BeautyPie - What I chose with my Membership!

I hopped onto the BeautyPie bandwagon a few months ago now after seeing them everywhere on my social media, reading rave reviews and with the sudden feeling of FOMO, I jumped right in.  BeautyPie, if you haven't heard of them is a  is a subscription service for which you have to pay a monthly fee to be able to access all the products they have to offer - I wrote about how it works in this post.

With my membership I purchased four products from the ever expanding range to try, some I had read reviews about and some I had not.  My selection included the Detox Shampoo, Soul Providers Energizing Body Wash, Soul Providers Relaxing Bath and Shower Oil and finally the Pure Ceramide Elastic Boost Eye Moisture Serum.  This little lot costs me just £32.54 and with my first month I was also given a free gift of the Japanfusion Pure Transforming Cleanser.

Starting with the Japanfusion Pure Transforming Cleanser which is described as being "Superlight. Perfectly effective. Delicately technical. And really cool to use". 

I love cleansing and this cleanser is not only antioxidant-infused with an incredible ingredients list, but it is one which turns from a gel-to-oil-to-milk when it comes into contact with water. On the skin, it removes everything - makeup, oil, dirt and gunk that sits there on the skins surface. I always removed my eye makeup with a specific product, but I have tried this cleanser with removing mascara and it does a pretty good job! After using, my skin feels incredibly clean, smooth to the touch and there is no distinctive scent.  This is one I would happily re-purchase.

The Super Healthy Hair Detox Shampoo was the first product into my basket. I treat my hair and scalp as much as I do with face masks and skin cream, at least once a week I like to deep clean my hair and scalp to rid it of any product build-up, irritants and because it was something I was told I should do.

Described by BeautyPie as being "For those who love hair spray, hair oil, hair mousse, hair gel…"this clarifying shampoo uses ingredients such as Apple Cider Vinegar, Activated Charcoal, Moringa Seed Peptides and ColourPlus Amino Acids. A hair-rebooting formula which smooths the cuticle, helps draw out oils and toxins, protects hair from environmental stress and microparticles and strengthens, refreshes and conditions - all of this lends itself to ensuring your hair is shiny, full of volume, reduce friction and leave yours your hair and scalp feeling incredible.  Again, I absolutely love this product. I use it once a week, usually on a Sunday which is my pamper day and you only need a small amount to be worked onto and into the hair and scalp and leave it to work its magic for a few minutes before rinsing out and then shampooing and conditioning as you would normally do. This detox shampoo isn't heavy, it doesn't weigh my hair down, it doesn't irritate my scalp, in fact what I have found is that after using is that my hair feel fresh, smooth and there is notably less frizz!

The third product is Soul Providers Energizing Body Wash and it is described as being "A beautiful, energy-boosting body wash". This is an incredible product, the only way that I can describe it and quite possibly the best product from my selection! 

Using the essential Oils of Sweet Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Black Pepper and Pine, it also boasts the inclusion of Aloe Vera Juice, Holy Basil Extract and Aloe Vera. It is also sulphate-free and uses coconut suds to creates a creamy and luxurious foam. What I love about this is how soft my skin feels after using and how much the scent lingers on my skin, think lemongrass with a bit of citrus and for me, this is what you get in this bottle.

Sticking with the Soul Providers range, I also added the Relaxing Bath and Shower Oil

Designed to be a stress relieving product, it uses the essential oils of Lavender, Lemon, Bitter Orange, Star Anise and Peppermint, Argan Oil, Indian Ginseng), Grapeseed and Evening Primrose Oils plus there is also the inclusion of vitamin E. The scent of this oil is just divine, it is one that you can inhale deeply and allow the days/weeks stress to just melt away in one hit. For me, the Bitter Orange contrasted with Peppermint oil is what makes it so amazing.

The final product from my collection is the Pure Ceramide Elastic Boost Eye Moisture Serum.

Whenever I have a facial, I am forever being told that the skin under my eyes is dehydrated and that I need to use a product which contains ceramide. I am quite picky about my eye care because I don't like anything too thick or too runny and naturally I don't want anything which irritates. Made in Korea, this undereye serum has 10% pure encapsulated Ceramides, Phytosqualane from Olive Oil, NMF-boosting Biomimetic Moisturising Molecules and Deep Water Brown Algae all of which come together to leave your skin hydrated. Designed to be used twice a day, I absolutely love how this feels on my skin, it is both lightweight and cooling at the same time and it is definitely a pleasure to run the rollerballs on the undereye.

So there you have my very first Beautypie selection. There isn't a single product that I disliked and already my first repurchase will be the Soul Providers Relaxing Bath and Shower Oil, which I just adore. So, if by reading this post you have decided to give BeautyPie a try then every person who uses Beauty Pie can get a referral code and if you use mine, or anyone’s, you can get your first month of membership fees for free and that existing member gets a top-up credit to their account. So if I have convinced you to try it... hopefully that will help!

Have you joined Beauty Pie yet?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Miller Harris New Body Care Collection

Miller Harris has one of my favourite fragrance stores in London, as soon as the door opens you are greeted with some of the most amazing scents, including one of my favourites Secret Gardenia.  I was very kindly sent two products from the new sustainable bath and body collection and my gosh are they just divine, I could smell them before I opened the box that they arrived in!

Never have I smelt a soap as amazing as this one. The Miller Harris Rhubarb and Peony Soap (£20) is literally just incredible. It is as you can see on a rope, so mine now hangs just above my sink, no one who enters my bathroom will miss seeing it or smelling it, infact my whole bathroom is now the Rhubarb and Peony scent, which is much more pungent than my expensive Reed Diffuser from a well known brand!

Inspired by LOST from the FORAGE collection, Rhubarb and Peony Soap on a Rope combines British rapeseed oil with coconut oil, organic Shea butter, glycerine and vitamin E to leave the skin cleansed and moisturised.

On the skin, it creates an amazing lather, which only works to intensify that scent of fresh Rhubarb and Peony and it leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth. I have used this as an alternative to shaving gel as well as to wash my hands, but even if you don't use it, the scent is strong enough that you could just use it to scent the bathroom/W.C or even your kitchen!

The second product from the Miller Harris bath and body collection is the Rose Silence Body Cream (£35 for 175ml) and again, the scent is just beautiful.

I adore the scent of fresh roses, but I am quite picky about it. I don't like the manufactured rose scent, it is too sweet and sickly. This body cream is about as fresh rose scented as anything I have ever tried, it reminds me of that fragrance you get from rose buds as they have opened and with it comes the ripe freshness of blackcurrants which really intensify the fragrance.

For me, I have to really like a body cream to use it and this tub I can confirm is now almost empty because I have used it every single night after showering. This Rose Silence Body Cream nourishes the skin with shea butter, coconut oil and organic argan oil which work alongside vitamin E, vitamin B5 and white tea extract. Not only does my skin feel smooth and moisturised, the fresh scent lingers and in a morning you can still catch the scent, though it has almost disappeared. If you choose to use it during the daytime, then again, the scent lingers on the skin, paired with the Miller Harris Rose Silence fragrance, which I am lucky to also own, the pair together are quite the force, both complimenting one another.

If Miller Harris isn't a brand you are familiar with, then it is one you need to get to know. Founded by Lyn Harris in 2000, she is described as being a determined and self-possessed woman pursuing a passion for perfume. A storyteller in scent, Lyn was one of the first female master perfumers.  

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Home Renovations - The Hallway

I have enjoyed sharing some of my hopes and wants for renovating our home on my blog, admittedly the majority of my ideas stem from Pinterest where I can lose hours procrastinating over what I can do to my little sanctuary to make it even better.

After renovating the bathroom due to a leak, which also spread to the hallway and damaged the ceiling, a wall and the floor, we had a choice to make. We either patched up the damage and hoped for the best, or we did an entire re-plaster, repaint, sort the floor out job and do it properly the first time so it would last longer.

So we opted to do everything properly the first time round. The walls are re-painted white so add as much light as we can, the engineered wood flooring has been sanded down and varnished, though I had hoped to change it, other issues became more of a priority like a new front door.  So by sanding and varnishing, we have managed to save the floor.  

That just left the walls, having re-plastered and then painted, we now had the option to create a feature wall with photos and other memories to display. So,  having ordered a whole lot of picture frames which are all the same but different sizes, we have just started to create it and I am pretty impressed with how it is taking shape and if you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen sneak peaks as to how it is shaping up.

All we have left to do now is gloss the skirting boards (does anyone actually like this job), get a new internal door mat and then decide on a shoe rack, something that isn't too wide/takes up too much space.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

How To Prevent Acne If You Wear Glasses

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Getting a fresh new pair of glasses feels amazing. Your glasses can add more style to any outfit. Another thing glasses can add to your face is acne. If you have just purchased eyeglasses from www.eyeglasses.com or your local eyeglass store and notice small acne bumps on your face, they could be caused by your new pair.

Finding acne on the bridge of your nose, around your cheeks where the eyeglass rims sit and around the ears are all common places acne can show up. This is such a pain. If you are looking for ways to prevent this annoying outbreak from happening, check out these tips every new glasses owner should know, but first, you need to understand how this happens.

Acne Mechanica

This term referred to a form of acne that develops when something pushes down on the skin, preventing the normal shedding of skin cells. When those cells skip the shedding process, they stick on your skin, clogging up your pores. This leads to acne. When you have oily skin or you try to cover your acne with heavy makeup, that only makes the problem worse.

Acne Mechanica is not just found in those who wear glasses. It can also be found among people who are athletic and play sports. Some of the clothes they wear while playing these sports can easily keep in sweat and heat. This makes your skin even more vulnerable to acne-causing pressure from athletic clothing or equipment.

Now that you have a better idea of how glasses can cause some of your acne, here are some ways that you can either avoid or deal with it.

Adjust Your Glasses

Are you constantly pushing your glasses up your nose all throughout the day no matter what task you are doing? You should strongly consider having them tightened. Maybe you are finding acne near your cheeks where your lenses touch your face. Either way, having your glasses adjusted will clear up all of these issues. Get your glasses adjusted first before you start considering switching up your nighttime skincare routine.

Keep Your Glasses Clean

Make sure that you are wiping down your glasses frequently. The best method is to use a basic alcohol wipe and rub it over every part that touches your face. This can be the nose pads, the bottom of your frames that touch your face and even the sides of the frames that touch your temples. Doing this will ensure that you are not carrying any bacteria back and forth from your glasses to your face.

Use A Great Face Wash

Investing in an excellent facial cleanser is a great way to tame your acne caused by your glasses, and any other kind of acne for that matter. It does not have to be expensive either. You can pick up an excellent facial cleanser at your local pharmacy or drugstore. These over-the-counter washes provide many benefits. Some are even packed with salicylic acid, which is crucial to fighting blemishes all over the face. If you want to steadily treat mild acne that you notice popping up on your cheeks and the bridge of your nose, use this tip.

Implement A Great Spot Treatment

It is understandable that pimples pop up out of nowhere. When you find yourself in a tough situation, having an over-the-counter spot treatment is always a lifesaver. This is especially a good idea if you notice your acne bumps are only located in one area of your face like the bridge of your nose or around your cheeks.

Since every problem area is located in close proximity to each other, it may be overkill to treat the entire face for something only parts of the face are experiencing. This is why having a spot treatment is useful because you can treat areas with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide without dousing your face in these chemicals. If you are really trying to go the extra mile, you can wear an acne patch while you sleep at night. You could also get a prescription for topical antibiotics and medications you can swallow in pill form that can improve your skin.

Put Your Glasses Down Sometimes

Even though you need your glasses to see everything around you, you do not have to keep them on all the time. Taking breaks throughout the day in which you take your glasses off, or put them down, will not hurt anyone. In fact, doing so can help. If you take breaks from wearing your glasses throughout the day, you reduce your chances of developing acne in those problem areas we have previously mentioned. Taking glasses breaks during the day are crucial when it comes to your overall comfort and skin health.

Take Off All Makeup Before Cleansing

Most people do not take this step seriously, but that could be the main culprit behind your acne. The next time you feel like rolling into bed late at night without washing your face, seriously reconsider as you are not giving your body the tender love and care it needs. If you were makeup, even if it is just lip gloss and mascara, make sure that you are removing the makeup before you cleanse your skin, especially if you wear glasses on a daily basis.

When you wear makeup and glasses, that creates a recipe for an acne disaster. Makeup can build under your glasses. Believe it or not, this may contribute to the acne issue you are having. Make sure that you are using makeup remover or micellar water, not the makeup wipes as those can be horrible for your skin.

Salicylic Acid Concealers Are Your Best Friend

Treating acne is one thing, but what do you do when it is trying to heal. This is where your salicylic acid concealer comes into play. This type of consider is going to keep treating your acne while also covering up the bumps.

Check With Your Dermatologist

Sometimes pinpointing exactly what is causing your acne can take time and a lot of observation. If you are unsure about your acne or you think it may be more serious than a bad case of acne, consult your dermatologist. After all, you could have rightly diagnosed yourself, but wrongly treated your acne. Speaking with a licensed dermatologist will help you target the source of your issues, that way you do not have to worry about it again in your lifetime.

Sometimes they are able to prescribe you something that is strong enough to treat your ance but not so strong that it rips your face in two. If you notice that none of your acne is going away, even after seeing a dermatologist and following their suggestions, keep in mind that you may be experiencing something different. During this time you should really consult your dermatologist.

These tips if followed will decrease your chances of waking up with acne spots all over your face after a long day of wearing glasses the night before. New glasses are awesome, but new acne spots are not. Keeping your frames clean, adjusting your glasses, using a great face wash and remembering to put your glasses down from time to time can prevent you from developing acne from your eyewear.

*this post contains PR samples, a paid for link and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.