I'm currently on a course of Roaccutane to treat my adult acne. If you read my last post, you will know that I'm on my second month now, and although the first month wasn't as awful as I was expecting (the internet will have you bracing yourself for the worst, thanks to countless horror stories) I did suffer with some side effects. I think you would have to be incredibly lucky to not suffer any side effects whilst taking Roaccutane .
However, I have been fortunate to have found a few products that have made these side effects very bearable and have been helping to soothe them. Today I thought I would write about these products as I would recommend them if you're on Roaccutane or going to be going on it soon.
On my first appointment at the dermatologists, I was told I would have to basically overhaul all of my usual day to day products as my skin would become sensitive whilst being on Roaccutane. The tablets shrink your oil glands which means your skin gets drier, and this can lead to sensitivity. It's not just your skin that gets dry, your nose, eyes, and mouth can also be affected.
Let's start with body care. I thought it was a bit weird at first that I wouldn't be able to use soap shower gels as I thought 'well what do you wash with?' You're advised to ditch the soap as it can be an irritation for sensitive skin. So, I ordered a couple of bottles of Sanex shower gel to try (which is soap free) and I really like the Dermo Hypoallergenic one. I wash with this every day and have found it hasn't irritated or dried out my skin!
Then we have the body moisturiser that has really helped with one of the side effects that I really struggled with- dry itchy skin. I thought I was going to have to wear oven gloves at one point to stop itching! Anyways, I got the E45 Intensive Repair body moisturiser mainly cause it was on offer when I was doing a food shop, and ever since I started using it, my itchy skin has disappeared. Thank god! I use it twice a day and it's really helped to keep my skin moisturised and more importantly no more pesky itching!
Oh and I'm still fake tanning just in case anyone was wondering, I was a bit worried if my good old fake tan would irritate my skin but I've had no bothers so far. I'm just trying to be a bit gentler when it comes to exfoliating, so instead of using a scrub, I use either a flannel (trying to not be too vigorous with my scrubbing) or an exfoliating glove, but again not being too hard. But this has been fine and not irritated my body.
Next we move onto facial skincare. I've been quite lucky that my face hasn't been too bad when it comes to being dry/sensitive. But I think that's because my skin was super oily to start with, I did have a few days when it started to feel dry and tight, and products were starting to burn but then I started using the Pestle & Mortar Pure Hyaluronic serum which honestly, is my hero product of the moment. You use it under oils/moisturisers and even under make up, and it genuinely transformed my skin from being dry and sensitive to well - normal.
I use it at night, though I might start using it in the day if my skin gets a bit drier, and I love it. I can't believe the difference it has made for my skin and it's really nice and gentle. It has no nasty ingredients, is all natural and cruelty free. It is pretty pricey, but in my opinion it's worth it. You only need a few drops so it will probably last a long time, but it's been a real game changer for me.
I've also been using the Pestle & Mortar Hydrate Moisturiser which is also lovely and doesn't irritate my skin, but it is pretty pricey, in my opinion, the Superdrug Simply Pure Moisturiser (I use this underneath my make up) and the Simple Skin moisturisers are just as good. I guess it depends how spendy you are feeling, and the P&M one does have better ingredients, but all three are moisturisers I have been using and like.
Next we move onto lip balms, as the side effect that most people will get with Roaccutane is dry lips. I've heard of some people's lips being so dry they crack and bleed, so I armed myself with an abundance of lip balms to try! My two favourites though are the O'Keefes Lip Repair which I literally use all day every day, it keep my lips moisturised for the longest, and I feel a bit lost when I don't have it. I've already gone through a whole tube and Henry bought me two more for Christmas and I don't think it will take me long to get through those either! For the nighttime however, I go for a more intensive lip balm, I use the Blistex Intensive Rescue which is amazing, however it's a white liquid and turns your lips white so it's not the best for day to day use. However slather it on at night and your lips will be nice and moisturised all night.
In fact last night I changed things up by trying another lip balm and I woke up to my lips feeling really dry this morning, so I will go back to my trusty Blistex tonight!
The Lypsyl compacts are pretty cute for in your handbag as they give your lips a glossy sheen, and I want to try the Blistex Relief Cream to see how that works too!
Another side effect that I've struggled on and off with, is a dry nose. Which sounds very weird, I know. The inside of your nose dries up which let me tell you, isn't awfully pleasant. I can only describe it as feeling like you have big hard bogeys up your nose. Lovely. The blood when you blow your nose is also delightful.
Anyways, I've found that spraying some saline nasal spray (you get this from the baby health aisle) morning and evening helps to make my nose a bit more comfortable, then I take a cotton bud, put some Vaseline on it and roll it around the sides of my nose. This seems to help the blood and the bogey feeling so this is good! If anyone however has any other ways of tackling the dreaded dry nose then let me know!
So these are the products that have really helped me during my first month of Roaccutane. I've had a few new side effects during my second month, but I'll blog about that with my next update. For now, I'm pretty happy with all of the products that I am using and will continue to do so!
Please let me know if you have any product recommendations as I'd always be willing to try something new out and as always let me know if you have any questions about any of the products or Roaccutane, you can send me a DM on Instagram, or tweet me, as I'm more than happy to answer any questions!
For now, I will go, but do comment your hero products if you've been on Roaccutane before...
Post a Comment
As you may have seen in a post from a few weeks back, I'm currently on a course of Roacctutane. In a nutshell it's a drug which helps to clear up acne by reducing your oil glands. I've written a little more detail about the tablets and why I decided to go on the drug in my first Roacctuane post here.
With Christmas just being two days away, TWO DAYS! I am trying to get into the festive spirit as much as possible, I have to admit that this year, I've not felt as Christmassy as I normally do. But I haven't really done too much this December, so perhaps that's why. But for the past few days, I've been watching Christmas films, wrapping presents, blaring Christmas music and of course getting my nails ready for Christmas.
Hmm you may be thinking 'hmm what now?' But it can't just be me, who goes all out with their nails over Christmas, surely? Anyways, I've always loved a Christmassy nail, I usually like to do something with glitter, and my design of choice takes longer for me to decide than what it probably should do.
Today, I thought I'd share two options with you, we've got a pink and star option, then a black glitter (which I really love) which are both so easy to do. Also you can check out last year's post too, if you want some more inspo!
Pink With Stars
This one is so easy to do, but I think it looks really cute and takes no time at all.
For this you'll need a pink nail polish of choice, I've gone for essie's Gel Couture Lace Me Up.
Then you'll need some little stars, I got mine from eBay, but you could get these from somewhere like a party shop (as they're basically confetti) or you could use something else like gems, or even do a dot of glitter nail polish!
All you do is, paint your nails with the pink for two coats. Leave to dry for a minute, then get your topcoat brush and dot this in the stars and add to the bottom of your nail and voila! Apply topcoat over the top and then wait to dry.
I do find that the starts can get caught on things, so these may be one for painting on Christmas Eve then taking the stars off after Christmas Day, but I think these look really nice and are so easy to do!
Next we have a black and gold glitter nail, which may not be a traditional Christmas nail, but I actually quite like them!
For this I have used essie's Liquorice nail polish and Glow Your Own Way which is a gold glitter.
For this, you will need to paint your nails with two coats of black nail polish, then once dry, add gold glitter to the bottom of your nail. I tend to start at the bottom and work my way up the side of the nail. You don't have to be really neat as it creates a pretty cool effect. I do this till my nails are all done and I love how it looks. I think this could be a good NYE nail!
So I'll probably be doing one of these nail looks for Christmas, I haven't decided which one yet, or I may even combine the two and go for a pink base and gold glitter bottom!
I'd love to know how you're doing your nails for Christmas. Are you going all out with the glitter, or something a bit more subtle? Let me know :)
Have a great Saturday, today I've been doing the food shop and doing the manic tidying of the house ready for everyone to come over on Christmas day! Hope your day has been a lot more interesting haha! :)
I decided pretty much, as soon as I found out I would be going on Roaccutane, that I knew I wanted to document my journey taking the tablets. Seeing as I'm reaching my first month mark on the drugs, I wanted to talk about why I decided to start taking them and a little insight into my skin history. Also a little FYI - I will be doing a diary post of my first month and what side effects I've had, over the next couple of weeks. This post, is about why I made the decision to go on Roacctuane and how my skin has made me feel over the years.
I often think that spots, acne, blemishes, whatever you call them, are overlooked. I sometimes feel that people think, it's okay to openly point them out on other people, or to many 'they're not a big thing and you should just get over it' - things which have frustrated me no end over the years. So that's why I want to talk openly and honestly about this journey ( I know that sounds super cringe but I couldn't think of another way to describe the next 6 months) and today I'm going to lay all my cards on the table and talk about why I'm doing this and how my skin makes me feel.
If it makes just one of you feel a bit better and a little less alone, then this post has done it's job. Quite often, I feel like I'm the only person without clear, perfect skin. Which I know is not true, but it's how I feel. I quite often feel ugly, and hate myself when I look in the mirror. I hate my skin and will think 'why is it so hard for me to have clear skin?' 'Why does nothing work.' 'Where am I going wrong? I'm 26 why do I still have spots?' I would hate for anyone else to feel like this so I do hope that by talking about this, it will help.
Okay so enough waffling, let's start at the beginning.
My Skin History
My earliest memory of dealing with spots is when I was about 12 - I think. I'm pretty sure I was in my first year of secondary school and I suddenly noticed I had an array of angry red spots erupt on my forehead. TBH these were a bit of a saving grace as they finally made my Mum let me grow out my curtain of a fringe, as I was convinced they were a result of said fringe.
The fringe in question that I had for the first 12 years of my life.
Then my memory is a bit hazy of my teenage skin, from as far as I can remember it wasn't awful but it must have been pretty bad as I remember going back and forth to the doctors to try different antibiotics and topical creams (one cream was so strong it bleached the colour from my expensive Playboy pyjamas that I'd got for Christmas- my Mum was not best pleased!).
When I was 16, I put on Dianette, a contraceptive pill which is one of the best for clearing your skin. I was on this for about a year, then I was on Yasmin for a good 2/3 years. My skin wasn't amazing but it wasn't awful. Things took a turn for the worse though in my early 20's, I soon realised that doctors in University cities don't have a huge budget, so will tend to not put you on more expensive pills such as Yasmin, instead putting you on ones such as Marvlon and Rigevidon. Which I didn't get on with at all.
This was my skin in 2013 when things started to go downhill...
My skin got progressively worse, it was more and more oily, had a lot of redness, and cystic under the skin spots were popping up every other day. Any confidence I did have, slowly disappeared from about 2011 onwards, and I'd spend hours, and hours searching skincare blogs to find products that may work. I spent a good chunk of my student loan on skincare products, but nothing worked.
Over the past year, I decided to come off the pill as 1. it wasn't helping my skin and 2. it was playing havoc with my mental health. My skin managed to get even worse and I knew I had to do something. I've spent the past 18 months, going backwards and forwards to the doctors - I've tried several topical creams, rounds of antibiotics and finally this Summer, I was referred to a dermatologist.
My skin at the start of my Roaccutane course. I feel very exposed uploading these.
In early October, I had my initial appointment where I was told, I was being offered a course of Roaccutane. I was given 6 weeks to think about it, do some research, have my blood tests done, and after passing a pregnancy test (passing probably isn't the right word here is it, but you get my drift) (( also side note- little word of advice, if you ever need to wee in a cup, do not, and I repeat do not, wear a bell sleeved top, it makes the process way more trickier than what it needs to be.)) I was given a prescription for my first months dose of Roaccutane.
So what is Roaccutane?
Well it's a pretty severe drug, it is known formally by isotretinoin. It's a Vitamin A derivative, which is a retinoid. It's used to treat acne, which has not got better from other treatments such as antibiotics. It works by reducing the amount of oil your body produces by reducing your oil glands, it also kills bacteria, reduces inflammation and slows down how fast the skin produces cells, meaning the lesser likelihood of getting blocked pores.You've probably heard about Roaccutane, you've probably heard horror stories. I know I have. It's well known for completely drying out your skin, especially your lips, and even has links to mental health problems such as depression.
However, although the side effects can be pretty nasty, the results are usually pretty impressive. Like I said, I had 6 weeks to contemplate going on the drug, and I spoke to a lot of you, and genuinely I only had 2 messages that said they hated it. Most people said it completely cleared their skin, and some even said that it was the best thing they ever did.
I knew I had to give this a try, Roaccutane is my last resort to sorting out my skin, and I don't feel like I should just put up with bad skin.
So why did I go on Roaccutane?
Obviously to clear up my skin, but there's almost more to it than that.
1. My Wedding :
So this may sound a bit of a weird one, but I felt like I wanted to get my skin cleared up before my wedding, as I was starting to really worry about it. I know my wedding is one day, but it's a big day. Most importantly, I want to spend my wedding day feeling happy and confident. When I was taking outfit photos earlier this year, I remember sitting and looking at a set and just staring at my skin. I could see all these little bumps and every pore, and I thought 'what if this is what my wedding photos look like?' 'What if I wake up on the day with one of my huge small country spots on my forehead?' I didn't even want the make up artist to see me without make up, which would be erm kind of difficult! I mean I sound like I'm freaking Beyonce. It may seem like stupid stuff to worry about, and my main concern should be getting married. Yes I get that. But if you have bad skin, you'll know how much of an affect it has on you. How much it affects your day.I've had days where I've changed plans cause I don't want to go out because of my skin. I can't exactly do that on wedding day can I?
2. For The Sake Of My Confidence :
As I mentioned above, my skin has had an huge effect on my confidence. Though over the past few months, I think as soon as I was referred to a dermatologist, I've been strangely at peace with my skin. But I think that's because I knew I was getting help. Previously, I've sat looking in the mirror, and I would feel angry at my reflection. I would feel so frustrated that my skin looked so bad, why was this happening still? Why did nothing work. I hated my skin.I never go out without make up, and I really want to be able to do this. I shouldn't care what people think, but that's easier said than done. Make up is my security blanket. I wish, I could go to the gym without concealer ( and yes I know working out with make up on is bad, but trust me, if I could do this, I would) at my lowest points, I've refused to open the door to the postman cause i had no make up on. I know how it sounds. Ridiculous. It sounds pathetic.
When the nurse took me for my pregnancy test, she kept looking me in the eye (like humans do when you have contact with them) and I was panicking. I was thinking 'stop looking at me, I can't deal with this.' I was glad to get in the toilet with my bell sleeves to do the test.
I want to be able to go out without make up on. I wish I could go to a Body Attack class with no concealer on. I wish I could have a chilled Sunday at home without putting on foundation, in case someone pops round.
I know there are people out there dealing with a lot worse. People who have worse skin than me, or worse conditions. I get it. But when you've dealt with spots for over ten years, it's chipped and chipped away at you and your confidence.
3. I've Tried Everything Else.
Roaccutane is the last resort for me. I've tried everything else; from antibiotics, topical creams, quitting dairy, drinking shit loads of water, trying different skincare products, cleansing twice, cleansing three times, using acids, taking multivitamins, I've lost count of what I've tried.None of it worked.
Some of you may think there's nothing wrong with my skin, and I actually even got some messages saying 'why are you on Roaccutane? Your skin looks fine to me?' Well that's because I don't show you my bad days, because I don't want to.
I rarely ever take a selfie, I only shoot videos on good skin days with my ring light which hides a multitude of sins, I rely on full coverage concealer and yes you'd probably never know how bad my skin was unless you saw me on a bad day or without make up. After dealing with spots for the past 10+ years, I've gotten very good at hiding it. But trust me, my dermatologist wouldn't have put me on this if my skin wasn't 'that bad'.
So that leads us to now.
My pre Roacctuane skincare haul!
I know the next six months aren't going to be easy. But hopefully they'll be worth it. Maybe by the end of this, I'll have regained some confidence, even if I'm able to leave the house without make up, that would be a huge step. Not having to sit in the mirror and wonder how I can style my hair to hide the massive craters on my forehead, or not have anyone ask me concerned if 'I've bumped my head' when no, it's just a massive spot would be great.
I get so angry, when people just dismiss spots. People are so quick to throw insults around about people's skin as if it's nothing. People describe people as 'the one with bad skin' or will say 'wow look at that spot on your head' or 'wow you're so oily all of the time' without even thinking what effect that can have on people.
Maybe I'm a sensitive Sally. Okay no scrap that, I am a sensitive Sally, but for every YouTube comment, or something someome has said to me or behind my back about my skin, I seem to not be able to forget those words. I once heard someone I know say behind my back 'at least I don't have spots' about me, and years on, it still feels like a punch to my stomach. Which sounds ridiculous, I know. But when you struggle with your skin, I don't even know how to describe it, but these words and comments have such an effect on you.
You feel everyone is looking at you. Although they're probably not. You feel like a freak. You can't look anyone in the eye. It sounds like you're super self absorbed or vain, but it's honestly not that at all. Anyone else who struggled with their skin will get this.
Having bad skin has such an effect on you mentally, but it also does physically too. I sometimes get under the skin spots that are so sore, it hurts every time I make an expression like a constant reminder it's there. Your skin can feel sore and sensitive sometimes, if you get them on your back, your bra strap can rub on one all day being a constant annoyance, I've even had spots in my ears which have made my eyes water when a headphone touched them.
If you're reading this and you've never had to deal with spots, or bad skin, then all I can ask, is that you perhaps show empathy towards people who are dealing with this. You may already do this, but I have encountered so many people who seem to think spots aren't a big deal, or have absolutely no empathy whatsoever. I mean and a lot of these people have been doctors. I call them 'the doctors who have clearly never had a spot in their life.'
Me when I see a doctor who says 'your skin isn't that bad' or someone says to me 'you know if you wore less make up, your skin wouldn't be so bad.'
Think about what you say, and yes this has got all very Sensitive Sally again, but you have no idea sometimes how your words can effect someone. I mean this goes for literally anything. But just think.
Even little comments like this can affect you.
I know, we're literally a step away from me sounding like I'm competing in a Miss World competition.
If you're reading this, and you struggle with your skin, then don't let anyone ever make you feel like your skin worries aren't justified. Whether you struggle with moderate or severe acne, it sucks no matter how bad it is. It sucks no matter what age you are, whether you're 14, 24, or 44. If you're really struggling then keep going to your doctor to get professional help. Keep fighting till they refer you to a dermatologist. Don't be put off if you see a shitty doctor, book in with another one, keep going and keep fighting.
So I will stop now. I could literally write and write about this (as you can probably tell) but this starts the mark of a new chapter and I'm weirdly excited. I know the next six months aren't probably going to be a walk in the park, and I know that all my confidence problems won't be solved by this, but I know it's going to sure as hell help.
I also apologise if I've come across a bit strange in this. I wanted to be completely 100% honest and tell you exactly how I feel and how my skin makes me feel. I want to be completely honest for the whole time I'm taking Roaccutane.
So I will now go. Thank you for reading this, I'm sorry it probably took you about six years, and I really hope that you'll find these posts interesting.
I'd love to know if you've ever been on Roaccutane as if you have any product suggestions, please send them my way.
And I apologise this isn't very Blogmas-y but I just wanted to write about this. Things will be back to normal again tomorrow :)
Hello! Hope you all had a lovely weekend! So today, I have my big beauty gift guide for you. I have all sorts of beauty gifts for you, for any budget, and for all ages. I've got you covered for buying for your little sister, BFF, Mum and even your Nan. You are welcome.
So what are waiting for? Let's get started!
First of all, we have a selection of beauty gifts that aren't too going to cause too much of a dent in your bank balance. We have a lot of Boots gift sets (snap up that 3 for 2 offer!) and as well as some bits and bobs that I am sure will please anyone.
Soap and Glory : Glow All Day Kit (The perfect present for your little sister/niece/any highlighter fan you know)
Zoella Hand Cream (Perfect for cold Winter days!)
Millie Mackintosh : Sculpt and Define Brush Kit (gorgeous brush kit)
Models Own Lip Kit Set (Perfect for any Kylie Jenner fans out there)
Skinnydip Bath Soak (love the packaging on this!)
Real Techniques ILLUMINATE + ACCENTUATE Set (Amazing set from Real Techniques)
Essie Diamond In The Cuff Gel Nail Polish (Because you can't beat an essie nail polish)
Next Gel Nail Polishes (How cool are the bottles?)
Millie Mackintosh Deeply in Lustre Gift Set (Because who wouldn't want that Millie Mackintosh glow?)
Wet Brush (Literally the best hair brush I've ever used- buy for anyone with hair)
Being by Sanctuary Suck it up Drink up cup (sassy little gift set)
Soap & Glory Lime of Your Life Gift Set (LOVE the S&G Lime gift sets!)
Zoella All Is Bright Set (V cute set with the most dinky fragrance roller ball, perfect for your niece/little sis)
SkinnyDip Body Mist (this packaging though!)
StylPro Make Up Brush Cleaner (So this is a little more pricey, but the perfect gift for any make up enthusiast as this cleans and drys your make up brushes instantly! Absolute game changer!)
Hot Tools Curl Bar (Who doesn't love a new hair tool? The Hot Tools Curl Bar is perfect for creating Victoria's Secret inspired curls!)
Soap and Glory Glow Kit (A gorge beauty gift set full of cult Soap and Glory products)
St Tropez Express Tan (One of the best fake tans I've ever used, perfect for anyone you know who loves a bit of fake tan!)
Antipodes Joyful Hand Cream (Lovely gift for anyone who may suffer with dry hands, nice natural ingredients and looks pretty too!)
Sanctuary Pamper Cracker (Perfect for Mum's and Nan's, this pamper cracker includes mini's of Sanctuary Spa's best selling priducts. Pefect for taking away on a weekend away!)
Now we move on to the more luxury side of things, so if you have a bigger budget or really want to treat someone, here are some ideas ...
Cover FX Mini Custom Drops Kit (How cute is this little gift set? I would literally be made up if I got this on Christmas day!)
Charlotte Tilbury Naughty & Nice Magic Box (OMG The dream right? How beautiful is this advent calendar full of Charlotte Tilbury's cult products? An absolute splurge but the ultimate treat)
Charlotte Tilbury Scent Of A Dream Perfume ( This perfume looks gorgeous, like the type of perfume you would imagine a Princess to have on her dressing table. Personally I think the smell is a bit too mature and heavy for me, I think your Mum would adore this)
YSL Lipsticks (Because who wouldn't want a dreamy YSL lipstick?)
Alien Mini Trio Of Candles - (Know someone who loves the Alien fragrance, why not buy them this trio of candles? Very cute and luxurious)
Gatineau Melatogenine Rejuvenating Collection - (gorgeous gift set for your Mum/Nan and the pink bag it's in? All the heart eyes!)
L'OCCITANE Limited Edition Design Terre De Lumiere Eau De Parfum - (The most beautiful bottle!)
Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb Bloom (Probably one of my fave fragrances in the world! Treat your BFF to this)
Antipodes Gift Set ( I love Antipodes products, they're natural, work and are a lovely present!)
Next Face Brushes (Perfect for perfecting that flawless look)
Elemis Sparkling Gift Set (A gorgeous gift set that anyone would love, I think especially your Mum/Nan!)
Pestle & Mortar Hydrating Duo Gift Set (Lovely gift set from Pestle & Mortar who's products are amazing)
L'OCCITANE Shea Butter Festive Bauble (A cute little present that doesn't cost a huge amount but is still a little bit of luxury)
Becca Champagne Pop ( I had to include my fave highlighter ever as this is perfect for any make up lover!)
Phew- so I hope this has inspired your Christmas present shopping list, tomorrow I have another few gift guides but there'll be more lifestyle based ones, think a fitness, home and stationery gift guide!
See you tomorrow :)
Phew- so I hope this has inspired your Christmas present shopping list, tomorrow I have another few gift guides but there'll be more lifestyle based ones, think a fitness, home and stationery gift guide!
See you tomorrow :)
One of my favourite Christmas memories growing up, is when me and my sister would run into our parents room, on Christmas morning and open our stockings on the bed. We would sit very excited opening our presents, and I would always be the most excited about the sugar mouse at the bottom (tell me who else had these in their stocking!) So to me, Christmas stockings will always have a special place in my heart. It's not Christmas without a stocking!
Today we're kicking off my gift guide posts with a Beauty Stocking Fillers one, so this is little beauty bits that are perfect for stockings or for just general presents. A lot of the presents in our stockings are beauty products and I love opening little bits like this on Christmas morning.
I'll also mention some other classic stocking fillers down below too!
Little things like lip balm are always a winner when it comes to stocking fillers, this year I have a whole array as I'm currently on a course of Roacctuane which means dry lip central. We have this cute SkinnyDip and Carmex Sugar Plum lip balm, a Tanya Burr Cosmetics one and Dr Lipp Nipple Balm (yes really) as just a few of my faves this year.
Beauty sets such as this Sweet Lip Creams lip set from Tanya Burr Cosmetics are also a good idea, I also love these Gatineau crackers which contain lip balms (see told you I was obsessed) and the Zoella Beauty Perfume and Body Lotion set too.
Little make up bits such as eyeliner, mascara (the Tanya Burr Cosmetics Selfie line are perfect for Christmas stocking fillers thanks to their gold packaging) nail polish is also always a good shout ( I love essie, Nailberry and Barry M!) As well as other affordable make up items like the new make up range from Next.
Mum usually includes quite practical and useful beauty products in our stockings which I always find handy, things like dry shampoo, shower gel, bubble bath, a new razor, may seem a bit boring, but can you beat a new shower gel or a new fresh razor? I think not.
Bath bombs, face masks, and hair products are perfect for pamper evenings, and also make cute little gifts. These are the kind of things I love to see in my stocking!
So here are all the stocking filler ideas from my photos :
Primark Face Mask
Other stocking filler ideas :
A Terry's Chocolate orange
Socks
Pants
Tissues in cute packaging
Chocolate Coins
Nail Files
Keyring
Small candle
So here we have some beauty stocking filler ideas, I hope you've found them useful :) and I'll see you tomorrow for my next gift guide!
Advent Calendars are no longer just reserved for chocolate, oh no, this year there seems to be an advent calendar for most things; cheese, playdoh and candles are just a few on sale this year, and beauty advent calendars are a huge trend. I've been very lucky to receive a couple of beauty advent calendar's this year, and today we're going to talk about the essie advent calendar*.
So you ready?
Let's go...
Priced at currently £40 at Superdrug, this isn't a cheap advent calendar, butttt you do get quite a lot for your money with this calendar. There's 24 doors, and inside there are 7 full size nail polishes, 13 mini nail polishes, 1 mini nail polish remover and three nail tools. The contents are worth over £100, and the 7 full size nail polishes are worth £55 alone, so £40 is actually a really good price for what's inside.
There's a mixture of shades in the calendar and some are even exclusive to the calendar which I think is quite cool, especially if you're a huge essie fan. The shades are very festive, think reds, glitter, etc... but there are a few all round colours including Fiji -my ultimate fave essie shade!
So the colours inside are ;
Rock The Runway - Gel Couture Shade - A bright festive red
Luxedo - A deep purple
Disco Doll- A lilac glitter
Mink Muffs - A purple toned nude
Liquorice - A rich black
Fifth Avenue - An orange toned red
Fishnet Stockings - A deep Burgundy red
Sil Vous Play Hero- A lilac shimmer
Bobbing For Baubles - A navy shade
Tart Deco - A peachy coral
Fiji - A baby pink
L-R Cocktail Bling, Sugar Daddy, Tart Deco, Fiji & Bobbing For Baubles
Cocktail Bling - A blue toned grey
Sugar Daddy - A sheer baby pink
In The Mood Ring - A black and silver glitter
Glow Your Own Way - A gold glitter
L-R - Glow Your Own Way, CC corrector for nails, Sil Vous Play Hero, In The Mood Ring
Mini Colour Corrector For Nails
Gel Setter Top Coat
All in One - base, top coat and strengthen
Apricot Oil - use on your cuticles
Mini Gel Couture Top Coat
Mini Nail Polish Remover
Nail/Toe separator
Glass Nail File
4 in 1 - buffer, file, shine and polish
L-R Luxedo, Fishnet Stockings, Disco Ball, Fifth Avenue, Licorice, & Mink Muffs
I think it's a really good mix of colours, there's some brights (Rock The Runway, Tart Deco & Fifth Avenue) Nudes (Fiji, Sugar Daddy & Mink Muffs) and even glitters (In The Mood Ring, Glow Your Own Way & Disco Doll) so I think there's something for everyone. I also like how the colours all mix and match so the glitters work well with the colours, e.g the black and silver glitter In The Mood Ring would work perfectly with Liquorice, and Glow Your Own Way would work with all the red shades and Disco Doll with all the pink toned shades. I also like how there's a base coat, top coat and gel top coat, as well as a cuticle oil too so it's like everything has been thought of.
L-R Rock The Runway and Gel Couture Top Coat
I'm a huge fan of essie polishes mainly cause they're the polish which last the longest on my nails without chipping, I also like the wide brushes too as it makes painting your nails pretty easy, even if you're a bit heavy handed like me!
For the price of £40 I think this is great value considering you get 20 nail polishes, and it's a great way to try different essie shades. Also the box is pretty cute too right? I love the NYC theming! So overall, is it worth the hype? Yes. Is it worth the money? Yes.
So there we go, the essie advent calendar, definitely worth treating yourself too, or a very lucky loved one. I'd love to know your thoughts, will you be snapping one up?
* I received this as a press sample but was under no obligation to post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)