Going Caffeine Free - My story!

For today's post I thought I would do something a little off topic from the beauty world and talk about my New Years resolution from January 2014, which amazingly I managed to stick to! That resolution was me giving up tea/coffee and all caffeine wherever possible.

I realise this isn't going to be something for everyone, but for me personally it felt like something I really wanted to try.

Why?

There were two main reasons – vanity and my general wellbeing. I hated what years of tea and coffee drinking had done to my teeth. The effort of using Crest White Strips and other whitening products seemed in vain when I had been happy at the results only to take my teeth back to almost the same shade within weeks from continuing to drink tea/coffee.

I also relied heavily on my 4-6 cups of tea at set times in the day just to get me through the day and keep me conscious to the outside world. My energy levels would fluctuate massively and I would get very irritated and sleepy quite quicky after the last cup's effects wore off.

How I did it

After previous attempts whereby I lasted 40 ish days, I realised that the cold turkey approach just doesn't work for me. For the first couple of days I tried cutting the last cup of tea I would normally have in the evening, and slowly cut it down. I got to the stage where I was just having a half a cup in the morning just to take the “edge” off, and finally felt confident after this to also cut this out too.

Easy it was not. That first morning after having no caffeine for 24 hours left me with a really terrible migraine, which made even the glare of the TV seem overwhelming and I had to have a couple of painkillers and take it easy/avoid screens etc.

This experience is what I believe is part of the “withdrawal stage” from caffeine. It's incredibly difficult and you feel irritated and headachey and definitely lack energy, but within a couple of days this should vanish completely as it did for me.

Positives

My energy levels are much more regulated throughout the day and I find it much easier to fall asleep at night, and at a regular time too. I only now feel super tired in the day if I have been out for a run in the mornings as I still haven't got my food intake right. Otherwise I generally feel motivated and alert throughout the day and only start to wind down in the evenings.

I also eat far less sugary treats after and in between meals. For me biscuits or sometimes a slice of cake after my evening meal with a cup of tea was a given. I now fill that gap with fruit smoothies which I make myself (in less than the time it would take for the kettle to boil I might add!)

And finally since doing Crest Whitestrips 6 months ago, I have noticed the results have lasted much better this time around *not drinking any tea of coffee whatsoever* since I last used the strips in March.

Negatives

It can be weird explaining it to people when they offer you a cup of tea that you no longer drink it. Sometimes the long pauses and stares are so intense that I am expecting immigration to burst through the door and remove my British passport at any minute – since I no longer drink the tipple most associated with my nationality!

A cup of tea was also a nice thing to have on a cold day or when suffering from any kind of stomach cramps. Whilst green tea is generally ok and much healthier, it still doesn't give the same inner warm as a regular cup of tea.

On the rare occasion that I do go out for any kind of cake... it really isn't the same with a glass of water or juice. Tea and cake are a match made in heaven which unfortunately I can no longer enjoy.

Overall

Giving up caffeine is not going to be for everyone, and I never thought in a million years I would have been able to last 3 quarters of a year up to now, especially as I have had failed attempts before. However I genuinely feel much better for it and it has encouraged other healthy changes to my diet such as more fruit which I use as a substitute whenever I crave any kind of sweet pick me up.

I get a much better quality of sleep which of course is vital for skin regeneration at night, as well as digestion and other key processes that happen whilst we are asleep.

When I wake up in the mornings I don't reach for the kettle, instead a healthy bowl of porridge and a glass of water. It might sound like something out of a Charles Dickens novel for some of you, but for me it has really worked out and I am so glad I persevered through the side effects and cravings.

It really gives you a sense of satisfaction when you battle through something difficult and come out the other side healthier.

If you are concerned about the amount of caffeine you consume, you can try this handy little test which will give you a score out of 10 for your level of "caffeine addiction". Interestingly before quitting caffeine I scored a 6/10... and I just re-took the test and now score 0/10!

Palespiration Edition #1 - Emma Stone

Welcome to my first post of a new series I am bringing to the blog and channel called Palespiration - Aka inspiration for pale skin!

(Btw, although Emma is #1 this doesn't mean she is "the number one" so to speak, it just means the first person I am featuring!)

I want to do this to bring new inspiration to you, to not only give confidence but also ideas for makeup and hair looks for your pale skin. 

 

For me Emma is a great example of someone in the public eye who has managed to become very successful without needing to be bronzed. I also love how she has experimented with her look and had many different hair colours, really trying what suits her.

Below is me re-creating the look from the advertisement for Revlon for the Lip Lacquer Balms. Give it a watch! As the series goes on, I would also really love your suggestions of other people to feature.

 

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Foundation

Today's review is courtesy of a little sample pot of foundation I had pretty much forgotten about. On passing the Yves Saint Laurent counter many months ago, I had a foundation fitting done for their Touche Éclat Foundation. It was given to me in a small pot that was so tightly fastened I could never get it open, and as the colour inside looked so dark I never bothered to get it open until recently. 

After some elbow grease and a strategically placed teatowel my Mum managed to open it for me. I applied some on my face whilst bored one day, holding the mirror up ready to laugh at a big orange streak on my face. Only wait.... where is it on my face I can't actually see it... On closer inspection I saw that it had almost seamlessly blended into my face, which seemed absolutely crazy given how pale I am and how dark the pot looked! 

I then decided to try it for real for my make-up today where I was actually leaving the house and interacting with real people, who I'm sure would have smirked if I had a bright orange face and white neck, so this was as good a test as any!

And here is the finished result, photographed in the most accurate daylight I could make the picture, without any photoshop and with concealer *only* around the eye area so you can see the coverage (and yes with bedhair too!...)

I have to say I am completely amazed that something so dark can lighten up so dramatically once you blend it into the face. I found that lightly blending with the hands and then going over with a buffing brush worked best as it has quite a light consistency and is not as thick as other foundations I have tried. I have swatched it on my arm to give you a better idea of how it lightens...

As for the coverage, it doesn't massively cover blemishes, scars etc however on the flipside it still looks like skin. Sometimes I don't want a full coverage look with every "flaw" blanked out, y'know? I feel as if this foundation gives you that in between of not bare skin, yet not completely caked either. It's quite a light, fresh finish which reminds me of when I used to wear Dior powder foundation as a teenager. It also does not feel in any way heavy like most foundations feel on my dry skin.

I do however feel that in the winter time BR10 might be a tad too warm, as it definitely makes me look slightly less pale although thankfully not in an orange way. I also triple checked for tide marks and couldn't see any which is always a good thing!
 

This foundation certainly surprised me and I am now seriously considering going back and buying the real thing! As always though if you want to try this foundation, definitely start with the sample pot first and see how it blends and contrasts between your face and neck. 

If you give this foundation a try let me know how you get on!

Birthday Beauty Haul!

So I picked up a few items for my Birthday recently whilst on my travels to both Meadowhall and Belfast. I'm trying to save my money at the minute (don't expect any giant Mac hauls just yet) ;)  However, you have to have a few treats around your Birthday, right?!

1. Liz Earle Limited Edition Cleanse & Polish


Now you all know how much I love Liz Earle! Unfortunately though for some reason, the limited edition version of my trusty staple cleanser badly reacted with my skin. I actually thought I had gotten really bad sunburn until I twigged it was this causing it everytime I applied it! A great shame, but thankfully Liz Earle offered to swap me it for the same size of the regular C&P. A warning that the limited edition one whilst it smells lovely, may not be suitable for sensitive skin. 

2. Liz Earle Shampoo (All hair types) 

Onto a much better find from LE! I had been wanting to try this shampoo for ages, as it's one of the few available on the market that is totally sulphate free. I shall keep you posted how I get on with it, but so far so good. You do have to use more water than normal to get any kind of foam - however the smell is lovely and fruity and is so far yet to irritate my scalp - yay for that!

3. Aveda Intensive Hydrating Masque

After my face disaster with the Limited Edition C&P, I needed something to take the redness down and really soothe my skin. I popped to the Aveda counter in Belfast's House of Fraser that Google maps kindly lead me too, and was also given a couple of samples of the moisturiser from the same range too! Win win!

4. Redken Smooth Lock

Although technically a purchase for my Mum, I borrowed this pre-flight after washing my hair. It really kept the style well and also gives a lovely shine. Not the cheapest of hair serums (definitely buy online to get the best deal) but is great for giving that salon finish.

5. Carmex Lip Balm

My battered, bruised and nail polish stained tub of Carmex is more of a rediscovered find than a new purchase. However, it's really come in handy these last couple of weeks when my lips went super chapped and normal lip balm wasn't cutting it. I forgot how much this stuff really works! 

My Skincare Routine - Dry/Sensitive yet Blemish Prone!

Firstly, allow me to give you a little overview of my skin. Apart from being rather pale, it is often quite dry, and sensitive to alot of products and ingredients. It's also got a tenancy to be incredibly spot prone, especially during hormonal times or if I have used something my skin doesn't agree with.

Often, to cure a dry skin many counter assistants have sold me thick, rich heavy creams. Whilst at first they may feel nice, it soon becomes apparent that the blemish prone side of my skin is not happy and seems to take great pleasure in showing me just how much. Therefore, it's been a real struggle to find products and get into a routine which keeps my blemishes at bay, yet doesn't aggravate my dryness or worsen my sensitivity. 

It's taken a good 10 years of trying countless products from every brand under the sun, but I finally think I've cracked it! The following items I have been using religiously morning and night for over 6 months now, and now I feel ready to share it with you.

(P.S: I have reviewed the majority of these products in dept on their own before, so have a snoop through my blog if you want more info on them, or just leave a comment below!)The full (current) product list:

CLEANSERS:
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish


TONER: 
Pixi Glow Tonic

SERUMS:
Hydraluron
The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Oil

MOISTURISERS:
La Roche Posay Effaclar K Moisturiser
The Body Shop Vitamin C Moisturiser

LIPS: 
Dove Lip Balm
Carmex


EXTRAS:
Fresh Cucumber
Sanctuary Clay Mask
Nspa Brightening Detox Scrub 


And now onto when I would use said products....

In the morning I keep things nice and simple with just a light cleanse followed by Glow Tonic (suitable for both AM/PM use). I also follow up with a moisturiser, and tend to use the Body Shop one if going out in the sun with no make up on, i.e for my morning run. However if it's a normal day and I intend to put make up on, then I use Effclar K.

There's nothing worse than dry skin, especially if you are going to be putting foundation over the top. The steps I use to combat this is to add in cucumber after toner before serum/moisturiser. I use about 1 inch thick chunks which I buff into the skin, and I also slice thinner sections to place on my eye area. I promise if you have dry skin this will feel so nice you will never look back!

At night, I keep the momentum up by adding my Vitamin E serum before moisturiser to really leave my skin feeling soft.

The curse of the dreaded spots! Thankfully, since using Glow Tonic and Effaclar K in combination with my other products, I've noticed a huge reduction in the amount and frequency of my breakouts. 

Twice a week I will also add in the Nspa detox brightening scrub at night. Every few weeks I will also use the Sanctuary 5 minute detox mask which is a clay mask that warms up on contact with the skin. This can bring blemishes out a little the next day, but this is because the clay has drawn out the impurities.

My one tip with having blemish prone skin when you also have dry/sensitive skin is: Don't overscrub or use overly harsh products (especially any more than the packaging advises you too). I have been at that stage where you are super frustrated and nothing seems to work -  but believe me overdoing things can be just as bad. Get into a good, gentle cleansing routine and follow up with the *right* aftercare and I promise things will get better.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum

Seen as skincare is ever becoming my main obsession, it was only a matter of time before I introduced a serum into my routine! This time it was the turn of the Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum.

I had been reluctant to use serums in the past, as I am so careful about not overloading my skin and causing it break out, particularly with anything "oily". Whilst in the body shop recently, they had a 3 for 2 on all skincare so this was one of the items I picked up. I did ask the assistant whether this product was suitable for blemish prone skin, just incase.

I've now been trialling this for the last few weeks, using it after cleanser and toner, and before moisturiser in the evenings. To use, it has a pipette (love that word!) style dispenser, and I tend to squeeze a couple of drops into the palms of my hands before pressing it into the skin, applying any excess to the back of my hands/neck. I then usually follow with a *light* application of my Effaclar K moisturiser, as the serum is quite heavy (although not in a clogging feeling way).

The next morning, my skin is always noticeably softer and I haven't found my skin has broken out anymore than normal, which is considerably less these days since I have found a routine that works for me. I'm also impressed that you barely need any of this product to literally cover the whole face, so the bottle will last and last. 

The price of this serum is £12 for a 28ml bottle, which I feel is quite reasonable considering the majority of serums out there seem to be £40+... something which is way out my price range and seems daft if you are new to them and are not exactly sure what you are looking to get out of one just yet.

Overall, I would recommend this product for anyone who feels their skin lacks softness and like mine is typically dry/sensitive whilst also being blemish prone. I also feel it's a nice introduction to serums as it doesn't have a scary price tag and also doesn't make aload of silly claims other than to replenish and recharge moisture - which in terms of how soft my skin feels the next day I definitely feel it delivers on.  Give it a try!

 

Pastel Nails!

Now, whilst it's unusual for me to get so hyped up about new trends, this new found love for pastels is definitely worth sharing. In terms of pale skin, from my own experience pastel shades within clothing and makeup especially, are the easiest to pull off. Whilst pastels generally suit all skin tones, with pale skin they just really work effortlessly with instead of against your skintone.

Here's my pick of some of the best on the market, and do be sure to click to the top picture of this post to be taken to a special video I made for the occasion! 

P.S: Not necessarily my neatest application in the pics as I was painting and removing the polish in quick succession, however I promise they are all give beautiful finishes when you do it properly!

Model's Own Hyper Gel - Pink Veneer

This shade is a pretty dolly mixture pink. It's not bright, but by the same token not dull either. As the formula is gel, it goes on much thicker than a regular polish. You can still add two coats however, and it gives the nail a much fuller and healthier look. This is definitely a shade for girly girls! 

 Rimmel London - Pillow Talk

Pillow Talk is one of the new shades picked by Rita Ora as part of her collab with Rimmel. It's a cool, muted tone that surprisingly I liked alot even though it's not a shade I normally go for. I also found the formula dried fairly quickly compared to other brands I have used in the past.

Barry M - Peach Melba

I think this is one of those shades if like me orange isn't your first choice when it comes to make up. It's a much gentler introduction and not as in-your-face as you might think. At £2.99 it's also the cheapest of the 5 polishes featured within this post. This does mean a couple of coats are required as standard, although once dry it's definitely got that cocktail by the pool feel!  

(The shade is actually much paler in real life than it would photograph for me, so definitely have a look next time you're passing a counter!)

  

Essie - Mint Candy Apple

Ok so this is a bit of a beauty bloggers classic, but that doesn't make it any less fabulous right?! It's not always easy to find a green shade of nail polish that actually looks nice on, and this is one of the only green toned polishes I've owned which fits the bill for me.

I personally like Mint Candy Apple because it's understated, and the colour goes with almost anything. The brush is also quite wide, meaning it's easier to paint and you get a much smoother and even result overall. Although it's the most expensive of the bunch, you do see the quality in the formula as you apply it.

Barry M - Prickly Pear

Out of all the shades I have worn out recently, Prickly Pear is the one I've had the most compliments on, even from strangers at the tills!

It's such a beautiful and unique shade of purple, and is simplistic yet really flattering against pale skin. As it's not a dark purple, it's much easier to wear for day to day, and is sure to perk up even the dullest of office wear. The gel formula is also nice and longer lasting too. I think out of all the polishes I have tried for this post, Prickly Pear is my favourite.

 

 

And Voila! I hope I've inspired some of you out there to embrace the pastel trend... afterall it's pale skin friendly! If you have some other suggestions of great shades, then feel free to leave a comment below. It's always nice to hear from you so don't be shy!

Oh, and have you checked out my channel yet?! #subtlehint