French is very rusty after not using it for more years than I care to remember, or admit) the French to English translation for Bi Facil is 'Two Easy' which I would say it quite apt as it is definitely two toned and most definitely easy to use and easy to remove the makeup too.

The price of this product is currently £19.50 for a 125ml bottle but luckily for me so far, I haven't actually paid for a bottle of this as I keep getting it as a free gift (or as part of a free gift) when I buy Lancôme products from various department stores - usually offers such as getting it free when you buy 2 or more items from the range etc; however I would be prepared to buy this if this stopped being available as a free gift, even at full price as I think it's well worth the money.

Summary: Worth buying, does the job!

Darphin Age Defying Dermabrasion!

Advantages: Exfoliates brilliantly whilst still gentle on skin, smooths skin, basically it does what it says it will.

Disadvantages: Price.

Darphin is a French company that was established in 1958 by Pierre Darphin. He is said to have revolutionized professional beauty care with unique, luxurious aromatic-plant based formulas and his personal belief was that pleasure is a critical catalyst to enhancing personal beauty.

These days Darphin say that they integrate breakthrough cosmetic and dermatological technology with extracts and essences of aromatic plants by using exacting combinations of these finest aromatic essences. They also still maintain the belief that pleasure plays a bit part in beauty; that feeling beautiful and looking beautiful are inextricably bound which is why they design every product to be delightful to use both in the feel of the product but also the scent – which is where the extract and essences come into force. Aromatherapy seems to play a big part in this company’s ethos.

 

I decided to try this product because on paper it ticked a few of the requirement boxes: exfoliating – check, anti ageing – check, still gentle on the skin – check! As you may have noticed with some of my reviews I am on a bit of an anti-ageing mission, trying to find good products to help my skin fight off those nasty horrible lines and wrinkles as I get older so that I can try to prevent rather than cure them further down the line; so this really appealed to me as my skin can be quite dry and needs a lot of exfoliating usually. A lot of exfoliation products can be quite harsh on the skin so I was very interested to see how this fared, whether it would still be quite harsh but exfoliate well, whether it would be gentle on the skin but not exfoliate well or whether it would just do as it claims it would.

From the box: 

‘Institute-inspired, anti-aging dermabrasion rejuvenates as it polishes skin to perfection. Natural exfoliants (Silica, Pearl, and Lava) make this delectable, creamy complexion-slougher gentle enough for sensitive skin; powerful enough to help reduce the look of pores, age spots, discolorations and to visibly smooth lines and wrinkles. Scoop a small amount on fingertips and massage in circular motions over damp skin (or dry skin for greater exfoliation). Avoid eye area. Rinse off with luke warm water. For optimal results: follow with application of the Youthful Radiance Camellia Mask. Dermatologist tested.’

Inside the box there is the jar of product itself, a little spatula to ensure the product stays as sterile as possible, a consumer card that you can send to Darphin to receive beauty advice (if you want it) and a leaflet stating other Darphin products (peels and masks) and short snippets of information about each of them.

  
The texture of the product feels very gritty (like a very fine grit though) when you rub it between your fingers (and on your face) but not so gritty that it hurts to use it. It’s also quite creamy though, which I think is partly what stops it being too rough for your skin.

I tend to apply it to my dry skin with slightly damp hands so that the product gives maximum exfoliation but is also able to be spread across my face easily; thus using a little less product but also so that the products goes on easier. I spend about 5 minutes massaging it into each bit of my face in an upwards circular motion, getting into all areas including around the nose especially to make sure that all parts of my face get the benefit of using this product.

 

Rinsing this product off is easy but you need to make sure all remaining product is removed and no gritty residue is left on there.  

 
After using this product for the first time my skin was a little bit red for about 10 minutes after but it felt so smooth, and so healthy. I used my Eve Lom day cream to moisturise after and then applied my makeup as usual. I noticed that my makeup went on a lot easier, probably because there was no longer any dead skin loitering around ready to ruin any foundation and powder I applied.

 

After using this product continuously (twice per week) for about 4 weeks I noticed my skin felt in much better condition overall, it seemed plumper and more refreshed too. The difference in using this compared to a normal exfoliating face washes was huge, as normal ones to me always seemed to leave my skin feeling like it could still take a bit more exfoliation but not anymore use of the face wash as they always felt quite harsh and made my skin quite sore.

I found some of the claims on the website and have decided to respond to each one individually in order to show how the product lives up to each of them.

 

Refines skin texture: I think the texture of my skin has improved dramatically since using the product. I don’t think it has felt so smooth since before I was in my teens.

Visibly reduces the appearance of wrinkles: I didn’t really have any wrinkles to start with, I do have a few fine lines threatening to appear though and whilst it hasn’t made them disappear, I do feel that my skin condition has improved enough overall to make them a little less noticeable. 

Diminishes the appearance of dark spots: I didn’t have any dark spots (that I could see anyway), but my skin can be quite blotchy at times and this seems to have diminished somewhat since using this product.

Promotes a luminous complexion: My skin is much more luminous these days; it no longer looks dull because of dead skin cells that are still there that regular exfoliating face washes have left behind. 

The product does cost a lot more than I would usually pay for this kind of product at £48, but I really think that sometimes you do need to spend a little bit more to get the kind of effect that you are aiming for; especially when it comes to skincare as you only get one chance to keep your skin naturally in good condition. It is currently being sold on jasonshankey.co.uk for £43.20 for a small saving.