Make-up for Dry and Sensitive Skin

I’m sharing my make-up tips for dry and sensitive skin. It’s tough for any one to know what make-up to use. It’s even worse when you have sensitive, dry and eczema prone skin. It’s took years to find the perfect make-up that doesn’t cause flare ups, but now I think I’ve eventually got the secret. I must also stress, that even if you don’t have dry or sensitive skin, and you are looking for make up products that won’t harm your skin, you will be able to benefit from these products too!

My day make-up consists of:

1. No7 ‘Stay Perfect’ Foundation. I apply this liquid foundation, priced at a very reasonable £14, using a Clinique ‘Foundation Brush’, costing £23.50, which is a little bit more expensive but definitely worth it. If you keep washing it, using shampoo and conditioner, it will last years! No7 have a foundation match finder. The sales assistant uses a gadget to take a picture of your skin, then the gadget automatically finds your perfect match foundation shade, to avoid any orange lines or streaks forming on your face! This foundation includes SPF 15 to protect your skin from sun damage, is hypoallergenic (therefore, a life saver for sensitive skin), and claims to last 24 hours.  I believe this stays on for approximately 15 hours, and then it starts to rub off a little. Nonetheless, this foundation is amazing. It has a soft and silky formula, providing medium coverage, which can be built to provide a full coverage. If you don’t like wearing a powder, you definitely don’t need to use it with this foundation. Before I usedMAC ‘Pro Longwear’ Foundation, however after three years of wearing it, and suffering from what I thought was chronic eyelid eczema, I soon realised I was allergic to MAC‘s foundation. I was gutted, as I love MAC products, however I have had no problems or flare-ups since using No7′s foundation! It’s given me so much more confidence, as I no longer have to suffer from extremely red eyelids constantly.
2. No7 ’Extreme Length Sensitive Eyes Mascara’. After months of not being able to wear mascara, due to believing I was allergic to it, I found this mascara designed for sensitive skin. The unique product has a gentle formula meaning it stays on when you want it to, but wipes off easily when you want it to come off. This saves you from scrubbing your eyelids and damaging your skin during the process of trying to get the excess product off. I like to have long, thick, luscious lashes, and I’m a little obsessed with mascaras and making sure my eyelashes are perfect, so take it from me that this mascara is definitely a good investment at reasonable price of £12.50.To apply, I take the comb-bush and apply it to the bottom of my eyelashes and use a slow motion wiggling action taking the wand from the bottom of my lashes to the top. I do not usually wear false eyelashes on a night out, as they’re so much hassle, but friends have commented that my lashes are longer and thicker than their false eyelashes after I have coated them in this mascara!
   
   
3. Clinique ‘Stay-matte Sheer Pressed Power’ in 101 invisible matte. This is a translucentshade, therefore is perfect for any skin tone. Also, because I use a No7 foundation I don’t need to worry about the colours pallets of different brands not matching. It comes in a range of different colours, for a variety of skin tones, which can be matched in store. All Clinique products are 100% fragrance free and allergy tested, which means they don’t add harmful unwanted chemicals into your skin. However if you have any problems, you can return their products. I love the aqua coloured marble packaging too, which is complete with a mirror and sponge, therefore perfect for on-the-go touch ups. I would recommend this to anyone, regardless of their skin type, as it keeps foundation fixed into place, reduces shine, and stays put for hours! It costs £23, but keep your eyes peeled for any ‘Clinique Bonus Time’ offers, as they usually offer a gorgeous makeup bag full of free products, so you get more for your money. I moved onto this powder firstly after using MAC ‘Mineralise Skinfinish Natural Powder’, which was amazing, but I’m cautious after my flare up from using MAC’s foundation. I then used No7 Perfect Light Pressed Powder, which didn’t last long, or stay put for long, or provide enough coverage for my personal preference.
4. MAC ’Brown Down’ Eyeshadow, £12.50. Although this is an eyeshadow, I use this product primarily as an eyebrow powder using an angled brush. I love the deep rich brown colour of this product, and the soft texture does not scratch sensitive skin, and therefore reduces dryness and inflammation. This product also is a gorgeous eyeshadow, which can be applied to achieve a thick or thin layer, depending on the look you want to go for! If you’re interested in using a MAC eyeshadow as an eyebrow powder pop into your local MAC store, where their sales assistants will give you help and advice on the best shade for you.
5. MAC ‘Powder Blush’ in ‘Mocha’, costing £18. I like to refer to this as my Kate Middleton blusher, as it is quite a pink blusher, but it adds a subtle healthy glow of colour to your cheeks, just like the style Kate Middleton opts for. I apply this using The Body Shop’s gentle and soft ’Blusher Brush’, costing£12, which has lasted years and is worth every penny. I then smile to reveal my cheek bones, and apply the colour following my cheek bones. I also own Clinique‘Blushing Blush Powder’ in ‘Bashful Plum’ which was free in a Clinique Bonus Time set, and is unfortunately no longer available. This is quite a bronzed hue and is quite shimmery, so it’s perfect for making the illusion of sun-kissed skin. I quite like having the option of two different coloured blushers as it can really transform the look of your skin!

I take my makeup off at the end of each day using No7 ‘Beautiful Skin: Eye Make-Up Remover’. If you would like to learn more about this product and my skin care routine please view my blog post Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin or if you would like to learn more about my bodily skin care routine please read The Best Moisturiser for Dry Skin.

As you can see, I like to keep things quite minimal for my day time look, so getting ready for a night out feels like a special occasion. I will post my ‘going out makeup bag’ for you later this week. If you are interested in buying any of the products above, then please click on the linksprovided.

As usual, I’d love to know if you can recommend any makeup products so please do not hesitate to contact me!

Leanne x

Can self-tanning moisturisers benefit skin?

Can self-tanning moisturisers provide skin benefits we find in sunlight?

My eczema disappears when I go on holiday abroad, therefore I wondered if the tanning process helps to erase eczema, and if a similar effect can be achieved when using a self-tanning moisturiser.

I know this may seem a silly question, as sunlight provides us with vitamin D, and you may be wondering why I've thought of comparing it to a self-tanner. However, when I went on holiday last year, my eczema completely disappeared once my skin started to tan, and I had skin I could only dream of in these winter months. I started to wonder if the 'bottle' tanning process would have a similar effect and calm my eczema, therefore I am going to do an experiment using 'Dove Summer Glow'. I aim to have sun-kissed skin, rather than it being red and inflamed. Therefore, my blog will follow my 5-day process of trying to control my eczema using the self-tanning moisturiser, 'Dove Summer Glow'. 

I chose to use this product, because I know that it is safe for my skin. But what I must point out is that everyone's skin is different, and what suits my skin may not suit yours, therefore please do a test patch if you buy this product. I am using the shade for 'fair to normal skin', because I have very pale skin, however my friends with olive skin also use this, so if you have olive skin it is also perfect for you. The price of this product is reasonable, at just over £5, however I am a self confessed bargain hunter, so I brought mine at Sainsbury's two weeks ago at the reduced price of £3.66. 

Results: Night 1:
I had a bath and exfoliated my skin using The Body Shop's 'Ultra Fine Bath Lily', which is £2. This is perfect for dry and sensitive skin, because the material is very gentle. It is important to exfoliate if you are prone to eczema, because it helps to remove dry skin, and it is essential to exfoliate when applying any self-tanner to provide a base for the tan to set on so it doesn't go streaky. When I got out of the bath, I ensured that my skin was dry, then applied 'Dove Summer Glow' in circular motions to provide even coverage. I let it dry a little before putting on my clothes to avoid the product transferring. I then went to bed, and couldn't wait to wake up and see the results.

Before:

After: 

As you can see from the images, Dove Summer Glow has undoubtedly improved my skin! Although some patches still remain, my skin is no longer red and inflamed, and it doesn't look as 'angry' or noticeable as it did before I used the product. I cannot believe the improvement of just one night, and I am looking forward to seeing the results with a continuous result! Therefore, I have concluded that there must be something within the tanning process that helps eczema sufferers!

I will continue to use this product and provide daily updates on the progress of my skin. 

As always, if you would like to share a similar experience then I'd love to hear your story, so please contact me!

If you would like to buy any of the products I have mentioned please click on the links below:

• The Body Shop: 'Ultra Fine Bath Lily': www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/accessories/ultra-fine-bath-lily-aqua.aspx
• 'Dove Summer Glow: Normal to Dark skin': www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1391690884586
• Dove Summer Glow: Fair to Normal skin': www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1391690936420

Leanne x

Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin

It is crucial that all skin types have a good skincare routine. Every morning, I wash my face with warm water and apply No7 ‘Beautiful Skin Day Cream’ for Dry/Very Dry, costing £12.50. I would recommend this moisturiser to anyone! It brings back the bounce and flexibility that dry skin loses, and makes skin feel like it’s been reborn. It comes in two different versions: a day cream and a night cream. The day cream is lighter (but still very moisturising), whereas the night cream is thick, therefore it is suitable for applying just before you go to bed, so the cream has hours to settle and sink into your skin. I only wanted to buy one cream, therefore I asked for some guidance from the No7 sales advisor. She recommended that I brought the Day Cream, because the Night Cream is too thick for a regular usage. 



My hairdresser, who is also a trained beautician, recommended using the brand No7, because all of their products are hypoallergenic. Hypoallergenic products are crucial for dry and sensitive skin, because they are not comprised harsh chemicals in comparison to other make-up products, and they are tested on delicate skin before they are released into the market. Step one for any eczema sufferer is undoubtedly to stock up your bathroom and makeup bag with hypoallergenic products, you won’t believe the difference they make!

At the end of the day, I take off my makeup (I’ll be letting you have a peak into my make-up bag in my next blog post) using No7 ‘Beautiful Skin Eye Make-Up Remover costing £8.50, which also removes waterproof mascara. I currently use this all over my face, instead of just an eye make-up remover, because solutions marketed for ‘eyes’ tend to be gentler on the skin as eyelids are very fragile parts of our skin. As this is a No7 product, it is ophthalmologist tested, and safe for sensitive skin. 

How to use:
It is important to shake the bottle well, due to the oily formula. A lot goes a long way, so use a small bit of cotton wool and massage over closed eyes.

After this, I reapply No7 ‘Beautiful Skin Day Cream’ for Dry/Very Dry skin.  

An excellent point about No7, is they regularly give out vouchers for skincare and make-up, put on offers such as three for two, and sometimes offer free gifts. This means they do not only help us have healthy and moisturised skin, but they also help us save those much needed pounds and pennies! If you do not know what products would be best for you, then specialist No7 sales assistants are always on-hand to help, and I have never received bad advice yet!

How to buy:If you would like to buy either of the products mentioned, you can click on the links below:

• No7 ‘Beautiful Skin Day Cream’ for Dry/Very Dry:http://www.boots.com/en/No7-Beautiful-Skin-Day-Cream-for-Normal-Dry-Skin-50ml_1245032/
•  No7 ‘Beautiful Skin Eye Make-Up Remover: http://www.boots.com/en/No7-Beautiful-Skin-Eye-Make-Up-Remover_1245018/

If you have any tips, or would like to share your skincare routine please contact me, as I would love to know!

Leanne x

About me

I have created an eczema blog to help raise awareness of products and solutions that are suitable, or in some cases unsuitable, for people like myself who suffer from eczema. My main blog is http://erasingeczema.wordpress.com/, however I wanted to raise awareness of how to control eczema for as many people as possible, so I thought I'd expand by using Blogger too! 

My eczema began when I started studying for my A-levels. Four years later, I am still trying to fight the urge to itch my red and dry skin. I have also developed allergies, such as hayfever, cat and pet hair, jewellery and certain makeup and skincare brands. I had never had these when I was a child, however eczema and these allergies run in my family. Through my experiences, I have concluded that the three main factors influencing eczema are:

• Allergies
• Stress
• Genetics

Unlike some chronic eczema sufferers, my eczema appears in patches in certain areas. My eyelids, crease of my arm, neck, and hands are areas that are particularly affected. However, there have been other times where my eczema has ‘moved’ to other parts of my body. I was inspired by the ‘eczema blogging community’ such as http://i-have-eczema.blogspot.co.uk/, and I wanted to share my own experiences as a way to help other people control and maintain their eczema.

As a writer and avid reader, I would love to hear other people’s experiences and routines with eczema, so please do not hesitate to share your story with me, and as a community we can help raise awareness of how to manage this skin condition.

I will regularly post my trials and reviews of makeup products, allergy relief medicine, jewellery, and skin care solutions, so we can all be one step closer to achieving smooth silky skin!

Leanne x