DHC Cleansing Oil | Review

If you know me, then you'll know I have stupidly oily skin - and if I'm being honest the last thing I ever thought I'd use on my face was an oil. Well now I've got an oil for my face and I adore it! When I saw adore, I really do mean adore. I got this in a beauty box recently, its 30ml and I've been using it everyday morning and night for like a month. I would say I definitely have about half of it left, so it really does last an age!
I use a decent amount, about 6 drops from this is usually enough for my face. I just massage it all over my skin, and if I'm wearing make-up then this is the absolute best way to cleanse your face. It melts everything off - I had the new Benefit liner on last week and this made easy work of it! 
Its not broke me out, and I'm pretty sure it helps my oiliness - in that I'm less oily now I think. 
My skin feels really soft after using this, and definitely not oily! I have slightly dehydrated skin so I think this has helped even that out a bit. Apply this to dry hands and face and massage in for about a minute - you'll be amazed with the results! Scent wise, its nothing overpowering but I do like it. Just kind of a pleasant smell - I really can't describe it any other way than pleasant... 

If you're in the market for a new cleansing oil, then I highly recommend that you try this one out! I'm completely in love and will definitely pick up another bottle.

★

You can buy the mini for £4.50 or the full 200ml bottle for £21.50. 

January Favourites

I didn't do a favourites for December, for me December tends to be a month where I use the same old products and tend to use as little as possible. But January is one of my favourite months of the year - most people hate January, you spend loads and the build up to Christmas and New Year is gone. Not me though - I love January, I buy loads of new products and try so many new things. This month I've got 8 products that I've been completely loving this month.

I have four make-up bits that I've been using basically non-stop since getting them. The first is an Illamasqua blush in the shade Lover, I got this on their sale - as soon as it arrived I was in love with it. Love at first sight. It is the perfect peachy coloured blush, it looks lovely on my skin - fair skinned girls, this will be your best friend. It is highly pigmented though, so you only need a tiny bit - and if you needed to then you could build it up. 

Another make-up item I've been loving is my NARS Laguna Bronzer. As soon as I had it applied to my face I knew I wanted needed it in my life. I got mine from ASOS since I could get student discount on it. Again for fair skinned girls this is perfect. I didn't own a bronzer before this and I'd honestly be happy if I never tried another one. This one is just perfect for adding a bit of colour to the face and to contour with - it doesn't look muddy or orange, and its subtle enough for daily use. I'm completely smitten with this. 

Second last make-up item is my wonderful YSL Baby doll mascara. It makes my lashes look so so so lovely, fluffy, full of volume and incredibly long. Everything about this is perfect (apart from the price), the packaging is beautiful - the gold with red writing looks so sleek - and the way it makes my lashes look - magnificent. I really am so glad that it is as wonderful as it is, it makes it worth the price you pay. 

Final make-up bit, if you can call it make-up, is my Nails Inc polish in the colour Baker Street. It is the most beautiful blue colour, its not as dark as I'd like it to be but I think that makes it an all year round kind of colour. I got this is in the Nails Inc Nail polish Diary back in the sales, I've not tried all the colours yet but this is one of the ones I've tried most, and I've basically worn it all month. Must be love. 

The next few things I've been loving are skin care items, two of the items I've included I haven't been using for very long but I love them so much already so I thought I had to include them. The first thing I've been loving is my Origins Checks and Balances Frothy cleanser. This for starters smells amazing, very minty and lovely. You only need a tiny amount to wash your face and it fixes any dry or oily bits you may have, I use this in the morning and I think it really helped to control my shiny forehead. Before using this between my eye brows and on my nose was quite dry and the rest of my face was quite oily - but I genuinely think this has helped to fix that. I'm really wanting to now try more of Origins products since this one is so good.

The second cleanser I've been loving recently is the REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser - such a mouthful to say. It smells reasonably nice - sort of lavendery, with a slight herbally smell. When you use it, you skin is left feeling really fresh and soft, I also I think this has helped with the redness in my skin - I've noticed in the past few weeks that my cheeks and stuff don't look nearly as red as it used to. 

The last skin care thing I've been really enjoying using is Hydraluron. I don't know really what this has done for my skin, but I do think my skin looks and feels better for using it. I think when it runs out I'm going to leave repurchasing it for a few weeks to see if I can notice my skin going downhill slightly - I think its easier to see your skin getting worse than improving. 

The final thing I've been loving is by Avon. Its their Planet Spa Sleep Serenity Pillow Spray. The pillow spray smells really nice, its Lavender and Camomile scented, when I smell it I feel really calm and sleepy. I don't think it helps me fall asleep, per say, but I do think it helps me have a better night sleep - when I wake up I feel a lot better and so much more rested. I think it also helps my brain to think less when I use it, it relaxes me and helps my brain calm down - I tend to have a lot on my mind when I go to sleep. 

So that's everything I've been loving this month.

What have your favourites been? 

★

Starting Off: Skincare

I came in a bit late to the Starting Off series, so I'm now starting back at the start to try and finish the entire series. The first one was meant to be Skincare, so that is what I'll do now. I love skincare, and I'm really just beginning to get really into it. Of course everyone has a different skin type, and most of the time what works for one person may not work for another. And obviously you have got to take into account your age, at different ages your skin needs different things - I'm no expert on the different stages of ageing skin, but I think when you get to your mid 20's you have to start treating your skin a bit kinder.
Obviously it is essential to take your make-up off at the end of the day, and I do this every time without fail. If I have been drinking I wont do it as deeply, but I still make sure I take it off before I go to bed. I like knowing that my face is semi clean.
Depending on who you speak to, really will depend on what they say is a really good skin care regime. For me a really solid skincare regime is cleanse - possibly twice, spot treatment and then a really good moisturiser. There are other things you can throw in if you like, things such as toner, serums and other lotions and potions. But for me as a basis, cleanser, spot treatment and moisturiser is what I've got down.

So for the first step, cleanser. I love a good double cleanse, I never thought I would say that, but I am now that type of gal. I like spending time on my skin, and as I have a very oily skin type I really do think I need to spend that extra time on making sure my skin doesn't get any worse than it already is. If you can't be bothered with a double cleanse then thats fine - sometimes I can' be bothered either. On days when I don't want a double cleanse I'll use a facial wash first, then wipe over my face with some toner/micellar water to get any residue. There is many different types of cleansers as well, and I don't think there are specific type for specific skin types. Try things out and see what works for you, just because one type of cleanser is meant for a different skin type to what you have doesn't mean it won't work for you. By this is mean that some people say that cream, gel, foaming, balm ect cleansers are all meant for specific skin types, I think I've tried at least one of all these types. I would say, just don't use a body soap. It's not meant for your face, and it could really dry your skin out. Over the last fw months I've been using up loads of facial washes, Garnier ones, Elemis ones, and now Soap and Glory's peaches and clean. I think soon I'm going to open up my Origins Checks and Balances face wash. The Soap and Glory one is amazing, its so lovely and creamy. And if you skin doesn't agree with foaming cleansers then that one would be perfect for you. Unfortunately facial cleansers are just a case of trial and error to try and find what works for you.

Next for me is spot treatment, I have typical teenage skin so y'know a spot treatment is sort of a must have. I've not yet found the mother of all spot treatments, and just now I've only tried a couple. One I go back to, and I am almost out of it, is the Freederm gel treatment. I have another treatment by nip + fab so I don't think I'll rush out to get the Freederm one when it runs out. Do you have any spot treatments that you would recommend, I'm on the hunt for a new one.

The final daily step is to moisturise. I never used to moisturise, I mean why would I need to my skin is oily?! After a lot of online research I decided to go ahead and buy one - this was quite a few years ago and I've gone through quite a few. Moisturiser is a must have as it makes sure your skin has the proper amount of moisture. You do need to try and find one specifically for your skin type as, if for example I was to go for one designed for dry skin then I would have waaay to moisture and I would look really oily. One way to ensure you get a moisturiser for your skin type is to do some research, bloggers have a huge amount of wisdom to give about stuff like this, you could also go straight to a beauty counter and get some help there. They know - at least they should - all about their products and should be able to find something designed for your skin type, or something that would work with you - even if its not specifically for your skin type. Origins recommended I get GinZing even though its not specifically for oily skin, it is oil free and I really want it so heres hoping it works.
Those are the things I do on a daily basis, both morning and night. You should notice your skin looks better, if after a few weeks something isn't working for you, try something else and see how that goes. You can of course add in other things like face masks and facial scrubs to use once or twice a week.

What do you use in your skin care regime?

★

Origins Facial Experience + what I bought

A couple of weeks ago I was looking around Origins and asked the lady about what products would be best for me. She suggested that I book myself in for a free facial, that way they could tell me what products I should be using and what my skin type is. I've never had a facial so I jumped at the chance to have this. I've wanted to try Origins for awhile now but wasn't wanting to waste money on a product that might not be what I was needing or work for my skin.
I totally understand why people go for regular facials, it feels lovely to be pampered. The lady that did the facial was lovely, really friendly and nice to talk to. She started the facial off by asking me about my skin, and what my normal skin care routine is. I don't have a set skin care routine, so she recommended products that were simple and quick to use. I'm pretty lazy, but I feel like I should be less lazy with my skin care. Origins skin care feels luxurious and lovely on the skin.
I had never used, or even tried, any Origins products but had heard loads of brilliant things about them so was really excited to find out what she was going to recommend me. She said the facial I was going to be getting was for spot/oil control and for brightening.
I can't remember what was used on my face bit by bit, but what I can remember I shall write down.
She first wiped something over my eyes, I'm not 100% sure what it was but I think it was a toner. She then used Checks and Balances frothy cleanser on my face, I wasn't sure why she used this on my face since I thought I had oily skin (which I do) but she decided I had combination skin, this is for all skin types so any one could get away with using this.
She then put a face mask on my skin, not one but two. On my nose and chin she used Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask and on my forehead and cheeks used Drink Up Intensive. Clear Improvements is a really lovely mask, I would have bought it if I hadn't already got a charcoal mask in my house. Drink up Intensive is meant to be an over night mask for dehydrated skin, and although I had never thought myself as having dehydrated skin before after she used this on my face my skin looked brighter and felt softer.
She also used a face scrub on my face, I'm not sure if this was before or after the masks but I feel like it was after. The one she used on me was Modern Friction. It didn't feel to harsh, but it felt like it would do a really good job of clearing out your pores. I was put off buying this because of the price,  the full sized 125ml tube is £33 which for what your getting is very expensive. You can get a 50ml tube for £12, if you were to buy 3 of these you'd spend £36 and you would have 150ml of product - you would probably be better off buying a few of the smaller ones.
She then wiped my face down with the Zero Oil toner and then put some kind of lotion on my skin. I really have no idea what it was she put on, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't the toner since she put it on with her hands and not a cotton pad.
The final thing she used was the GinZing Moisturiser, I had been really curious about this for awhile since  it is everywhere in the blogging world. It smells lovely, I think it smells a bit like chocolate oranges. I didn't think this was the type of thing I should be using for my skin since I do have very oily skin, but she said its fine because its oil free. Its a brightening moisturiser, so your skin looks revived after using it. I was so close to buying it, but I held off since I have quite a few Boots Points that I could use to get it.

I only bought one product, since it is quite pricey and I have a lot of things I need to use up already. I bought the Checks and Balances cleansers, which I probably didn't need to get - since I have loads of cleansers I need to use. But I felt a little pressured to buy something. My mum was with me so I didn't feel nearly as pressured as I would have if I was on my own.
I did have a little bit of an issue when buying my product, because another lady working there told me that I needed to buy 2 products when having a facial. I would check that if you plan on getting one, you don't want to be hit with the surprise after having the facial of being told that you now need to buy two products. When I booked my facial I was told it was a free complimentary facial - which made me think that there was absolutely no need to buy anything afterwards. I did say that to the lady, and wasn't made to buy another product, not like they could have forced me - I could have easily left with nothing.
All in all I loved having my facial, and since it is free you should get one as well - but do check the terms and conditions - its a lovely way of trying out some products that you maybe would never have thought of trying.
I am going to later go and buy some more things, but for now I have my cleanser to keep me happy.

★

Nip+Fab Oily Skin Fix Review

I've been looking for something to help my skin, as it is extremely oily, and for awhile I thought I was never going to find something that was affordable. Finally I found something that does the job, Nip+Fab are now my new best friends.

The Oily Skin Fix set is heavenly, if my skin wasn't quite so oily I'm pretty sure this would have been the single best thing to ever happen to me.
The kit contains 3 things; a facial cleansing wash, a moisturiser and a spot gel.
Clean Fix Gel is described as "a deep cleansing and purifying foaming formula for super clean skin." This makes my skin feel really clean, I've used lots of facial washes before and most make my skin feel very tight or don't give a good enough clean - so my skin ends up pretty drap and quite a wee bit unhealthy (by unhealthy I mean oily, blackheads and spots). Since using this my skin hasn't been nearly as spotty and my skin goes longer without becoming oiler than a frying pan.

To help with this the Shine Fix helps keep my oily skin at bay. I even apply this later in the day over my make-up if my face is getting overly oily. Nip+Fab say this =has "microsponges" in it that "target and prevent shine". This is also meant to be a black head buster, but I can't say I've noticed my blackheads disappearing. For an affordable moisturiser it works wonders, and I was overly impressed with it. Since I hadn't yet found an affordable/ drug store this was a little god send. I would say that since it is a tiny tube I will still be on the hunt for something bigger, maybe even on the pricier side, but in the mean time I will definitely re-purchase Shine Fix.

The final part of the kit is the Spot Fix, I haven't yet tried this out since I'm in love with my Freede

rm spot gel. But if the rest of the kit is anything to go by then this spot gel will be amazing. It contains salicylic acid which is brilliant for tackling spots. And I think I will be switching from Freederm to this as, Freederm, as far as I am aware, does not contain salicylic acid. 

  Nip+Fab were certainly right when they say this is a 'cult classic' I will certainly be picking another one of these sets up, at £15.95 full price or £7.50 from ASOS. I highly recommend this set to anyone that has oily skin. 

 ★