Best product find ever for problem skin!

This blog post really comes from my sister - she's been on a lot of medication lately and its had a major impact on her skin. When I looked at it, it was very similar to the type of angry, under the skin lumps you get during hormonal outbreaks or allergic reactions and she found them to be very sore. We tried the usual treatments - those for oily skin, high end skin brands, masks and exfoliants, and while it helped a little it really wasnt addressing the issue as well as we would like.

We went for a weekend away then a few weeks back to Edinburgh and came across a market just off Princes Street (it was raining, I spied a pie stand :)) and found a stall for organic soaps, called The Caurnie Soap Company. They had a feature on the stand on Nettle soap and how it helps with excema and other skin problems. We both have a touch of excema, my sisters on her arms, mine on my neck and stomach, so we figured for a fiver how could we go wrong.

Initially she tried it on her arms and found the results were brilliant and so fast! The only thing that ever came close to it before was the Bliss body scrub but even then it didnt come any where near the results from the nettle soap (and at over €30 a pop, not cheap!)

Meanwhile, she was getting pretty frustrated with the skin on her face and the breakouts from the medication so chanced using the soap one day to see if it would help. I have to say, I hadnt seen her since Edinburgh and the results were absolutley brilliant. Its almost completley clear (even her boyfriend noticed so it must be good!) and all the redness has gone and she says it doesnt leave her skin tight or dry at all, as regular soap can.

The only concern was how to get more of it, apparently the Body Shop used to stock it but happily you can order it online, it quiet large quantities, and its very reasonable.

So if you are suffering with breakouts, spots or acne, its well worth a try. I'm going to test it on the excema over the next couple of weeks as I've got a pretty bad breakout so will update you with the outcome soon.

http://www.caurnie.com/

0044 141 7761218

Horse Shampoo...the secret to longer locks?

Well now maybe Im a bit slow off the mark on the latest hair product fads but I was sitting in the hairdressers a couple of weeks ago, whinging about my sticky out growing out like Florence Henderson hair and wondering if it was ever going to grow when my colourist told me that I needed to get myself a bottle of horse shampoo. Eyebrow raised quizically I asked for more info and was assured that if I used said horse shampoo my hair would grow quicker. Now, as a grown adult, I am aware that there probably isnt any one product out there that can make my hair grow any quicker and yet I found myself in a chemist/animal perscription place, behind a man actually buying horse antibiotics, clutching a bottle or three of Mane & Tail.

So its been a week and maybe its all in my head (!) but my hair feels stronger...and maybe a fraction longer? I'll give it another three weeks and then be back with a full report. That is if my husband stops neighing at me when I come out of the shower.

DIY Wedding Flowers....would you?

Well I have to say, its something I wouldnt have thought was even remotely possible. The world of flower arranging and in particular wedding floristry is a mystery to me - the closest I have ever come to arranging flowers is getting two bunches of the flower of the week from Aldi and mixing them together! But for a recent wedding, I was asked to do the bride and bridesmaids bouqet. First stop was the Dublin Corportation Flower Market, bright and early as it opens at 6am. I was a little daunted initially and spotted a friendly face at Dave Byrne Flowers (I had novice written all over my face). Armed with a theme from the bride (wild flowers) I strolled up and down the aisles of flowers, pointing at ones I liked to look of, while the very helpful lady advised on what would work and what might be a better alternative. The selection was very extensive and I found everything I wanted. They took the order and advised they would be ready for collection on the morning of the wedding. They also gave some good tips on how to put them together (stand in front of a mirror and see what it looks like from the front rather than looking down at the bouquet).
On the morning of the wedding, myself and the bridesmaid ran in to collect them, they were all boxed up nicely, and we headed back to the house to put them together. Once the two bouquets were done, we had enough left for two big displays for the reception room also.
Picture is of the final results!

So for any brides thinking of DIYing it for flowers, it can be done! Its very reasonable and if you could rope in a few mates the day before, you could even do the table arrangements and church flowers too. I reckon €200/€250 would give you amazing flowers for the entire wedding.

Dave Byrne Flowers are on 01 873 4025 or you will find them in the market.

Product Review Clinque Repairware Laser Focus

I have the eyes of an oul wan! Its true. While the rest of my skin is holding up reasonably well, I have full on eye wrinkles. To be fair, its mostly caused by allergies - if its not evil cats making a bee line for me, rubbing themselves off my legs while I sneeze and sniffle, its hayfever. And in the winter, excema hits due to the cold outside and heating systems. All of these make me rub my eyes like a demented person and have all lead to my current wrinkly eye situation.

Not wanting to go down the Botox route, I decided to try out the new Clinque product that claims to reduce wrinkles and general skin problems by up to 63% after 12 weeks.

Well for me, its only been 2 weeks and I have to say I am impressed! The skin around my eyes has definitely improved and Ive been using it on the odd frown line on my forehead too and someone actually asked me if I had had botox at a wedding last weekend! Good sign methinks (either that or I had that bemused too much vino look! )

The only downside is that its a bit drying so I have to make sure to put a fairly strong moisturiser on over it.

Going to keep going until the 12 weeks are up and see if the improvement continues!

While there, I also got their other new product, Even Bette Dark Spot corrector for my mum - review to follow but early signs are looking good!

Laundry Room Fashion and Beauty event!

With thanks to the lovely ladies at La Creme, I headed off to Laundry Rooms in Dublin on Thursday night, the venue where they often film Off the Rails and where they make the fab affordable range of dresses. Not knowing what to expect with the name (convent images came to mind!), I found a beautiful space, packed with gorgeous dresses and with hair, makeup and nail stations available throughout the room, everyone got a chance to try out a new look. 
Spotted at least two dresses I loved and with both at less than €50 theres no excuse not to splash out.
To top off the night, I headed home with a goodie bag full of Kohl, Kerastase, Shu Uemura and Yes to Carrots!

Great night had by all!

Makeup and product heaven in London and Paris!

So I'm back from a great week in London (and a day long pit stop in makeup heaven Sephora in Paris!)

Up first was two days of creating fabulous makeup looks at Illamasqua's flagship store in London. Fab two day's and worked with amazing Illamasqua makeup artists.

While I was there, the launch took place of their new collection - Toxic Nature, the images for the campaign are amazing creations by Alex Box.

Also had to purchase a few of the gorgeous products for my kit - reviews to follow in the next week or two!

Took a quick detour into MAC in Soho for a stock up too!

Next up was a quick Eurostar trip to Paris and a makeup spree in my absolutley favourite store, Sephora. Loving their products, from their own makeup range to products like By Terry. More reviews to follow on the Sephora goodies too!

Eight weeks till the big day!

A client asked me for a guide on getting ready for her big day in eight weeks time so here are my guidelines on getting your skin glowing...fast!

1. The basics - time to get the foundations of a good skincare routine down. I am always amazed at how many people don't 'do' cleansing. Or who only cleanse when they wear makeup. Or my favourite pet hate - swish a wipe around now and again. Cleansing is key - you can spend a fortune on the most expensive moisturiser and it won't do a thing for you if you don't cleanse properly. I prefer cream cleansers - they are kinder to your skin and won't dry and strip all the natural oils. They will also remove eye makeup and mascara without pulling and dragging the delicate eye area. My favourite is an oldie but a goodie - Ponds Cold Creme. If you have an oilier skin or miss the feel of washing, a good tip is to massage the cream well and then run a facecloth under hot water, wring it out and remove the cream with the steaming cloth. For an added extra, add a couple of drops of essential oil to the hot water. Lavendar or rose oil if you have dry skin,  geranium or ylang ylang for an oilier skin.

2. Layering up! Previously we would have run straight from cleansing to moisturising but to really make a difference to your skin you have to start layering products underneath your moisturiser. This is where a serum or treatment really comes into its own. Used before your moisturiser, these are concentrated products and usually a few drops is all you need to see a real difference in your skin. My favourite for radiant skin is Vichy Aqualia Anti Ox. Its a vitamin C treatment that you mix up and store in your fridge. A couple of drops morning and night and in 21 days your skin is fresher and glowing. To really hydrate I love the Clarins facial oils - they also have one for oily or combination skin. Don't be afraid of oils if you have oily skin - they can do wonders!

3. Next up - moisturiser! A lot of women stress out about buying the right moisturiser but for me, if you have the serum/oil/treatment right, then the moisturiser is really about sealing this is, keeping the skin hydrated and protected. I love the Vichy range again for this, they have great products for both oily and dry skins as well as mature and younger skins. Also really like Dr. Haushka and Origins and Olay has a great range, although I think they have become a bit expensive.

4. Weekly facials - a lot of women panic when they hear facials and think its something only beauticans and spa's can do. While spa treatments are lovely and the massages are really relaxing, its not enough to have to odd treatment and expect to see a massive difference in your skin (plus they can be expensive!). You have to give yourself a facial every single week - but its not hard and it doesnt take hours. You have the basics happening already in the skincare routine above. Just a couple of extra's and you have a really good facial routine. I usually do this while a bath is running as the room is lovely and steamy plus  you get all the added benefits of relaxation (we hold a lot of stress in our faces so you will be suprised at how much better your skin is just by relaxing!). First up cleansing - use your usual cleanser but spend a minute more than usual massaging it in. Cleanse, rinse and then repeat. A double cleanse will get rid of the weeks grime and dead skin cells. Next, exfoliate. You have two choices here - the scrubby grainy type or the fruit acid type. The first works on friction, literally buffing off the dead skin, the second works on chemical reactions, the fruit acid 'eating' off dead skin. I like both options so I use Origins Never a Dull Moment scrub which has the grainy bits and papaya for the fruit acid part. Also like the Elemis Papaya Enzyeme Peel. Go easy on the exfoliating, the product will do the work so theres no need to scrub hard, you'll end up doing more harm than good. Once thats complete, rinse and its time for massage. Using a facial oil (see above for my favourites or make your own with a carrier oil plus your favourite essential oils, Boots have a good range) and spend about five minutes slowly massaging your face. Begin at the neck and work your way up - theres no wrong way, just go slow and be gentle and avoid the eye area.
Next up its mask time. I have tried literally tonnes of them and I keep coming back to two favourites. If I'm in a hurry, Bliss Triple Oxygen mask and if I'm going to be sitting in the bath for a while, Dermologica's Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque.
Lastly, once you have rinsed off your mask, pop on your treatment/oil/serum and your moisturiser as normal. And you're done!

5. Supplements - there are a lot of skin, hair and nail supplements available and they are good but they are also pricey. I recommend Starflower Oil & Vitamin E. Its brilliant for moisturising the skin from the inside out and I always notice a difference when  I take it, even my nails seem to grow faster and are stronger.

6. Food - a lot of women start cutting down on food when they are getting ready for their wedding or a big event - I recommend the opposite! Start looking at what you can ADD to every meal, not what you can cut down on. Can you add more protein (the building blocks of good skin, hair and nails) and can you add more fruit and veg. I hate veg so its always a challenge for me but I try to sneak in salad leaves or juice veg with fruit so I can't taste it or have a soup before my dinner or lunch.

7. Caffeine - it seems to suck the life out of skin, there's a grey tinge to skin when people over do the coffee, tea and coke. Try and swap a couple for herbal tea's and you will see a difference and it will help your hydration levels.

8. Which brings me to my next step - water! Everyone thinks they drink loads of water because they have a cup of it on their desks at work or a bottle in their handbags but I would bet most people aren't drinking nearly enough, especially if you also drink hydration sapping coffee, tea, coke or wine! I usually set myself a goal, say to drink two litres before a certain time - so you could get a two litre bottle in the morning and try to have it finished before work ends.

9. Don't be tempted by sunbeds - I know we all would love that tanned glow but I have seen a lot of brides come the wedding morning with cold sores brought on by the sunbed use, sun spots that need covering, burns on their backs and general blotchiness. And thats before we get into the general dangers of sunbed use.

10. Exercise - nothing mad, even a short walk with the dog will get oxygen into your skin and get it glowing like nothing else! Yoga and pilates are also brilliant for getting oxygen to your skin.

And thats it - if you can manage to stick to the above for eight weeks, you will see the difference in your skin. And just a final note, the above products work for me and my clients - I recommend everyone always checks labels for anything they might be allergic to and asks for a sample or to try the product before buying...just in case!