Youthful Skin Archives - Enhance What's YoursEnhance What's Yours

Posted on November 4, 2014

Are you using the right cleanser for your skin type?

In one of my previous posts, I covered skin types and discussed how you can find out whether you’ve been blessed with normal skin, have combination skin, suffer from oiliness or, are at the other end of the spectrum: suffer from dryness.

While this might seem blatantly obvious to some, others can get quite confused about their skin type so if you’re unsure, you can use my method for determining your skin type as a quick guide or simply speak to a dermatologist (you really can’t go wrong here).

When you know your skin type, it makes shopping for the right beauty product slightly easier. Usually, it is the first thing beauty consultants will ask you when you’re looking for a product or in this case, a cleanser.

Cleanser Options

Gel cleansers usually lather or foam when contacted with water. They are formulated to fight blemish-causing bacteria as well as oil build up without stripping the skin of its natural oils. Gel cleansers work best with people who have oily or combination skin and are prone to breakouts.

Suggestions: Clinique Wash-Away Gel Cleanser, €22.00 BOOTS, Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser, €14.99 BOOTS, Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash €6.29 BOOTS

Balm cleansers leave a moisturising cushion on the skin. They condition the skin while cleansing and are suitable for all skin types except oily skin.

Suggestions: Clinique Take the Day Off, €29.00 BOOTS, Champneys Super Rich Cleansing Balm, €16.50, BOOTS, The Body Shop Camomile Sumtuous Cleansing Butter, €14.95, The Body Shop

Oil cleansers are typically very oily (as the name suggests) and work best on the driest of skins.

Suggestions: Make Up for Ever Extreme Cleanser, €25.00, MUFE , L’Oreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil,€12.29, BOOTS, Origins Clean Energy Gentle Cleansing Oil, €23.oo, ORIGINS

Exfoliating cleansers can sometimes contain beads or grains to encourage dead skin removal. Most exfoliating cleansers are gentle enough for all skin types and a lot of them contain glycolic or salicylic acid which play a huge role in loosening up dead skin cells.

Suggestions: Neutrogena Gentle Exfoliating Wash,€4.99 , TESCO, L’Oreal Go 360 Clean The Scrublet, $4.99, ULTA.COM, Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser, $9.99, ULTA.COM

Cream cleansers have a water-based formula that cleanses the skin without leaving residue (that’s always a plus). As well as cleansing ingredients, these products contain emollients which make them better suited for normal to dry skin types.

Suggestions: The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser, €10.95 THE BODY SHOP, Clarins Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream, €30.00 DEBENHAMS, Bobbi Brown Hydrating Rich Cream Cleanser,€27.50 BROWN THOMAS

Remember, the purpose of using a face cleanser is to get rid of lurking bacteria, unwanted sweat, worn out makeup and the oil that builds up throughout the day. If you use a cleanser that is suitable for your skin you have less of a chance of stripping your skin of its natural oils. Cleanse twice a day EVERY day and always use an SPF! 🙂

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Posted on March 24, 2014

The benefits of exfoliating

Skincare/ Youthful Skin

If you don’t exfoliate your face on a regular basis, then your skin probably isn’t as healthy as it could be. Yes, you cleanse twice a day and yes, you do up a face mask once a week. But, since those don’t give you the same benefits as exfoliating, you’ll probably always wonder why your skin can sometimes look dull.

Well, that’s where exfoliation comes into play…….

When you exfoliate, you get rid of the dead skin cells that lie on the surface of your skin. This means, fresh and new skin cells get a chance to expose themselves and give you a smoother and brighter appearance. But wait, it doesn’t end there. Exfoliating has a lot more benefits than that (as if smoother skin isn’t enough right?)

It gets rid of greasiness and impurities on your skin
Beauty products penetrate better when you exfoliate so you get the most out of them
It increases blood circulation which improves the color of your skin – farewell to dull skin
It keeps your pores clean which helps prevent breakouts
It helps you maintain an even skin tone
It helps you get a better tan (not that I need it)

The benefits of exfoliating may have you rushing to your local chemist to buy an exfoliator. But, excessive exfoliating thins out your skin, so it’s important that you don’t do it more than twice a week.

Remember to buy an exfoliator that tailors to the needs of your skin. People with oily skin have a thicker epidermis layer which means they can handle an exfoliator with a mild astringent effect, unlike people with dry skin, who require something more gentle.

Also, your lips are just as important as your face so remember to use a lip scrub. Here’s a recipe for a D.I.Y lip exfoliator for softer and smoother lips.

I hope you’ll begin to embrace one of the things I enjoy the most when it comes to my beauty routine!

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Posted on October 21, 2013

Boots Vitamin E Night Cream

Skincare/ Youthful Skin

Hello all! For this post Bellefbeauty.com is going to be looking at a product I’ve been using for some time now, (I feel almost selfish for keeping this from all of you for so long, sorry!) but I guess I just really wanted to make sure if Boots Vitamin E Night Cream has been helping me in any way at all, and my verdict is it certainly has!

I’ll be honest with you, I tend to get sucked into buying really expensive beauty products that don’t really do much at all, so when I decided to give Boots Vitamin E Night Cream a bash, I thought it wouldn’t be much of a loss if I didn’t like it, (especially as far as money is concerned)

I find this cream to be quite thick in consistency as you can see, but I quite liked that to be honest as it sinks in pretty well on the skin leaving your face feeling pretty smooth.

After using Boots Vitamin E Night Cream overnight, I find that my face looks very fresh the next morning, as it isn’t greasy at all (always a good thing). I always find that my skin looks very smooth the next morning (and then I start running my errands…..)

The one thing that really stands out to me about this product is the scent, I love the scent of it, especially compared to some of the creams I’ve used in the past this is exceptionally good!

I really don’t think a product like this should be overlooked, and it seems to be suitable for all skin types. If you’d like a night cream that won’t fork too much out of you, I’d highly recommend Boots Vitamin E Night Cream. Given it’s price point (4.59), you really can’t go wrong……

If you’re a fan of Boots Vitamin E Night Cream, let me know in the comments section below! 🙂

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Posted on August 28, 2013

Willow Water

Beauty/ Natural beauty/ product review/ Youthful Skin

If there is one thing that a great skin care regime needs, it’s plenty of water. But, why drink any old water when you can have one that has naturally occurring beautifying properties?

I couldn’t agree more!

Honestly, I find it hard to disagree with anything that’s good for you and also has beauty benefits, because it really is a win win. So when nearly 20l of Willow Water was sent to me for review I couldn’t wait to get started to see how it works……

So how does it work?

Willow Water contains a unique blend of minerals which has been proven to be effective in beautifying the skin. The high levels of calcium and the salicin in the Willow Water (sourced from the salicin enriched willow tree) contain anti-flammatory properties which can improve your skins appearance.

Who did it work for?

2 in 3 women with dry skin at the start of the trial felt their skin condition had improved by the end of it
5 out of 6 women who considered their skin condition to be oily at the start of the trial reported improvements
Of those suffering acne prior to the trial, 3 out of 4 reported improvements

Did it work for me?

Honestly, I have yet to see improvements in my complexion or blemishes on my skin, but then again, that could be because I haven’t been drinking Willow Water for long enough to make a judgement. All of the other testimonies were taken up to 6 weeks after being introduced to Willow Water.

Final verdict?

I will continue to drink Willow Water, (not religiously though) because it actually tastes nicer than some water you can get! Also, I love the packaging (quite a sophisticated bottle for water some would say) so carrying 1.5l of Willow Water isn’t the least bit embarrassing!

If you want to find out more about Willow Water, and are interested in getting some for yourself check out their website below:

Home

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to be in a chance to take part of my free giveaway!

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Posted on May 30, 2013

Thermal Water

product review/ Youthful Skin

I’ve always thought that hot bottles were a great idea! You feel cold, heat up some water, put it in you bottle and voila! you instantly feel warm! I thought, who ever came up with that is a genius…… and then I thought, well maybe not! why don’t cold water bottles exist?? I mean we don’t have too many options when we’re too warm, and the ones we currently have, never get the job done quite right!

Well let me tell you, that very thought escaped me ever so quickly, after having used one of the most refreshing summer products that are presently out there : thermal water

Thermal water is a miracle water which essentially soothes and refreshes your face with a single spray! Now I haven’t gone crazy yet so this isn’t all in my head, the reason why thermal water has the ability to do this is because it comes from the untouched waters (untouched by humans anyways) of the beautiful glaciers and lakes of France. Meaning it’s filled with essential minerals and nutrients that you would never find in still water, or better yet, tap water.

What better substance to put on your face than one that has been untouched by humans in a multi-mineral environment?

The debate between La Roche Posay thermal water and Avene thermal water will always be ongoing, as both French brands are absolutely amazing! (leave it to the French to perfect something as simple as water!) and believe it or not, but both products are equally effective!

So why should you include this in your hand luggage?

One reason being that there is nothing worse than travelling while you’re too warm. You’re flushed, you feel like you’re sweating and you just want to shower really! What can be worse than that? Well how about arriving to your destination without freshening up at all!? that really sounds like a nightmare for me, one that could and should be avoided with a travel size thermal water spray.

It’s a simple solution! All you do is spray this directly on you’re face 2 to 3 times a day, especially when you start feeling warm. No rest room required, no mirror required, nada! After a few spritz and you will instantly feel your skin coming back to life! Also, the French have soooo much respect for their wine, so you could only imagine how much respect they have for something as natural and pure as thermal water!

For me it all comes down to packaging, I have yet to see a travel size thermal spray by La Roche Posay, so if you’re ad bad as me with kilos, then I suggest you get the travel size Avene one which is just under 7euro! If you’re willing to give this miracle water some extra space in your bag, then why not go for La Roche Posay! Just remember you will be storing this in a fridge so not too sure how good a big bottle would look in one!

Have you tried any of the three in the picture above? If so, what do you make of it?

Here are a few reviews you could check out:

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=16027/Thermal_Water/Avene_/Skincare_-_Face

http://www.skinstore.com/p-9468-avene-thermal-spring-water.aspx

http://www.aveneusa.com/thermal-spring-water/

http://www.cherrysuedointhedo.com/2012/05/thermal-spring-water-its-very-many-uses.html

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Posted on May 27, 2013

Why use sunscreen?

Youthful Skin

Before I start, I think it may be a good idea to clear the air about something…..yes I’m know that my post is about sunscreen, yes I’m aware of my skin tone, and no I’m not oblivious of the fact that that I live in Ireland! So why should anyone in Ireland, or black for that matter, even consider using sunscreen??

Let me tell you why………

More often than not, fine lines and uneven skin tone that happen to appear on our skin have nothing to do with aging, instead they’re just a result of unprotected exposure to the sun. If you want to punish your skin, then by all means leave the house without any sunscreen at all. But for those who are concerned with having your skin look its best. Then I suggest you start investing into a daily sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

What is SPF?

SPF (sun protection factor) measures the degree of protection that a product has in protecting your skin from the damaging effects of the UV rays from the sun. There are two main types of ultra violet radiation: UVA and UVB. Both age the skin prematurely and highly increase your chances of skin cancer.

I won’t bore you with all the scientific stuff, but these are things to consider: over 30% of the suns ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day! So even though sunny days are rare in Ireland, we still need sunscreen! And also, many black people have a natural SPF level of appx 30, but that doesn’t protect them from skin caner, I mean look what happened to Bob Marley??

So remember, when you are looking for a sunscreen, do make sure that it protects you from both UVA and UVB! Here’s a good one which I always thought was quite effective on my skin….Nivea Sun Pocket Size SPF30

I’ve always liked this product because it claims (you can never be too sure) to have immediate protection from the sun. It protects you from both UVA and UVB rays( which is what we want)! It’s fast absorbing (great for the mornings!) and I absolutely love the fact that you could just throw it in your bag and whip it out when you’re ready to reapply (gotta love it’s pocket size)

Now that you know why we need it, I think it would be worth knowing a thing or two about how to apply sunscreen…..

1.Always clean your skin before application.

2. Apply it to cool and dry skin so make sure you use it before your daily moisturizer because when sunscreen is applied to warm skin, it can open pores and cause a rash.

3.Use the equivalent of a shot glass (we all know what they look like!)

4.Make sure to apply it twice, just in case you missed a spot!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my post! Feel free to comment below!

References:

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/sunscreens-explained

http://behealthyandrelax.com/2009/06/251/

http://www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/Cancer/AN01370.cfm

http://skincare.about.com/od/sunkissedglow/a/Black-People-Sunburn-And-Skin-Cancer.htm

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