7 Skincare Mistakes

Skipping SPF – sunscreen is necessary to protect against the sun’s UV rays which can cause premature ageing of your skin with fine lines, dark spots and in the long term can even lead to skin cancer. It’s a common mistake to believe that darker skin types don’t need sunscreen but we’re all at risk, so wear SPF even inside as UV rays can pass through glass.

Not cleaning your face tools – this includes your makeup brushes and even tools such as jade rollers and gua sha, although the latter is much easier to clean. Makeup brushes should be cleaned once every two weeks at the least, as bacteria builds up on them and we use it on our face and in our makeup which may often lead to breakouts.

Using masks after your skincare – I’ve seen a lot of influencers apply all their serums and essences and then apply a mask after, washing it off. That does not leave enough time for the serums to sink into the skin and essentially all of it is washed down the drain. So apply your masks before your skincare.

Oil before serums– the order of your skincare regimen is highly significant, oils can penetrate any barrier, that is serums and moisturisers, but none of your skincare products can penetrate oil. Face oil should be the last step in your routine, so that your other products are effective and if face oils break you out, this may be the reason as your other products just lay on top of your skin instead of being absorbed.

Over-exfoliation– this depends on your skin type, some people cannot exfoliate more than once a week while some can go up to three times a week. Over exfoliation can irritate your skin and strip it of its natural barrier, we exfoliate to remove the layer of dead skin cells on our skin and twice a week should suffice. It’s also important to avoid exfoliation when you are breaking out as it can irritate it and cause it to spread.

Drying blemishes – a common solution when we notice a blemish is to dry it out, but this depends on what kind of blemish it is. For example papules which are deep pimples can lead to scarring if dried out before they turn into pustules. It’s best to study the problem and use the appropriate solution; such as a warm compress for papules.

Too much cleansing – twice a day is usually enough, over cleansing strips the skin of its natural oils and this is common with foaming cleansers, if your skin feels tight then it’s possible you may be using a harsh cleanser or overusing it. This is a common mistake which can irritate and dry out your skin.

I hope you found something helpful here, if you have any skincare mistakes you’d like to share, comment them down below. Please like and follow for more skincare tips xoxo.

10-Step Nighttime Skincare Routine

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Everyone’s skin is different and it takes time to learn the best routing for your skin. Some people can maintain their skin with only 3 products and then there are the skincare junkies, that love all the layers of serums and moisturisers.

I am definitely the latter, after having issues with acne as a teenager, I’ve learnt a thing or two about skincare. However, two of the most crucial yet overlooked factors are diet and hormonal imbalances. After cutting dairy completely from my diet, my skin rapidly improved and I also noticed that acne on the chin area was often triggered by hormones. Sometimes it’s hard to find the cause of your skincare issues, for example; biotin supplements which are great for strengthening your hair and nails, often gave me acne. This may not be the case for you, but whatever your skin condition is, it is important to ensure that your diet is helping your skin, not compromising it.

The following routine is my current nighttime skincare routine, this is a guideline if you’re not sure how to go about a skincare routine. Keep in mind that everyone’s skin is different, I have combination skin and my it isn’t as sensitive as yours may be. So here are the steps and the products I use.

Step 1: Oil cleansing – this basically melts off all of your makeup in a very gentle way. You can either use a balm or an oil cleanser, massage it into the skin and wash off. I recommend the Clinique Take the Day off Balm or L’occitane’s cleansing oil.

Step 2: Cleanser – now time for your daily water-based cleanser, it is essential to find one which does not harm your skin’s protective barrier. If your skin feels tight after use, then it is probably too harsh. I am currently using Dr Barabara Sturm’s Foaming Cleanser . Another option for oily skin is Clarins.

Step 3: Exfoliate – I do this 2 – 3 times per week. There are two types of exfoliants- chemical and physical. I use a chemical exfoliant only once a week, usually in the form of AHA or BHA acid and I use a scrub twice a week. I am currently using Tarte’s Knockout treatment and the Dermalogica Microfoliant. Regular exfoliation suits my skin as it isn’t overly sensitive but make sure no to overdo it.

Step 4: Face Mask – I use face masks about 3 – 4 times per week, depending on what my skin needs, I may use a clay mask or a hydrating mask. My current favourites are Dior’s Jelly mask , The Face Shop Mud mask , L’oreal’s Red Clay Mask and L’occitane’s Purifying mask.

Step 5: Toner – this is to hydrate, balance your skin’s pH levels and to minimise the appearance of pores. I would recommend L’occitane’s Essential Water or Tata Harper’s Floral Mist.

Step 6: Essence – this is lighter than a serum but has similar effects and is optional. If you like to be extra with your routine then you should try out Laneige’s Waterbank Essence.

Step 7: Serum – definitely a must in your routine, depending on your needs you can go for a brightening serum or a rejuvenating one. Make sure to pat your serum into the skin, don’t let it just sit on top.

Optional: Face Massage – I love using a jade roller for this, but you can use other tools such as a gua sha or just use your hands! This is great for improving circulation, lymphatic drainage, plumping up the skin and if committed to, will help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Step 8: Eye Cream – you need an eye cream even at a young age, because the skin around our eyes is extremely thin and sensitive and it needs attention. I use an eye cream for hydration and dark circles as anti-ageing isn’t my primary concern right now, but I’d suggest Clarins or Shiseido.

Step 9: Moisturiser – even with oily skin, moisturiser is necessary. I currently use a lightweight one. Any moisturiser should work as long as it has clean ingredients that suit your skin.

Step 10: Face oil – now I often see people apply face oil before their moisturiser, however face oil can penetrate any cream of serum but creams cannot penetrate oil. This is why it should be the last step of your skincare routine. One face oil I’m really enjoying is Tata Harper’s Retinoic Nutrient oil but with any retinol product you use, it is important to note that it makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so make sure you’re always wearing sunscreen. There are a number of oils you can use such as maracuja oil, sweet almond oil or jojoba oil, depending on your skin type.

Bonus Step: Lip balm!! Never forget to hydrate your lips. Any balm is great, but if you want a specific, one I love the Laneige Berry Lip Mask.

This pretty much sums up my whole routine, it’s taken me a while to adopt it so if you’re still a newbie, I’d suggest starting with a simple cleanser, eye cream and moisturiser. I hope you enjoyed this read and that you found something helpful here. Please like and follow for more skincare tips xoxo.

5 Books You Should Read

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Reading is an essential part of my every day life and I find it hard to believe that at one point in time it wasn’t really my thing. I really became a book addict when I was around 15 years old and since then, I haven’t gone a day without reading a few chapters. Now I’m not asking you to read a book in a few days but a few pages a day is beneficial. Of course, I started with paranormal romance as my guilty pleasure (it may still be, don’t judge me) and then I delved into self-help books and psychology books. Status Update – I’m a self help junkie.

I believe reading can either be about losing yourself in another world and living thousands of different lives or it can be about growth and attaining knowledge. I find pleasure in learning and we learn every single day.

I have read all of the following books down below. They are self-help books that take different approaches towards personal development and I think that no matter where you are in life right now, you can find at least one which speaks to you.

1. The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey – definitely one of my favourites and one I keep going back to. This book has helped me understand my issue of procrastination and has taught me how to deal with it. Discover ways to improve your work ethic and surprising factors that actually harm your productivity. I’ve definitely seen an increase in my productivity after implementing the tactics in this book and it has helped me decrease the feeling of burnout.

2. Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey – if you find yourself easily distracted or unable to focus on one thing for a period of time, then this book is for you. Tap into your superhuman focus and learn to work smarter, not harder. (PS. I’m in hyperfocus mode right now)

3. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma – this book was not what I expected, I’d advise you to be patient at first when starting the book. I was sceptical about it at first and thought I wouldn’t be able to finish even half of it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the book’s steady pace, it’s an enlightening read, it touches on mindfulness, human psychology and ways we can create a brighter life. Definitley recommend this one if you’re feeling a little lost or out of balance in your life.

4. The Secret by Rhonda Byrnes – I simply enjoyed the way the author voiced her message in this book, she eases you into the practice of gratitude in all aspects of your life without thrusting you into the ‘Gratitude frenzy’ going on all around the media (you know, the gratitude morning routine). It focuses on all aspects such as; wealth, health, relationships and many more. Again, as one who is often sceptical, I thought the book was all about the law of attraction and although it seems that way, I found another aspect to it. Just by reading the book I started to notice the things around me, it developed an awareness in me that has remained even months after.

5. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson – this book spoke to the sceptic in me, in other words I now live by this book. This was said to be the self help book for people who hate self help and it is a pleasure to read it. Now is there swearing every 3 minutes? Yes. Does it make it even better to read? Hell yeah, it does.To be honest, I often hear people say that you always have to be happy and grateful, but I am not always those things and I know you aren’t either. Social Media and even self help influencers indirectly lead us to believe that it’s wrong to feel that way, but it’s not. It’s okay to not be okay and this book teaches you that.

Now before I go into a self love rant, let me leave it at that. As Always thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you found something useful here and I would like to remind you that it’s not just about reading the book, it’s about implementing the methods and advice in it. Unfortunately, we can’t just absorb a book’s powers, we have to put in the action.

Lots of love to all of my readers and please follow for more posts like this, xoxo.

Skincare Facial Routine

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Every now and then it’s essential to treat your skin and nourish it. Even if you don’t have the time to get a facial professionally done, it’s easy to do them yourself. All you need are a few key steps and products.

Start with double cleansing– this means using a makeup cleanser, followed by your usual daily cleanser. This is to ensure that you have removed all of the makeup and impurities from your skin.
Open up those pores!– you can choose to use a facial steamer, steam from hot water or using a hot towel. You want to clean your pores, deep into your skin. This will help to remove any bacteria and excess sebum later on.
Exfoliate– a crucial step in a facial, however your skin type influences the method of exfoliation. You can choose a physical or chemical exfoliant and since I lean more towards having oily skin, I exfoliate with a physical scrub. If you have sensitive skin, you might want to go for a more refined scrub. Remember to wash your face with warm water after as cold water will close your pores
Detox mask– the best option would be a clay mask, which helps to extract the impurities from your pores.

Sheet mask– I like finishing a facial routine with a sheet mask. It can be pore care, hydrating or brightening, depending on how your skin is feeling.

Eye care– this is optional but an under eye treatment is essential at times. Under eye patches are a quick and fun option to try out and they definitely help with dark circles and fine lines.
Face Massage– this can be done using your fingers or a massage tool. My favorite is the jade roller. A face massage helps improve circulation, plumping up the skin and fighting against aging. When massaging your face remember to use upward and outward motions, never drag down and don’t forget your neck!

Your emergency skin care kit should have the essentials; sheet masks, cleansed, face scrub, serum, eye cream and moisturizer. You can also add a toner, face sponge/ brush and face mists.

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, thank you for reading and please follow for more posts like this! Xoxo.

10 Skin care hacks

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Cleanse day and night use a gentle face cleanser to get rid of any bacteria, oil and dead skin cells, removing impurities and giving the skin a fresher look. Also remember to use a proper makeup cleanser; I love oil cleansing, it is an essential part of Korean skincare Routines and you need to try it!

Use sunscreen everyday even when you are in the house, as the sun’s harmful UV rays can still penetrate the skin. Therefore, be sure your skin is always protected.

Use moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and has anti-ageing benefits. If you have oily or combination skin make sure your moisturizer oil free, but it is an essential step even in oily skin care routines.

Use homemade masks sometimes the key to healthy skin is right in your kitchen. DIY masks are 100% natural and have effective healing benefits for the skin. This is the cost-effective side of natural skin care so give it a try, you might be surprised by the results.

Avoid touching your face throughout the day we touch our face unconsciously, getting bacteria onto our skin. It’s important to keep our hands clean and to avoid picking at our skin.

Clean your makeup brushes and beauty blenders it is important to do so every two or three weeks, as bacteria builds up into our brushes. Using unclean brushes deposits dirt and oil onto our skin and into our makeup as well, causing our skin to breakout. Even the best of skincare won’t help if you’re constantly using unclean brushes on your skin.

Tea Tree Oil on pimples that won’t go away. Just use a q-tip or a cotton swab to apply the tea tree oil to your breakouts, dip the q-tip into water before adding the oil to dilute it, as it is concentrated. This is a great skincare ingredients but do not overuse it as it may dry out your skin.

Go for makeup free days sometimes it’s good to let your skin breathe, so avoid wearing a full face of makeup every single day. Layers of foundation and concealer can clog the pores and can worsen breakouts. In the long run it can cause your skin to age faster, so opt for a natural look on some days.

Exfoliating the skin to get rid of dead skin cells that make the skin dry and rough and lead to excess oil and clogged pores. Exfoliating makes the skin look healthier and more plump, as it allows us to absorb moisturizing products more deeply into our skin. You can use physical exfoliants like a sugar scrub, a face sponge or brush or a chemical peel. If you have sensitive skin go for a more natural exfoliant. Avoid exfoliating areas with breakouts.

Avoid triggering factors sometimes certain foods can lead to breakouts. For example, I breakout when I consume dairy products, so try to observe if anything triggers your skin.

Hope this list has helped you, please leave a comment and like. Follow my blog for more skin care tips to come. Xoxo.

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Organic Living but Better

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