Fight The Flake: Best Skincare Products to Combat Dry Skin

We all suffer from dry skin at some point, whether its dry hands and face from the cold winter months, or dry legs from long days spent in the sunshine, it’s not a huge issue but it is something you should look to banish in order to keep your skin looking young and feeling smooth and supple.

This post written by the team at Mrs Pharamcy, a leading UK-based online chemist, talks you through ways to keep your skin healthy and hydrated as well as an insight into some of the best products available to help you combat your dry skin.

To kick start your journey to healthier skin, here are a few things you can do to improve your skin’s condition:

• Drink plenty of water
• Eat foods rich in omega-3 such as fish and nuts
• Limit your hot showers; hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils. Take shorter, warm showers instead
• Use a gentle cleanser once a day to carefully clean your skin of any impurities

Moisturise your skin as soon as you get out of the shower. The best time to apply moisturiser is when your skin is still moist, simply pat yourself dry with a clean towel before applying, this way your skin is still damp and will absorb more of the moisturiser

You’ll also need a good quality moisturiser that works for you - the first stage of looking for a moisturiser that will help dry skin is to check what’s in the products you’re buying. There are certain ingredients that are excellent for dry skin such as ceramides, dimethicone and glycerine - these soothe the skin and help it to retain water. Lanolin, petroleum jelly and mineral oils do a similar job but these help you hold onto the water the skin absorbs when you take a shower or bath.

There are an unending number of products on the market designed to target dry skin, here are a few handpicked products perfect for hydrating your skin:

Eau Thermale Avène XeraCalm A.D


The French dermo-cosmetic brand is well best known for its use of Avène Thermal spring water which is clinically proven to soothe skin and reduce irritation. A relatively new addition to the Avène collection is the XeraCalm AD range, which includes a balm, cream and cleansing oil and has been specifically designed to relieve moderate dryness as well as soothing the skin. Formulated with fewer ingredients as possible, its fragrance and paraben free, making it safe for babies, children and adults.

QV Moisturising Cream

QV Cream helps to seal in the skin’s natural moisture by acting as a protective barrier, it also has squalene in it which is a natural ingredient found within the oil in our skin. The whole range is designed for those areas that are prone to dryness such as your hands, elbows and knees and the best part is its fragrance free and ideal for sensitive skin.

Eucerin Daily Replenishing Lotion

The Eucerin range is packed full of specialised products for dry skin, this moisturising lotion is ideal for daily use, containing sunflower oil, it nourishes your skin and much like the QV cream, it helps maintain your skin’s natural barrier. Eucerin also have a replenishing, night face cream, if your skin often feels tight this one would be a perfect choice for you. Eucerin are currently giving away free samples, and you can pick between three products depending on your skin’s needs. You’ll also find the entire Eucerin range online at Mistrys Pharmacy.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to combatting dry skin issues is that once you’ve got it under control, you must stick to your skincare regime to keep your skin looking and feeling great!





*Guest post by Mistrys Pharmacy

The Autumn Tag 2014

As you know, the lovely Georgina from Makeup-Pixi3 loves her seasonal tags and with Autumn being her favourite season of the year, a new one for 2014 has been created, so I thought I would.  If you're reading this, you're tagged!  If you tag me in the tweet when you share it, I'll RT it too :D

1.  Ok we're talking coffee's - what's your favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks/Costa/Cafe Nero etc?

I gave up coffee almost a year ago now and tea as well to try and not be so dependent on it to get me through the day.  So now I drink a few fruit teas and things like Jasmine tea, the decaffeinated version.  So for me this Autumn, I am going to be looking forward to all of the hot chocolates which Starbucks and Costa have on offer to tempt me in!

2.  Accessories - what do you opt for, scarf, boots, gloves?

I like big chunky kit scarves for outdoors, but indoors I am a pretty girly scarf kind of girl.  I hardly ever wear gloves as ive got small hands and therefore hide them up the sleeves of my coat. Boots, I am a cowboy/biker boot kind of girl and I am yet to find some for this year!

3.  Music - what's your favourite music to listen to during Autumn?

My musical tastes don't change really. I am a rocker at heart and love bands like Queen, Five Finger Death Punch, 

4.  Perfume - what's your favourite scent for this time of year?

Bvlgari Pour Femme is one I always wear on special occasions, but I am absolutely loving DKNY perfumes right now and am intending to add my collection, as they are so wearable.

5.  Candles - what scents will you be burning this season?

I am currently burning Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Candle which is brilliant for relaxing after a hard day.  I am a huge candle fan and love to have something in each room.

6.  What do you love most about Autumn?

The dark nights drawing in and being able to get home, close the curtains, switch a lamp on and light some candles to sit back and relax.  I also love watching as the tress begin to loose their leaves and allowing my inner child to come out and collect conkers!

7.  Favourite makeup look?

Still a neutral girl with a pinky/nude lipstick.  I do however opt for darker nail polish, especially deep berry shades which I absolutely adore.

8.  What are you looking forward to most in Autumn?

Other than Halloween and Bonfire night, two dates I absolutely love, it will then soon be Christmas!  As soon as Autumn arrives, winter is banging on the door which means Christmas shopping, sparkles, roasted chestnuts!

Don't forget to tweet me your posts and mention Georgina as the creator of the tag :)  and also let me know if you have done it/ are doing it, so I can come and read your answers.

Balance Me Reader Event

As many of you will know, I am a massive fan of Balance Me products and have featured them on my blog quite a few times.  If you are yet to try them, are a big fan like me or need to stock up, this could be the event for you! 

Balance Me have teamed up with Marie Claire and Debenhams to hold four in-store events this September and October.  Those dates are:

• 30^th September – Oxford Street
• 2^nd October – Cardiff
• 8^th October – Chester
• 9^th October – Leeds

At the event you will be able to address your individual skincare needs with a team of skincare experts as well as a personal skin reading session with the Balance Me mobile skin scanner.  I have had this done and I was surprised at the results, not as bad as I expected and it felt good to know where my problem areas actually lurk rather than me guessing.

All you have to do is click HERE too book your tickets for just £10 and what's more, you'll receive a goody bag worth over £75!  Enjoy.

Are you a fan of Balance Me products? Do you have a favourite?

Super Facialist by Una Brennan - Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask

Super Facialist By Una Brennan is a brand I have never personally encountered before, I have only seen and read about it on other peoples blogs.  I am a huge fan of facemasks, I tend to use one or two a week depending on how much TLC my skin needs.  Then the Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask came into being and I adored it from the very first use.

Designed for all skin types, including the most sensitive. Said to be thirst quenching, this mask uses White Willow Extract which is known to enhance skin cell turnover, Vitamin E and Urea with soothing Marshmellow which work together to effectively hydrate, plump and replenish skin.  The one thing however which stands out is the fresh scent of roses, the kind of scent you get when you are wondering around a flower shop, park or open space which is full of roses, not the bitter synthetic scent you often get in candles.

The directions of use are to use it once or twice weekly and to apply a generous and even layer to a thoroughly cleansed face and neck and leave  on for 5 minutes which helps to maximise the hydrating benefits.  As you apply the cream to your face, it is of a similar texture to the Origins overnight mask in that it isn't too thick and it isn't too thin, but you do need to be careful how much pressure you put onto the tube when squeezing because a little too much pressure and you will have enough to cover the faces of your entire street!  Then once on the skin, lay back, relax and allow the magic to happen.  My skin loves this mask, as soon as it is applied, it literally drinks it.  Rather than staying wet on the face, it dries slightly to leave a thin layer of white mask on the face, so to remove you need some warm water and a flannel/cloth and then pat the skin dry.

After using, my skin is so soft and smooth to the touch it feels amazing.  The following morning, after a good nights sleep, my skin feels just as soft as it did the night before.  This is  a brilliant facemask and if you haven't tried it, I urge you to do so because it is that good, I love it.

Super Facialist By Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Moisture Intensive Mask RRP: £8.99 and can be found in Boots.
Have you tried any of the Una Brennan range?

Best ways to Inexpensively Furnish your Home

You don’t need to spend a fortune in order to have great furniture. There are loads of ways to furnish your home for less. Here’s how to go about it.

Up-cycle

It’s no longer about just recycling these days, but about taking unwanted items and either enhancing their quality or using them for a different purpose than what they were designed for (e.g. wall-mounting old bicycle handlebars as coat and hat racks). There are so many different things you can come up, you’re really only limited by your imagination. If you like the rustic look and want to introduce some quirky or funky elements to your place, this is a great way to go about it. Up-cycling is a great way to achieve a totally unique look in your home and you won’t have the guilt of adding more rubbish to landfill. For more great interior design ideas, you can always check out display homes from home builders such as Coral Homes.

Shop second-hand

There are unbelievable savings to be made by buying second-hand furniture. Make sure you shop around as some people expect far too much for their items, while others might even offer things for free as they just want them gone. If you’re searching online, see if you can set up and save a search, so that you automatically get email notifications whenever new items matching your description are listed for sale.

Swap your stuff

Swapping is becoming increasingly popular and there are now a bunch of swapping websites dedicated to linking people who want to swap their items with other people. Also, ask around your circle of family and friends and see if anyone is up for exchanging things.

Discount furniture

Affordable furniture doesn’t necessarily mean cheap and nasty. There are a number of discount furniture outlets out there who offer quality furniture at very reasonable prices. This is usually because they can buy in bulk and pass on the savings to you. Online furniture stores often offer items on Sale and Clearance as well. You can choose just one or two pieces of furniture or buy entire dining, bedroom or outdoor suites. This is a great way to save money, especially if you want to direct your money towards owning your own home.

Op shops and markets

This is a great way to pick up some funky vintage and retro pieces to add some flair and originality to your furniture collection. By shopping at second-hand stores and markets, you can often pick up an absolute bargain.

Restore and re-upholster

You can breathe new life into old and damaged pieces by stripping, sanding and either staining or painting them with exciting, modern colours that really make a statement. If you’ve got a tatty old sofa, don’t throw it out. Pay a visit to a restoration company and take a look at some of the stunning colours and patterns now available in upholstery fabrics.

Furnishing your home doesn’t need to cost a small fortune. Just use a bit of creative thinking and employ some of the methods above to make your house feel like home for less.

Do you do any of these? Do you have any hints or tips?

**Guestpost

NEW from Models Own – DIAMOND LUXE – containing real Diamond Dust!

Every now and again, an email pops into my inbox which I immediately want to read, this is one of those. At the minute, I am obsessed with nail polish, particularly as we move from Summer to Autumn and then to winter. Whilst the weather is still undecided about what it wants to do, there is still a chance to wear those lovely bright colours before morning to the Berry and Black shades.

Then I saw these!

With 10 brand-new opulent polishes that are Luxe by name and Luxe by nature, each polish contains real Diamond Dust to deliver a completely unique, multi-dimensional super-sparkly finish and some serious bling appeal!  The shades from left to right are called Princess Pink, Trillion Taupe, Heart Red, Pear Purple, Marquise Maroon, Carat Coral, Asscher Blue, Radiant Pink, Emerald Green, Oval Plum     

The ultra-fine diamond dust glides smoothly onto nails, giving a hint of sophisticated shimmer, coupled with the colourful shades for year-round grown-up glam. They are quick-drying, achieve a long-lasting, ultra-smooth sprinkling of sparkle for the most glamorous manicure.

Price at just £4.99 each, they launch EXCLUSIVELY online at www.modelsownit.com on September 19th in all UK Models Own Bottleshops from September 20th and in Superdrug stores nationwide from September 24th. I will most definietly be looking up these shades and trying them out for myself.

Will you be trying them out?

DermaCo Soothing Revival Balm

I am quite a fan of the DermaCo range and first brought them to my blog HERE and HERE and I have really enjoyed using the Cleanser and Toner so was equally delighted when I was sent the DermaCo Soothing Revival Balm which is the third of four products from within the range.

The first thing you look at when it comes to these products is the rather fancy packaging, it is very much a luxury item.  The perfect cylindrical tubes with the metal top and bottoms just look amazing and feel amazing, the tubes themselves being cool to the touch.

Described as being

"A gentle balm providing immediate relief to all skin types especially sensitive or stressed. With rose and bergamot essential oils and comforting peptides to help relieve irritation and reduce inflammation. With an instant wrinkle smoothing action, the DermaCo Soothing Revival Balm boosts skin radiance and hydration and helps to prevent cellular UV damage. It is light and comfortable, resulting in a naturally fresh, smooth appearance".

What I love about this balm is not only does it smell absolutely wonderful, but as soon as it applied to the skin there is an instant cooling sensation on your face and as you apply to your face and neck and massage upwards the cream itself, which is quite luxurious softens and soothes the skin.

I am one of those people who likes to know what is in a product that I am about to use and apply to my skin, face and so on. This Balm has some lovely ingredients and is no tested on animals, it includes no animal derived ingredients, no chemical sunscreens, no synthetic perfumes or colours not to mention no parabens or petro-chemical derived ingredients! What it does contain is:

- Relaxing Acmella Extract
- Smoothing Polysaccharides
- Protective Plant Flavonoids
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Vitamin C
- Light Reflecting Pigments

It can be used on all skin types, so whether you have sensitive skin, dry skin, sensitive skin or even like me which is combination skin leaning to the oily side. Using the essential oils of rose and bergamot, this balm helps to relieve irritation, reduce inflammation and leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and it is incredibly soothing. As for the fragrance, for me it is a delicate rose scented balm, if like me, you are a fan of rose scents, you will love this, it isn't too powerful but you know it is there.

A 100ml bottle will cost £44.99 and it lasts a long long time. I have been using this regularly for a good few months now and I am nowhere near, as you can see, halfway through, you only need a small amount because it is a case of a little goes a long long way.