Simples

Simple is a brand that never fails me. If I need to buy something I've ran out of and haven't done my research to find out which products are creating a buzz, I can always rely on this brand to have something that will do the job and do it well.
One of their most recently released products is this eye make-up corrector pen which I was kindly sent to try since I am a member of Simple's VIP which you can join on their website. This is one of those products that you wouldn't think to buy, (I haven't seen other brand alternatives on the market) but now I've tried it, it's one of those things you wonder how you got on without it. It's great for those days you're in a rush and then you make a mistake with your eyeliner. It's a lot quicker and more efficient than using a cotton bud. You just swipe at the smudge and it's gone, simple as that! I also recently needed to buy a new facewash, and again it was Simple that I looked to. I liked the appeal of using a foaming facewash so picked this one out. It's very easy to use and mess free. I like the fact that one pump gives me the right amount of product and it foams itself up for me! Very lazy I know, but sometimes that's what you need.

Simple is a brand that keep ingredients to a minimum, they are non-perfumed and so are often very suitable for sensitive skin.

Beauty Product of the Month: May - Simple Sun Sensitive Protecting Facial Hydrolotion

The name of this product is a little bit of a mouthful, but all you need to know is this is a sun protection cream effectively. On Simple's website you can sign up to be a VIP member, which allows you to post on the website's blog, answer surveys to gain points which you can eventually turn into free products, and occasionally, get sent samples. This was actually the only product I have received for free from Simple and although I wasn't expecting great things, I hardly ever repurchase anything I've gotten as a trial size, whether it be from a counter, a magazine or wherever, I actually want to go and purchase the full size of this product.

So it came in a 10ml tube, and a little too early in the year for me to use. I put it away, forgot about it, then rediscovered it just before my holiday. It turned out to come in great use and was a staple item in my beach bag. Now I am careful when it comes to sun protection and pretty rigourous applying it, there's nothing worse than having a patchy tan, or any burnt parts when the rest of you is tanning safely and evenly. Having said that, I really don't like applying most sun lotions to my face; they're greasy, make my skin far too shiny and I can't apply anything over it. Until now, that's something I settled for, after all, your face is probably the most important part to protect when you go abroad as it's always exposed so is going to face the most damage. However, this facial hydrolotion offers SPF 25 without the greasy face! It's just like an ordinary moisturiser. This is exactly what I want from my sun protection on my face. If you're anything like me and like to put a little make-up on for the beach, (I'm not talking a full face here, just a touch of bronzer and the like) then this is perfect, it settles in to your skin like any other moisturiser and leaves a matte finish on your face so you can go ahead and apply anything over the top of it. I was sort of expecting my face to still tan because I didn't have that heavy, greasy feeling that all other sun lotions seem to leave me with, but it does work.

The nice thing is knowing this product is by Simple which means few chemicals that are going to irritate your skin. I think this is targeting the natural product lovers as it contains "sunflower goodness" to "naturally fight premature ageing". I don't really expect a sun protection cream to be too natural, and it really doesn't bother me that much, as long as it protects my skin. I think this product is suitable for people with sensitive skin and might be worth trying if you've been irritated by other brands of suncream. I personally love it purely for the non-grease factor and that's persuaded me to go and repurchase. I haven't actually seen it in the shops but I did check the website a while ago and I think this is available in various SPFs.

The only thing I will miss is the size, as this was a handy little product to pop in my bag alongside my regular suncream for the rest of my body. I don't overly want to be lugging around two sun protection products...I'm sure I'll get past that though.

Skincare Routine: Updated and budgeted!

Every now and again I like to mix up my skincare a bit. I find something, or a combination of products that work for me, but then still feel the need to try something else, in case maybe it’s better. I’ve been on the poor side recently so I’ve been looking for inexpensive yet efficient products. I love the brand Simple, and have done for a long time now, I like that I’m using products that both do the job they’re intended for and are kind to my skin. Their oil balancing moisturiser is one I’ve stuck with even if I’ve changed my cleanser and toner. It’s not that I don’t want to try anything else; I know that one day my skin will change and I will need a moisturiser more hydrating, but for now this is the perfect moisturiser for me. Having said all this, I did actually change it recently! I ran out of my HG moisturiser and had to replace it, I only had time to go to one shop and they only stocked the light and heavy (or intense?not sure what it’s called) Simple moisturisers. I went for the light, and I think it’s great. I really don’t like to use perfumed moisturisers, or perfumed anything for that matter, on my face. This is just a really basic, no frills moisturiser that will suit most people, yet when I buy Simple I still feel like I’m buying a decent product, where the quality isn’t jeopardised. I’m also using Biore’s Pore Unclogging Scrub in place of my favourite face wash Lush’s Angels on Bare Skin, because it’s half the price! It does the job, but I don’t believe it’s a better product in any way and I can’t wait to go back to my Lush. The cleanser by Simple is pretty standard, not designed for a specific skin type as is the toner which I’m using in place of Lush Tea Tree Water, all to save the pennies!

I start my new job tomorrow (eeee!) so after payday I can carry on shopping as normal and would like to experiment a bit more with high end products, or at least return to my favourite mid-range: Lush, but really I’m wondering if I need to spend a lot on beauty products. I know I shouldn’t really moan about having no money in times like these because I wasn’t made redundant unlike the scenario for a lot of people out there, I left my job willingly to move to London, and luckily it worked out for the best. But in my time of thrift, I’ve learned how to budget properly and not waste money, important life lessons! I was thinking, when it comes to skincare, what products do I really not need to spend very much money on. For a face-wash, I like the product to be as close to nature as possible, which often means it’s more expensive. I prefer using Lush because even though the product gets washed away, there are no nasty chemicals in there which can make your skin worse. I believe a cleanser, since it’s a product that has a primary purpose to take off make-up and wipe away impurities, can be skimped on. It doesn’t really benefit your skin too much to have fancy ingredients. The ingredients will not stay on your skin long enough to make any real difference. Toners and moisturisers on the other hand stay on the skin longer. Toners leave a residue as they tighten and close your pores, and moisturisers are obviously designed to sink into your skin. So finding a good quality moisturiser that works for you is important, since this is also the base for your make-up. I’ve always felt like I would be willing to spend more on a great moisturiser, but then I’ve seen television programmes and read in magazines how Simple comes out on top even next to a brand like Chanel in a blind test and wonder if it’s really necessary to splurge, especially since I love Simple myself.

So I guess this is a post to show you what I’m using right now, and give you some ideas if you’re budgeting like me! But also to ask the question: which high end skincare products do you use that you don’t feel like you could find a drugstore equivalent to? Or are you happy using drugstore?

xXx

My skin care regime, for oily / combination skin

I just wanted to show you the skincare regime that i’ve been following for the last year or so. The products that I use are for oily/combination skin so if you’re this skin type and having problems, i’d recommend trying these products.

If you live in the UK, and most of Europe these products are cheap and easily available, for the US im not sure if they stock Simple, but it's a good brand to hunt for if you can find it.
My first tip for maintaining healthy skin would be to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of water. I know that maintaining good health is more complicated than that, but I think this simple step is a good start.
I use the same routine in the morning as at night. At night I use a facial wash to begin, then I take my makeup off using Garnier sensitive eye make-up remover, and no matter how much I use, however carefully I think I’ve cleansed my eyes, there’s almost always a tiny amount there in the morning still, just under my eye, so if that’s the case I’ll just sweep a tiny amount around my eyes.

Once you've ensured all the make-up is off, begin with No.7 Beautifully Balanced purifying cleanser for oily/combination skin. It’s fragrance free, non-drying and pH balanced. You can also use it as a wash, but i prefer to just rub it on and wipe off, leaving my skin really mattified. This is a pretty unique cleanser in the way that it's versatile and is a cleanser that not only cleanses but mattifies as it does so.
Next on to the toner. I use Lush Tea Tree Water, and truly believe this is the best toner for my skin. The problem with a lot of toners that are designed for oily skin is that they are extremely harsh. Prior to this I would use Bioré triple action toner which seemed to be a great toner, it controlled excess oil and breakouts and left my skin feeling tingly clean. I thought this was a great product until a friend of mine used it. She had fair, sensitive skin, and said after using it, it felt like her skin was burning. I figured this must be the acid. The toner contains salicylic acid which is used in treating acne. I think the formulation is a little strong for every day use, and I want a toner that I can use every day. The ingredients in this toner are as follows: tea tree water, grapefruit water, juniperberry water, Limonene which occurs naturally in essential oils, perfume and methylparaben. And that’s it! Where I can buy a good product that is as close to nature as possible and actually works I always will. You really want to look after the skin on your face as it’s the most exposed, and remember your skin is delicate so avoid harsh chemicals and excessive rubbing of the skin where you can.
The final step is to moisturise. It may seem unnecessary to moisturise oily skin, just adding to the problem right? If you use a moisturiser targeted at oily/combination skin, your skin will benefit a lot more. Simple do a great range for this skin type, and I am a huge fan of the moisturiser. It contains Zinc PCA to gently absorb excess oil, it is Natural Antibacterial which helps reduce blemishes, and is 100% shine free, so mattifies all day long. Used over time you will see a difference in your complexion.

Beauty Product of the Month

Each month, I will do a review of two products that are my products of the month. One will be a make-up product, the other will be a beauty product. A product that I have wanted to review for some time is the Oil Balancing Moisturiser by Simple. With my oily combination skin I got into the habit of averting from using moisturiser. I believed that adding moisture to already oil rich skin would cause havoc to skin and cause outbreaks and only rarely in the winter would I need to moisturise. Wrong! Actually no matter what your skin type, you should always moisturise.



Simple's oil balancing moisturiser is in no means a new product to me, in fact I've used it on and off for about 3 years. Now I am definitely back on and have been using this moisturiser morning and night religiously for the last 6 months. The verdict: contrary to what I thought would happen; more breakouts, I can safely say there are LESS breakouts and my skin feels smooth and healthy.

As well as moisturising my skin, this product is useful to me in the way it counteracts excess oil. After moisturising with any other moisturiser, whether it be hand cream, or a body butter, after soaking into the skin, the skin feels hydrated and very smooth, their aim to prevent dryness. With Oil Balancing, my skin is left hydrated but mattified, which I didn't think I could get from a moisturiser. Certainly for oily or combination skin this is a must-buy. After using it for a few days you will see an improvement to the overall condition of your skin. It contains natural anti-bacterial properties to counteract spot-forming bacteria.

I don't use foundation primers, but I believe that applying foundation to well cleaned skin is enough preparation. The great thing about this moisturiser is that you don't need to let it dry, but can apply liquid foundation directly over it, and get a good, even coverage.