Estrid Dermaplaning Razor Kit - smooth skin by arching the razor in a light, downwards motion
I’ve dermaplaned my skin for years and I love it! Not only does it remove dead skin cells to make skin appear brighter, but it also removes the hair too, so anything you put on your face, like make-up, smoothes on better and stays on for longer.
Here’s how I use Estrid Dermaplaning Kit to get smooth skin. I use it once every few weeks and no, the hair doesn’t come back thicker/longer/darker.
You get 3 in a pack for under a fiver – the top folds in for safety and is great for travel (as it takes up less space) Estrid Dermaplaning Razor Kit – you get 3 in a pack for under a fiver
How do you start to dermaplane safely?
I practised on my leg first as it’s easy to nick yourself at the start when you aren’t familiar with how to use a razor. Your face has lots of small bumps and thin skin, so you need to be really careful. I still nick myself even now if I’m not paying attention.
I use the razor along with the hair – don’t go against the hair growth. Doing this you’re more likely to hurt yourself as there’s more resistance so it’s easier for the razor to move when it shouldn’t.
I usually start at the sides of my ears and slowly move back and forth until I get down to my chin on either side. I tend to do the fiddly bits (around my lips) last, as that’s when I’m most comfortable with the razor and less likely to nick myself.
Estrid Dermaplaning Razor Kit – smooth skin by arching the razor in a light, downwards motionVery comfortable to hold due to the nice shape of the toolI mostly love to shave the sides of my face, which collects the most but I also use around my lips, and to help shape my eyebrows (I hate plucking)Look at all that fuzz! So satisfying!! As you can see, the hairs are very thin and whispy – they haven’t changed or gone darker/thicker since I’ve started dermaplaning
I dermaplane after a hot shower so my pores are open, and I use soap or sometimes FaceTheory cleanser. I lather up the soap so it’s thick, then rub it gently into my skin. As the soap is thick, it stays on the parts I haven’t done yet, so it’s easy for me to see what skin I still need to do.
When I use soap, I can actually hear the hair being cut! Very satisfying if you like that kinda thing…
What about skincare afterwards?
If you have sensitive skin, you might need to moisturise lots afterwards as your skin might be sore. I personally don’t have sensitive skin, but I always make sure to use lots of moisturisers afterwards.
Does the hair grow back thicker, longer or darker?
I have light hair so it was never dark, but no, I can confirm it is the exact same as what it was before shaving. The colour is exactly the same, and so is the hair thickness. It doesn’t grow back longer either.
I dermaplane because I don’t like my lil’ blonde moustache or whisps growing at the sides of my ears. I love to use the razor around my eyebrows too, to help to give them shape as I hate plucking.
It helps make-up go on smoother and stay on for longer. I’ve also noticed my make-up isn’t as patchy by the end of the day because my skin is smoother.
The fuzz grows back exactly the same as it did years ago before I started dermaplaning
Is dermaplaning the same as using a razor?
Yeah, they’re pretty similar, but dermaplaning is a closer shave so it takes off the top layer of skin too. It helps my makeup stay on for longer, and look better, because it’s being put on smoother, less bumpy skin.
How often do you dermaplane?
I shave every few weeks. I could probably go for a month. The hair doesn’t grow any longer either; it seems to grow to the same length then just stops.
What razor do you use?
I used to use cheapo Amazon razors but recently I’ve been using the Estrid starter kit razor (for legs etc) and found out they do dermaplane razors too so I bought some for £4.95 for 3, and you get free delivery.
Facetheory is a UK-based skincare brand; Leaping Bunny & PETA approved. I’ve been using them for years, as being a bit lazy, I love it when a website makes it super easy to choose products right for you. I go for products to support with oily skin, acne and hyperpigmentation.
They have a ‘routine builder’ on their website which asks you a few questions and at the end, suggests several products. I did this, but I used it more of a guide. Once I knew the key products (moisturiser, vitamin c etc) I then looked and found my own favourites.
I’ve been using the Supergel moisturiser since 2019 but recently purchased more products, including some for my husband who has the opposite skin to me. Mine is oily, acne-prone and not very sensitive. His is very sensitive, dry and he has redness.
My new routine with Facetheory after painful fungal acne
Photo of my skin after holiday – painful bumps so I stopped all products and began with FaceTheory which has transformed my skin
After coming home from holiday, I had really sore skin. I haven’t been properly diagnosed, but I think I had fungal acne, caused by all the oils in the Elemis cleansing balm I was using to remove makeup 🙁
It caused such a big, painful flare up, I stopped using all products and investigated until I was 99% sure what my next steps were to be.
I cleaned out all products that contain anything that would aggravate the fungal acne (basically 90% of products) and purchased new products – the majority being from Facetheory.
Facetheory benefits – from their website facetheory.com. The products are super clean.
My favourite things about buying from Facetheory are:
most products don’t contain anything that’ll trigger fungal acne
all products are vegan and cruelty-free
prices are affordable (although there’s been a recent 2023 price increase – more on that below)
setting up subscriptions for my favourite products so I never run out, plus get a small discount
you get offers and discounts often in your inbox and accrue points for each order (4 points = £1, but they have tiers depending on how much you spend – the lowest is 2 points per £1)
my favourite Facetheory skincare products
My favourite Facetheory products to use on my oily, acne-prone skin
Vitamin C
Regena C30 Pro Vitamin C Serum with 30% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (£34 although I pay less with subscription)
I use a small blob of this every morning before moisturiser. It contains 30% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, to target dull and uneven skin, signs of ageing, inflammation and acne bacteria. 30% is quite high, so Facetheory also make a 20% version.
It’s reduced my hyperpigmentation especially on my forehead, and made my skin look more awake.
Regena Vitamin C serum – I use 2 drops in a morning
Regena Vitamin C serum – I use 2 drops in a morning
Moisturiser
Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin with Aloe Vera and Niacinamide (£16)
I absolutely love this moisturiser. It’s made for people with oily and acne-prone skin, but my husband uses it and he has very sensitive skin. He loves it as it’s “really thin, easily absorbed and doesn’t dry out my skin”. He’s bought his own tube now so I get mine back!
It contains Niacinamide which helps to reduce pore size. Salicylic acid helps congested skin without causing irritation or any redness. I use this moisturiser under SPF.
Facetheory Supergel moisturiser I use every morning. It’s super light-weight and slides into skin – no stickiness
Toner
Cera-C Pore Reducing Toner T1 with Niacinamide, Ceramides and Vitamin C (£15)
Next up is the toner, which has tons of goodies, including Niacinamide to balance oily skin and reduce pore size. It also contains Ceramides to help your skin retain moisture, Panthenol to absorb moisture, and Vitamin C to help fight breakouts and brightens skin.
I use this toner with a cotton pad. I use one side on half my face, then turn the cotton pad over and clean the other side of my face. I tip the bottle top vertically over the cotton pad, giving me about a pea-sized amount to work with. This is so I don’t go back over clean skin with the dirt from another area.
Facetheory cera c pore refining toner – this bottle was a free sample but I now buy the 200ml beast size
… plus I use the Freshening Face Wash C4 (£11) for a cleanser and Hylafecta 2% Hyaluronic Acid Serum S14 (£22), which aren’t on my subscription list, yet.
Face Wash
Freshening Face Wash C4, £11
I use this both in the morning and at night. It contains Green Tea Extract to detox and remove impurities, and Aloe Vera to soothe and clarify. It’s £11 and comes in a chunky 140ml glass bottle with an easy-to-use pump.
My full morning staple routine from L-R: face wash, toner, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, moisturiser
So basically my skincare is 90% covered with Facetheory. And my skin has never looked better for it.
What are the products like?
As mentioned above, I have 3 products on subscription I get every few months. I love them all as they’ve completely changed my skin.
My husband uses the same moisturiser as me (Supergel) and swears by it even though we’ve got completely different skin. His skin is very sensitive so he usually doesn’t use any skincare because they make his skin worse, but he’s been using Supergel for months now and has even branched out to use the Amil-C Whip M5 SPF 30 and another moisturiser, Aventhra Moisturiser M2.
Supergel moisturiser is very light so a pea-sized amount is able to glide over and cover your whole face.
My discount code
Through my account I get a friends and fam code. Use this link to get 20% off your first purchase (I also get points if you do this!)
I have several products on subscription so I was able to lock in the prices before the increase in early 2023. Some increases are a few pounds, but others have increased quite considerably.
Regena C30 Pro Vitamin C Serum with 30% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, 30ml, was £26.99 in Dec 2022. I purchased it again a month later (Jan 2023) for £22.94 then again at the end of March for £28. It’s now £34 on the website. I get it for £22.94 as I locked-in this price as a subscription.
The Supergel moisturiser was £12.74 in Jan 2023, and is now £16. It doesn’t seem much but it’s still an increase of 25%.
If you’re looking to purchase from them, I’d suggest signing up for an account and signing up to their newsletter. They have offers going all the time, so you’ll be sure to bag a bargain if you keep an eye out.
Or use my code to get 20% off your first order (I also get points if you do this!)
When I was on holiday towards the end of 2022, I had painful, sore acne. Acne I’ve never had before. It was very sore, all over my face, with painful small-to-large bumps that didn’t have a head.
this was my forehead after returning from holidayphoto of my cheek with painful acne
I haven’t been diagnosed properly by a doctor, but I’m pretty sure I had fungal acne caused by the ingredients in the Elemis cleansing balm I was using on holiday to remove my make up. The ingredients contains 13 ‘triggers’ causing inflammation to my skin, including several types of oil.
Once I stopped using it and included other products into my routine, the fungal acne went away. I started using Malezia’s moisturiser and FaceTheory products together, and stopped using anything that contained triggers including the Elemis balm. The acne started to go, slowly.
Malezia moisturiser for fungal acne
When I got back from my holiday, I did a lot of research. That’s how I found out about fungal acne and what it looks/feels like, and why I think I had it. Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer is 100% fungal acne safe so it doesn’t contain any triggers that sooo many products do (such as Elemis, mentioned above). It’s main (key) ingredient is urea.
What is urea and why is it so important?
Urea is a molecule found in your skin and improves the barrier function.
Urea is one of those magical unicorn ingredients with the ability to both hydrate AND mildly exfoliate. It’s so effective as a hydrator, in fact, that it outperforms vaseline in some studies.
It’s obviously fungal-acne safe, proven by the website tool I always use when checking out ingredients:
fungal acne results of malezia urea moisturiser on folliculitisscout.com – all safe!
Is Malezia vegan and cruelty-free?
Our products are vegan and we don’t test on animal (or have a desire to). Additionally, none of our suppliers have tested on animals in the past 5 years. We are in the process of getting leaping bunny certified.
My skin is SO much better now I’ve stopped using any products containing fungal-acne triggers. I use this moisturiser at night before bed. It’s the nicest, thickest moisturiser I’ve ever used. It doesn’t smell strong, and glides on my skin like a dream. I’m absolutely loving it, but I’d have to for the price it takes to be delivered from the US (more on that below).
This was my skin after stopping using the Elemis, and just starting the Malezia back in January’23:
This was my skin after stopping using the Elemis, and just starting the Malezia
My skin after using for a few months (a few angles)
I bought my first Malezia at the start of January and these were taken last week – so around 2.5 months PLUS the week before my period which is usually when I breakout:
This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months – pic 1/4 – still have hyperpigmentation on my forehead but massively reduced
This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months – pic 2/4
This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months including makeup – pic 3/4 This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months – pic 4/4 including makeup
So as you can see, from a few months of using it, my skin has changed massively. I no longer have larger red sore spots, or smaller bumps across my forehead.
I use a pea-sized amount 4-5 times a week, before bed.
Malezia tube key
It cost £3 and well worth it – this little gadget helps you get every last drop of liquid out of the tube. It’s made of aluminum and feels high quality – never thought I’d say that about a tube key. It’s heavy and gets the job done. I’ve also used it on toothpaste.
Malezia tube keyMalezia tube key to get out every last drop
How much is it and where can I buy it?
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturiser is £20 + delivery, which if you’re in the UK, is unfortunately more expensive than the product.
I ordered back in January and it cost me a total of $42.82 ($18.46 was delivery) then my last order (end of March) cost me £62.70, made up of £24 in delivery charges which was probably due to the weight as I ordered 2x bottles plus the tube key (total £43).
After using it for a few months and being really happy with the results, I reached out to become an affiliate of Malezia. I have a discount code you can use, ‘Rachael’ which gets you 20% off everything. Buy it from their website, https://malezia.com/
This order cost me £62.70 including delivery – 2 bottles, tube key and delivery
Delivery from ordering to receiving in the UK took 11 days. It was posted the day after I ordered.
Delivery charges are expensive, but it’s worth it in my opinion for the product, as the quality is amazing & it lasts months. I’ve used products much more expensive than this so when I look at it from that angle, it doesn’t bother me so much to spend £62.30 on 2x bottles (plus a tube key I won’t need to buy again).
After using it for a few months and being really happy with the results, I reached out to become an affiliate of Malezia. I have a discount code you can use, ‘Rachael’ which gets you 20% off everything. Buy it from their website, https://malezia.com/
The code really works:
malezia discount code Rachael for 20% off but you have to go through my aff link
Any negatives?
Yeah – they haven’t put me off buying, as I’ve just reordered 2x more but YES there were a few things I didn’t like:
1) The tube looked half full. The bottle came full and intact, but when I squeezed it, the size reduced massively! It made me think they hadn’t filled it enough. I emailed them about this, and #2.
2) The top rim is yellow, which doesn’t look pleasant and it didn’t come with a silver/foil-type cover. It made me think of gone-off moisturiser you’ve had in your draw for 2 years.
I emailed Malezia about these 2 issues:
My email:
Hi there, I’ve just received so thank you! I wanted to check, should the bottle be open or have a seal? It’s come without a seal, yellow around the rim & when I’ve taken out a pea-sized amount, the packaging has massively gone in so it looks like it’s already half used
Malezia replied within an impressive 5 hours. They explain all points below which I’ve copied in, however, a summary is that yes there is air in the bottle but the weight of product is correct; it doesn’t need a seal as the bottle is airtight, and the yellow staining isn’t rust but epoxy which is harmless.
Malezia email reply to my issues
I love how they replied straight away, but these points are also in their FAQs on the website meaning they are popular (negative) questions. When I opened the product, I was initially disappointed – not 1 but 2 things I wanted to question. Both ‘problems’ have been sorted with context, but it ruined the experience for me. That being said, it didn’t stop me from re-ordering, although the next time I did, I ordered 2x bottles due to the cost of delivery, which takes me to problem #3.
3) Delivery charges to the UK is more than the product!
My last order cost £62.70 where delivery cost was £24 of that. Hence why I bought 2 at £20 each which should last me at least 4-5 months.
I don’t like to moan but these things really effected my experience in a negative way. I was excited at getting the delivery but felt deflated as I had to email and ask about the problems I found. Having those questions as FAQs tells me they’re popular questions from customers, so if I felt a little disappointed, there are others that did too – so it’s something Malezia could look into at fixing properly. That being said, they’re a small business doing right in the world, so if they don’t fix these problems then that’s fine by me – I’ll keep buying anyway!
After using it for a few months and being really happy with the results, I reached out to become an affiliate of Malezia. I have a discount code you can use, ‘Rachael’ which gets you 20% off everything. Buy it from their website, https://malezia.com/
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I’ve been using Il Makiage’s foundation and concealer for over a year so I decided to treat myself and purchase the rest of the set – including the foundation brush.
It’s £38, so it’s a premium brush, up there with others such as IT Cosmetics (Heavenly Luxe is £36), Bobbie Brown Brush (full coverage, £36) and a few from MAC (190 foundation, and 196 flat top both £28). I know it seems like quite an expense, but if you think of how much you use it – for me, it’s a few times a week, which means regular washing, I need it to last so I need a high quality brush.
I’ve used cheap brushes in the past which are fine for a few months but then the brushes turn hard and nasty, so I don’t mind spending £38 for a brush that’ll last literally years.
It’s a dome-shape with soft and dense bristles, perfect for liquid or cream foundation. It says it’s perfect for a ‘high to medium’ coverage but I tend to go with a lighter finish and it does the job perfectly for me.
Il Makiage 100 Foundation Blending brushThe bristles are really soft but it’s a dense brush which allows you to really go in deep to keep the foundation on for as long as possible
How easily does the brush apply foundation?
I personally use a brush or sometimes a beauty blender if I can be bothered. This brush allows me to really pad the foundation into my skin, giving me a really nice deep finish, but it doesn’t feel harsh because the brush is so soft.
A small blob of foundation covers redness near my nose, plus uneven skin tone & spotsI used a primer beforehand to get the foundation looking smooth and so it stays on for as long as possible
How do you clean the brush?
I clean it after I use it with ISOClean, which is 1-3 times per week. There isn’t any signs of wear or tear so far, and I’ve had it for 8 months. Check out my ISOClean blog here. It’s basically liquid you spray on to your brushes, rub them, which cleans within a minute – and drys within 30-50 seconds too depending on the brush size. It gets rid of germs and all nasties and there’s no rinse required, so you can have a dirty brush one minute, and clean ready to use the next!
What’s your final review?
I love the 100 brush. I even use it for blending in concealer if I’ve got a bigger area, like the spots on my chin in the above pics. It’s quite a big expense at £38 but (hopefully) it’ll last years and years, even with constant cleaning.
Don’t forget to use a primer to ensure your skin is smooth and to help your makeup last for as long as possible! 12 hours later, the foundation is still mostly on
Buy it from Il Makiage’s website for £38 – don’t forget to use the code welcome10 for 10% off!
UPDATE: 11 June 2023 I’ve been using for a while now and cleaning at least once a week – no signs of wear or tear. Continues to be my favourite brush. I’ve even started to use it after foundation to apply bronzer.
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After using Sand and Sky’s Australian pink clay for some time (which is around £36 per 60ml – see my blog here) I decided to give this a try after spotting it in Aldi for £2.99 for 60ml.
Lacure Aldi Pink Clay mask – box and brush
I’ve recently been suffering with fungal acne (I think – not properly diagnosed) on my forehead and lots of spots around my chin, so I’ve been very careful about what I’ve been using on my skin as I don’t want to irritate it. I’ve reduced the number of products I’m using down to 5 in total (not all on the same day either) so after buying, I checked the ingredients online – it was an impulse purchase but not an expensive one!
Ingredients – what’s in it?
I use https://folliculitisscout.com to check the ingredients of beauty products. It’s really easy – you simply copy and paste the list of ingredients into the website, and it says whether or not it contains fungal-acne triggers.
I’m not sure why but the list of ingredients isn’t on the Aldi website. I found it on a random website, https://incidecoder.com. It shows that none ingredients are a fungal acne trigger:
Ingredients checked for fungal acne triggers on folliculitisscout.com
I also use another website, not just for fungal-acne: skincarisma.com checks against a load of things including alcohol, paraben, sulfate, silicone etc.
Investigating the ingredients on Skincarisma.com: https://www.skincarisma.com/
It shows Lacura Pink Clay mask is good for as it contains:
Dry skin (glycerin, Butylene Glycol)
Anti-aging (Citric Acid)
Sensitive skin (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder)
But bad for:
Dry skin (contains alcohol)
Allergins (Limonene – perfume)
It looks very creamy
Is it cruelty-free and vegan?
It says it’s cruelty-free on the Aldi website. Nothing about it being vegan unfortunately.
It’s cruelty-free according to the Aldi website
It’s slightly less thick than Sand and Sky’s pink clay mask, but no difference in quality (in my opinion)
I decided to go ahead with it, even though it contains a few naughties (alcohol for one). My main concern was fungal-acne triggers, and as it doesn’t have any, I went ahead.
When I was in the store, I read the box which states:
draws out impurities…. refines pores, contains witch hazel
according to the box
I really wanted a mask to clear my skin – to give it a really deep down gentle cleanse.
As you can see from this photo, my forehead has a very uneven skin tone plus several bumps (which I think is fungal acne). I also get lots of black heads on my nose and chin I want to clear out.
It feels lovely and creamy to apply but isn’t runny so it stays on your skinThe brush you get within the box allows you to make a neat job applying the mask10 minutes later – lots of drying, and you can see the pores on my nose being cleaned outLots of little bumps on my forehead are being cleaned out at this pointIt dried in just over 13 minutes and was flakey
How long do you leave it on for and how do you remove?
The box advises you to leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse off with a warm flannel. I did as instructed. Compared to the expensive Sand & Sky mask, it was a lot harder to remove. With Sand & Sky, I used to remove it in the shower and it took less than 30 seconds with warm water. This took me around 5 minutes. It was hard to remove and stubborn, so it took me longer as I was being extra gentle with my skin.
I used a smooth, soft, warm damp flannel to remove the mask It took me over 5 minutes to remove as it was quite stubbornThis was my skin BEFORE using the mask – you can see an oily foreheadAFTER using the mask – a different light (sorry) BUT you can see my skin looks brighter and less congested My skin afterwards was a little red from getting the mask off and my fungal acne on my forehead wasn’t happy and quite raw
This was my skin the day after – it’s bright, slightly red on my nose but my skin is SO much clearer. I’ve always got red on the sides of my nose, so don’t let that put you off.
The mask has massively reduced the bumps on my forehead and it looks much less oily:
The day after – my skin is so much clearer – still have acne, but it’s less red and the bumps on my forehead are reduced. I’ve always got red on the sides of my nose!
What’s your review? Would you use the Lacura mask again?
Yes I would absolutely use it again. It cleared out my skin and got rid of my congested areas. It hasn’t made the bumps on my forehead any worse. I’m 100% going to use this as part of my routine, probably using once a week.
The pot looks like it’ll last 6-8 times so for £2.99 it’s extremely cost-effective. I’ve reviewed Sand & Sky’s mask (retails around £36 for 60ml and also the pink clay mask by T Zone)
If you’re unsure, check out the reviews on the Aldi website – there are currently 75 reviews with an average of 4.8/5!
How much is it?
It’s £2.99 from Aldi for 60ml. You can get it from the Aldi website + £2.95 delivery.
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What are the shades available from Il Makiage and how do you pick the right one for you? I got matched to 035 after completing their tool called POWERMATCH. 035 is for lighter skin tones – I put it to the test on my acne-prone skin, dark circles, oily forehead and hyperpigmentation!
They have over 50 shades to choose from, and you can return it if you don’t like the colour within 30 or 60 days depending on whether you’ve used the quiz or not.
Get matched using their tool ‘powermatch’ or get your money back (they will literally refund you and by using the tool, you have longer to return)
If you aren’t sure (as I wasn’t) when I first purchased but their returns policy is amazing – try risk free and return it if you’re not happy. This gave me a lot of confidence I’ll get my money back if it’s the wrong shade (or if I just don’t like it) as it’s risky buying something like this online.
I personally never expect to get the right shade first time.
They have over 50 shades with skin tone and undertone as categoriesThis is how shade 35 looks on the Il Makiage website
Shade 35 is under the ‘light’ skin tone with ‘pink’ undertones. I don’t think this is accurate; I’m definitely more yellow than pink.
Shade 35. It’s a little light for me at the moment as we’ve had a summer of sun here in the UK – it’ll fade soon! Close up – shade 35Not the best lighting but the difference is clear (not sure why I didn’t go straight down the middle!) It covers hyperpigmentation, dark spots, dark circles, spots and redness – all without clogging pores
Here’s how I apply the foundation and what the shade looks like in my Tiktok!
How much foundation do you need to use?
It’s buildable so you can either go for a light coverage (like I normally do – pictured above) or a heavier if you want that fuller coverage.
On the photo above, I’ve got 2 pumps on which doesn’t feel heavy. If I was to want to cover my blemishes and hyperpigmentation fully, I’d need more pumps but it still wouldn’t feel heavy on my skin. One of the reasons why I don’t often wear foundation is the weight of it and how it feels after a few hours of wearing foundation. I’ve got really oily skin so I always notice whenever I’ve got foundation on, but Il Makiage ‘woke up like this’ lasts all day and I’m not desperate to take it off at the end of the day.
Buy it from the Il Makiage website: ilmakiage.com. The foundation is £36, my shade above is 35. You have to spend over £50 to get free delivery, otherwise it’s £3.95. Use the voucher code ‘welcome10’ to get 10% off 🙂 you’re welcome!
If you’re unsure on your foundation shade, use powermatch to help you find your shade – I used it and it was perfect (I’m 35). If you buy both, you’ll get free delivery.
Il Makiage ‘woke up like this’ on my skin – with spots, redness, lots of hyperpigmentationAfter putting the foundation on – it’s covered a lot, and it’s still only a light coverageShowing the foundation below my eyes – my forehead doesn’t have any on and you can see the differenceDon’t forget to blend into your ears and neck line with foundation brush 100The finished result using Il Makiage’s foundation and concealer. Blush from BodyshopThis is me after a 17 hour day – including sweating and walking in the rain!
Il Makiage’s Returns Policy
Il Makiage have a really great returns policy. If you answer the questions in their POWERMATCH which helps you find your colour, they offer a 60-day returns policy (normally 30 days).
In general, any product purchased through our shade-matching quiz(s) is eligible for a sixty-day return period.
I’ve made another blog recently using both foundation and concealer, using the Il Makiage blender brush 100 and concealer brush 140. I haven’t put the full blog up yet; just the concealer one. Anyways some of the photos are ready, so I’ll post them below, as it shows more lighting.
For the past few years I’ve started getting a lot of spots the week before my period is due – bigger spots around my face and smaller ones across my forehead. Not only that, I also get spots throughout the month – on the sides of my forehead, my cheeks and my chin. After a lot of reading and getting advice from friends, my skin looks more glowy and any spots I do get fade a LOT quicker than what they used to.
Here’s my list of my top 10 things to do, and not do, to help reduce the amount of spots you’re getting:
Don’t pop them!
Review what you’re putting on your face
Use clean towels
Use clean pillow cases
Are you removing all your make up?
Clean your make up brushes
What make up are you using?
What vitamins are you taking?
Get a spot clearing gel
Don’t pop spots
You don’t have to tell me how hard this one is. There’s not much else better than popping a good spot and having the gunk ooze out. But this is doing your face no good at all. The white stuff in a spot is actually magical liquid helping to GET RID of the spot. So guess what? By squeezing the white goodness, you are 1. removing the goodness fighting the spot 2. making the bacteria go further into your skin increasing the size of the spot and increasing the time it takes to go 3. probably going to leave yourself a scar.
Tips for leaving your spots alone
Don’t look in a mirror.
When I get in and take my makeup off, my most popular time of day for a good spot-popping session was after my evening shower, after I’d taken my makeup off. Spots look worse after a shower because the hot water makes your pores open.
After a shower, I don’t even go near my (amazing) magnifying mirror. I put my creams/moisturiser on without looking. I don’t see my face all red and by the time I look in a mirror, my face has cooled and any spots have reduced in size.
Review what you’re putting on your face
Be honest – how many products are you putting on your face in a day? When I did this assessment, I realised I was:
cleaning my face with a product (morning)
putting 2-3 moisturisers on (morning)
putting primer on (morning)
putting make up on (morning)
removing make up with a product (evening)
putting 2 moisturisers on (evening)
putting on night cream moisturiser (evening)
So that’s a minimum of 9 different products I was putting on my face per day. Your skin is only thin – it can’t possibly hold this much. I figured something must be irritating it so I started to slowly reduce:
1. how much of each product I was using (1 drop instead of 2) 2. reduce the total amount of products I was using. 3. not putting products on all over my face – taking care to reduce the products added to my oily bits (forehead) in a morning
Now my routine looks like this:
cleansing my face with a product (morning)
add 1x 2 moisturiser including SPF (morning) I’ve stopped moisturising my oily bits in a morning which has done wonders for stopping my forehead being so oily by the evening. SPF still goes on all over, though.
add primer sparingly (morning) not all the time if I’m not wearing makeup
NEW: cleanse & tone (evening) – cleansing and toning take off every last trace of makeup/dirt from the day
putting 2 moisturisers on (evening)any other products such as Retinol 3x weekly – I use the same products but I use 1 drop instead of 2 and I don’t use harsh products on my dry patches like I used to
add night cream moisturiser (evening) unlike the morning, I put moisturisers on my oily patches which can be washed off in the morning and doesn’t make my oiliness worse during the day
My skin honestly feels like it’s breathing again and my spots have reduced from this routine.
Use clean towels
If when you wash your face, you dry it with the closest towel… stop! Your partner could have just used that to dry their feet. Or bum, urghhhh. The towel could have been sat wet for a time, collecting germs.
I never dry my face with a towel. I usually leave it to dry – it only takes 5 minutes. Or if I need to, I dap it with 2 small pieces if toilet paper. I never use something that’s already out, having been used already.
The same can be said if you use a reusable make up remover cloth. If you leave it out damp or wet, it’ll collect mould so it’s the last thing you want to use on your face.
Use clean pillow cases
I sleep for 7+ hours so that’s a lot of time my face is lay on something. If you have spots, the bacteria will rub off on to your pillow and stay there, so the next night, that bacteria will make its way back to your face.
I make sure to never sleep on the same side twice. I have spares so I don’t need to wash my pillow case and dry it before re-using.
The Body Shop Camomile butter – for removing make up
I therefore changed my routine a little. I still use the camomile butter on all my face including my eyes/face, but I also use a toner & cleanser afterwards to remove any last trace of makeup.
Clean your make up brushes
Easily forgotten! If you’re constantly hiding spots, you need to constantly be cleaning your brushes.
I use ISOClean to clean mine which takes literally minutes and they’re as clean as new.
Clean your make up brushes weekly or even daily
What make up are you using?
Do you have new spots appear during the day? If so, that could be a sign your make up is irritating your skin.
Your best bet is to try and see what works for you. Read online reviews and use https://www.skincarisma.com/ingredient-analyzer to check out the ingredients before you buy. It shows you any ingredients that could irritate your skin, in particular if you have spots, dry skin or oily skin.
What vitamins are you taking?
I’ve been taking biotin for hair growth. It works! But at the same time, too much, you guessed it, can bring on spots. I found this to be true. Since I’ve stopped taking a daily biotin vitamin, my spots have reduced. I now take only 2 per week.
Get a spot clearing gel
I’ve used Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster for putting on angry spots to help them disappear. I’ve also used Benzoyl Peroxide which kills the bacteria in spots, but it’s very strong and dries out skin, so use sparingly and be careful.
Update: March 2021
I’ve just started using polyester pillowcases which are soft enough to help improve your skin. They don’t soak in the lotions and potions you put on before sleeping, unlike cotton. I’m using them instead of silk, which isn’t cruelty-free. Have a read of my article where I discuss my new polyester pillowcases & show how my hair looks after sleeping. I was happily surprised!
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I was targeted for this on Instagram (damn you!!) and decided to purchase it. It cost £6 from their website + £1.50 delivery. Quite expensive for what’s essentially a soap, but I wanted to try after reading lots of positive reviews from adults experiencing acne, which I suffer from (at the grand age of 33).
Okay, I say it’s “essentially a soap” but it’s much more than that. Not only is it vegan and cruelty-free, it includes lots of fancy inflammatory products to clean your face and it actively reduces spots from looking big and red. I can honestly say from just a week of using it, my skin feels extremely clean and spot free (which considering it’s the week before my period, that’s really saying something).
I use it in a morning and before bed. It states on their website to “ditch the cleanser and face wash and use the Carbon Theory Cleansing Soap twice daily to experience The Theory of Every Skin“ which I’ve been doing. As I’m working from home, I’m not wearing makeup which to be honest, hasn’t really helped my skin as much as I thought it would. I get acne at the sides of my face (next to my eyes and across my forehead & chin) and I have oily skin. I also can’t resist a good popping session, which is obviously the worst thing to do.
This bar isn’t meant to take makeup off – you are advised to keep it away from your eyes too. If I’ve worn mascara during the day, I remove it first using Body Shop Camomile Cleansing oil with a Face Halo, and then use this bar to gently scrub away any remaining rubbish I’ve collected on my face from the day.
This is the size after a few days of using it – pretty standard
The instructions say to gently rub it into your skin for 30 seconds – exactly what I’ve been doing. I’ve stopped using the toner and cleanser that I was using (both Body Shop) mainly because I love reducing the amount of things I use on my skin, plus the Carbon Theory message above suggests ditching them. After the 30 seconds is up, I rinse with warm water (hot water inflames skin and makes spots appear worse & therefore encourages me to mess with them – which only worsens the problem) and leave my skin to dry. I don’t use a towel because they’re normally covered in dirt resulting in making acne worse (part of my other blog on 9 tips to help reduce acne).
Packaging
It comes in a resealable packet, making it perfect for storing away, out of sight when I’m not using it, and for traveling (what’s that? Cheers COVID-19).
Where’s my acne gone? Would I recommend? YES.
I can honestly say that for the week I’ve been using it, my skin has never felt so clean – extremely surprising considering this is the week before my period, which is normally when my skin is at its worst – acne all over, large red spots in groups and very oily skin. Even my skin feels less oily, unlike on a normal day, when by 3pm my skin feels like I’ve lathered myself in oil. In the afternoon my skin feels and looks the same as it did in the morning – no shine or feeling greasy! I’m very impressed.
I’m trying to stop popping spots too so the combination of that and using this bar has obviously done my skin wonders. I don’t look at my skin in the mirror after a shower which I realised is my most likely time to want to pop. #MotivationIndeed
The same pre-period (normally spotty) week in August vs September. Absolutely NO filters used, just taken at a different time of day hence the difference in lighting
Where can you buy it?
I bought it from the official Carbon Theory website but you can also get it from Boots. I didn’t manage to snag any discounts but if I find any, I’ll add them here.
UPDATE: use code dropgame for 10% off. You’re welcome 😉
What’s next?
I’ll give the soap bar another 3 weeks which will be a full month – plenty of time to see if this week has been a fluke or not.
Afterwards, I’ll probably get their moisturiser (such amazing reviews). And when my Soap and Glory face mask runs out, probably their facial scrub too.
From their website – this is a box set costs £44
Update: 3rd Jan 2021
Okay so I’ve just bought my 2nd soap – it’s absolutely amazing. I use it in a morning & before bed. If I have spots, in the morning they’re GONE! Even my usual big sore period spots have disappeared. I still get a few small spots on my forehead, but it’s nothing compared to before.
I’ve bought the Facial Scrub too that I use when I want a deep clean. I leave it on for 5 minutes, after using the soap, no more than twice a week. It’s got tiny little sand-type bits in it for extra exfoliation, so I give my nose & chin (blackheads) an extra rub, which gets everything out! Very pleased.
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Chāmpo Vegan and Cruelty Free Hair Care - My honest review
I’m far too influenced by Made In Chelsea ladies on Instagram that I keep buying beauty products I really don’t need! I’ve tried Function of Beauty hair care so figured I’d give Champo a go.
Personalised goals for your hair care – Champo
Champo have lots of different shampoo and conditioner types dependent on your hair. Types such as:
Volumising
Balancing
Thick hair
Thinning care
etc…
You can choose to complete a short quiz where they ask what your hair is like and what your goals are.
for fine hair that may be experiencing thinning or loss and yearns for instant and long-lasting fullness and body. Thickens every strand, transforming strength and protecting from breakage while restoring weightless volume and beautiful manageability.
I didn’t 100% agree with this when I got the results as my hair isn’t fine but it is thinning slightly. It could do with help with breakages and needs strengthening so I thought I’d give it a go.
What’s the price?
Conditioner is £20 and shampoo is £18. Delivery is free over £30. I paid £34.20 in total for 1x shampoo and 1x conditioner because I used a discount code (see the end of the article).
They’re both 260ml / 9.2 fl. oz. which being honest, were smaller than what I expected. I thought Function of Beauty is expensive at £31 but those bottles are nearly double at 474ml.
Shampoo & Conditioner by Champo – 260ml – I got the type Pitta
What are you paying for?
They are the most expensive hair care I have ever purchased so I wanted the ingredients to be natural, ethically sourced, vegan and cruelty-free.
Good news.. they are vegan and cruelty-free. Hurrah!!
– Precisely formulated to instantly leave fine or thinning hair looking and feeling fuller, thicker and stronger from roots to ends – Over time, helps reduce hair loss by protecting from breakage while also promoting healthy hair growth – 98% naturally derived ingredients – Vegan and Cruelty free – Made in the UK – Suitable for coloured and treated hair – Free from: SLS, Parabens, Silicones, Synthetic fragrance, DEAs, MEAs, TEAs, GMOs and artificial colour
It’s only natural… You may be surprised at the tone of our Pitta volumising shampoo; it’s grey. This is due to the haritaki fruit extract in the formula, which we choose not to mask with artificial colour.
Shampoo and conditioner by Champo – 260ml – I got the type Pitta
There are loads of reviews from customers on their website, but they aren’t populated from an external reviews company (TrustPilot for example) so I’m never too trusting of them. That being said, they definitely helped to sway me to make my purchase.
My honest Champo review
On arrival I was very disappointed. They arrived in a cardboard cutout which didn’t scream “high-end” at all, which I was expecting considering the price. They were also smaller bottles than what I expected.
Champo – I was initially disappointed with the simple cardboard packaging
I’ve had an email recently which goes into detail why they use cardboard which made me feel guilty… see the dedicated page for their transparent explanation here.
Progress and positivity | Our approach to sustainable beauty. Synthetic-free formulas, 80% recycled cardboard packaging, recyclable bottles and discreet distribution… Learn how our low waste model is positive, progressive and beneficial for both our planet and your pocket.
The bottles are as you’d expect – easy to use to pump out the product. I use a 50p size amount in the middle of my hand and gently rub it in my scalp.
It doesn’t bubble as much as store-bought shampoos but that’s probably because of the higher quality. I initially didn’t like this, as I’m used to bubbly, frothy shampoo which really lathers up!
My hair after using Champo
It’s been smoother and a lot less frizzy. I’m really pleased with Champo and I would recommend it.
I probably wouldn’t purchase again though, mainly down to the price – it’s a little too expensive for me. Although, that being said, as I’ve only been using a few weeks, I’m yet to find out how long it lasts for. I wash my hair 2-4 times a week so hopefully it won’t run out too soon. As I have long hair, I have to pump the conditioner about 10 times (at least!) to get a sizeable amount out, and even then, I try to ration it. I only condition the middle-to-ends too.
The underneath of my hair is normally pretty frizzy but was tamed after using both Champo shampoo, conditioner and blow-drying my hair
I’ll update this blog when I run out of either.
This is my hair after using Champo shampoo and conditioner. It’s after a blow-dry too.
The shampoo has just run out. The conditioner is still going – I’ll update again when it’s finished.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m washing my hair less (due to COVID-19 lockdown) or if it’s Champo, but I’ve started getting dandruff on the sides of my head! I’m only washing it a day or so later than usual (at least twice a week) so surely this can’t be why I’m getting dandruff. I’m going to use Function of Beauty next (I’ve got new bottles since the blog) to see if it gets rid. Argh.
Update: 2nd June (6.5 weeks later)
The conditioner has just run out. It’s lasted a while to be fair – I wash 2-4 times a week and use this on my ends.
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Beauty Pie sells luxury beauty products at a fraction of the price of high-end products on the market. I first saw them on Facebook as I was targeted with one of their ads. I didn’t buy straight away but kept a note of their brand and decided to try them once I’d run out of my current products.
All products are cruelty-free and some are vegan. Check out the individual ingredients listed on every product page.
At BEAUTY PIE, we do not believe in or authorize animal testing for our products or the ingredients that go into our products. This means we do not do animal testing, our suppliers do not do animal testing, nor do we pay people to do animal testing for us. Each of our product information files contains a declaration from the supplier that their products are not tested on animals, and that the ingredients comply with the European Ban on Animal Testing.
From Beautypie.com / April 2020
Beauty Pie Membership explained
A membership gives you access to buy products at a discounted price but you still have to pay for products on top of the membership fee, and the amount of products you can buy is capped depending on your membership.
If you buy a £10 per month membership, that gives you a £100 “spending limit” to buy products based on their full “typical price”, rather than the discounted member price.
If a moisturiser is normally £40 but with a membership it is £20, you will pay £20 plus a monthly membership fee, and the £40 will come off your £100 “spending limit” balance, leaving £60 left to “spend”. You can make as many orders as you like as long as you stay under the spending money amount.
If this doesn’t make sense, go on their website and add a few things to your basket. Hopefully it will become clear. They give you access to products at a cheaper price with a membership, but stop you from buying too much because they want to keep you paying monthly for a membership. Memberships start at £10 (or £99 annual).
I started with a £10 monthly membership for a minimum of 3 months. As I signed up as a new customer, I got extra spending limits (instead of the normal £100 per month) with this membership plan. I had to sign up for 3 months minimum, then I cancelled the membership because I’d bought all the products I wanted. Unlike other subscription services, cancelling was easy. I just emailed them and they replied to confirm my account was cancelled. I didn’t get any sales tactics which I appreciated.
The membership will roll over, so if you don’t use all of your “spending limits” in a month, it will roll over to the next. So if you buy a membership in January costing £10, you will get £100 “spending limit”. If you don’t buy anything in January or February you will have spent £20 on membership fees but will have 2 months worth of spending money saved.
If you buy a £10 membership to get a £100 “spending limit” a month but you want a product that has a full price of £120, you’ll need to save your “spending limit” up, unless you buy a more expensive membership plan.
To help you understand the pricing and membership, here is the receipt for my first order.
My ‘typical price’ came to £191 (£70 + £75 + £28 + £18) which was under the £200 I had to spend. I made my first purchase in December 2019.
For making my first-ever purchase and for signing up, I got a free £50 boost to my spending limit on top of my £100, making £150, which isn’t shown on the receipt, and free Plantastic Micropeeling Super Drops. I also bought a £50 extra spending limit of £5 (shown on the receipt), so I had enough spending limit to buy everything I wanted. As mentioned I took out a 3-month membership at £10 per month which is shown as STANDARD PIE MONTHLY.
In total, I purchased £191 worth of products but because I am a member, I got them all at the members’ price which ended up being £40.61 including delivery. My spending limit for my first order was £200, so £9 rolled over into my next month.
I have purchased from Beauty Pie:
Super Retinol (+ Vitamin C) Night Renewal Moisturizer
Super Healthy Skin™ Sheer Tinted Oil-Free SPF20 (Medium)
Smart Powder Blush (Shade : Go Rouge (A Pink-Orange))
Plantastic™ Micropeeling Super Drops
Jeju Daily AM/PM Moisture Superinfusion™
I’ve been impressed with the products. They’re lasting ages and I feel like they’re good quality. Even the bottles feel high-end & luxurious but the prices aren’t high at all.
All of their products are cruelty-free.
Products review
Jeju Daily AM/PM Moisture Superinfusion™
Jeju Daily AM/PM Moisture Superinfusion™
Typical price – £70 / Members price – £11.94 (Members price has gone up since I bought it for £8.87 in December 2019
Hydration junkies – strap on your beauty helmets, because our JEJU DAILY AM/PM MOISTURE SUPERINFUSION™ might be the most mind-blowing face cream ever. Jeju Volcanic Sand gently blots shine from your oily spots, while a multi-active Hyaluronic-Acid hydrating complex transforms dull, dry skin to be positively dewy.
From Beautypie.com / April 2020
I put a small amount on in the morning under makeup and before bed (with the Super Retinol). It’s thick but soaks in skin quickly and isn’t greasy. I absolutely love it. The texture is gorgeous and it smells lovely. I don’t normally like smells in things (I think it makes the product seem cheap) but I don’t mind this one at all as the smell isn’t strong and doesn’t linger. The pot for this is huge, so I doubt you’d use more than 1 a year! Really good value for money.
Super Retinol (+ Vitamin C) Night Renewal Moisturizer
Super Retinol (+ Vitamin C) Night Renewal Moisturizer
Typical price – £75 / Members price – £11.46 (Members price has gone up since I bought it for £8.82 in December 2019)
This superstar Swiss overnight formula has everything anti-aging in it _encapsulated retinol (resurfacing), ficucell vita (antioxidant), shea butter (nourishing) , vitamins E and C (elasticity+), ferulic and hyaluronic acid (plumping, hydrating), it’s super-smoothing, fine-line and wrinkle tackling, brightening, and we think this is possibly THE best retinol night moisturizer ever.
From Beautypie.com / April 2020
I use this 2 or 3 times a week. Retinol dries my skin but this doesn’t as long as I don’t use it daily. I use it before bed so my skin can have a good rest. I use 2 pumps. It isn’t oily or greasy, it soaks in quickly. My skin is brighter after using this. I would buy it again.
Super Healthy Skin™ Sheer Tinted Oil-Free SPF20
Super Healthy Skin™ Sheer Tinted Oil-Free SPF20
Typical price – £25 / Members price £6.77 (Members price has gone up since I bought it for £5.50 in December 2019)
Imported from Italy, our Super Healthy Skin™ Tinted SPF20 delivers beautiful, natural, sheer coverage, sun protection, and a radiant all-day gorgeous soft-focus glow. Oil-free, fragrance-free, with a velvety skin finish, it’s probably the best multi-action BB Cream you can buy.
From Beautypie.com / April 2020
I bought this in Medium but what a mistake! I re-ordered in Light after seeing myself in a mirror at work. Holy moly, it was too dark even for my olive skin. I use it usually instead of foundation if it’s a nice day or my skin is nice so I feel I can go without make-up. I’ve also worn it under make-up and I haven’t noticed any problems. I put it on with a brush and it blends well into my skin. I have an oily forehead which didn’t get worse (or better) by using this product. You only need a tiny amount.
The SPF is a great plus for this product (I’m 32 so taking more care of my skin these days!).
Smart Powder Blush, Shade : Go Rouge (A Pink-Orange)
Smart Powder Blush, Shade : Go Rouge (A Pink-Orange)
Typical price – £18 / Members price – £5.23 (Members price has gone up since I bought it for £4.06 in December 2019)
In just a sweep of a blush brush this unbeatable superlight formula lays down delicate, soft, second-skin colour that effortlessly mimics mother nature! It’s got a smart, silky, slightly blurring, skin perfecting powder finish, infused with UV protective red-algae and biosaccharides.
From Beautypie.com / April 2020
I love this blush. It stays on all day, blends in well and is a gorgeous colour. I would buy this again.
Plantastic™ Micropeeling Super Drops
Plantastic™ Micropeeling Super Drops
Typical price – £50 / Members price £9.42 (Members price has gone up since I bought it for £7.62 in December 2019)
Well, a couple of drops of this every day, and you might be in awe of your own. The best thing for keeping breakouts at bay, skin looking bright, pores-refined and tight, our Plantastic Micropeeling Super Drops are an easy, everyday addition to your skincare routine. Use once or twice a week for maintenance, or daily if you’re battling breakouts. With fruit-acids, micro-purifying biosurfactants, natural brighteners. It’s a 24/7 glow-giving one-serum wonder.
From Beautypie.com / April 2020
I can’t say for sure my skin has reduced in acne due to this particular product (as I’ve been using others) but I’ve had no new breakouts for a whole month, even before my period which is usually when I get a lot. This liquid is super thin so absorbs extremely quickly. I put a few drops on before bed, along with the Jeju and retinol. The bottle is huge so I can’t see myself going through more than 1 a year! Really good value for money.
I’ve always used Vitamin E and Vitamin C products such as The Body Shop’s BB Cream and Skin Reviver because they help moisturise and keep skin from drying out. Another great primer I’ve used in the past is Mabel + Meg’s Lumilixir Serum which is amazing for under makeup. It targets acne too.
What are Pie Days?
Pie Days are days when you can order products that won’t be taken off your monthly spending limit. You get access to Pie Days a few times a year, but only if you’ve bought the annual membership (starting at £99 for £100 per month spending limit).
Overall review
Even though all of the products have increased in price (some by a whopping 28%) since I made my order in December 2019, the prices are low enough that Beauty Pie is worth trialling, even for a minimum of 3 months.
The products are so good you don’t need much, and with the size of the bottles/pots, you won’t need to purchase another for (I expect based on my experience) a year. I’ll update this blog when I run out of anything.
The wrapping is lovely – it makes me happy when I open a parcel that a company has gone to the trouble of wrapping. I’ve noticed in the Facebook comments a lot of customers are asking them to remove the brand logo from the paper so they can reuse, it to save on rubbish – what a great idea.
I will use Beauty Pie again to either buy the same or new products. I have my eyes on the Uber Boost Mascara, Vitamin C Moisturiser and Hair Volume Booster so watch this space – I probably won’t be able to resist.
Discount codes
Use my recommend a friend link below to get your first month for free (new customers only). I will also get an extra £50 boost – hurrah!
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