The Beauty Lab.

Hi lovlies! Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend. 

Today I decided to give my brushes a clean and thought that I would do a blogpost on it, just in case anyone was wondering about what sort of routine works best when cleaning their makeup tools. I find that the routine I am about to share with you works best for me and my brushes, and is the most efficient and hygienic way to ensure they're super clean before I use them again!

Step 1. - Firstly, I use the Daiso Makeup Brush Cleaner for my brushes. Not only is this product super cheap, but it also works really great! I pour a generous amount of product into any container and then dip my brush in the container to ensure the liquid covers the brush hairs

Step 2. - I then swirl my brush in my hand (in circle motions) under cold running water from a tap until I see that no more product is coming out of the brush, and there is no stains left. To double check this, I empty the liquid out of the container I originally used for the cleaner, and then pour a little more in and dip the brush in a few times. If no makeup mixes with the liquid, I then know its clean.

Step 3. - I rinse the brushes under the tap to ensure theres no liquid left in the hairs, and then I swirl the brush on a towel a few times to get any excess water out and then leave to dry on a towel overnight.

To clean my beauty blenders and sponges, I follow similar steps.

Step 1. - I use the Detergent for Puff and Sponge also from Daiso, which works really well! I apply this product directly onto my DRY sponge and start to massage the liquid in until the sponge starts to get soapy and product starts dripping out of it. I do find however then I need to keep reapplying the detergent as the sponge sucks up the liquid!

Step 2. - Once I feel that the sponge is clean enough, I rinse under cold water, ensuring also to 'massage' the sponge to get rid of any excess liquid and makeup. I repeat step 1 and 2 until there is no stains left on the sponge, or there is no makeup dripping out of it,

Step 3. - I rinse and squeeze the sponge one last time to make sure its completely clean, and then I bounce it on a towel to get rid of excess moisture (water and liquid) and then leave it to dry on the towel over night, or until dry.

As you can see, these steps are super simple and easy. I can't stress enough about the importance of cleaning your makeup tools often! Lots of bacteria live in your brushes and sponges. Think about all the days you were sweating whilst doing your makeup, you had breakouts, or you touched up after a long day where natural bacteria has landed on your face. YUCK when you think about it!! I try my best to clean my brushes AT LEAST once a week, it only takes 10 minutes if you continue this routine weekly.

Hope you guys learnt something and let me know what your brush cleaning routine is :)

xoxo

Brushes after being cleaned with Daiso products

Daisy Brush Cleaner and Sponge Detergent

Hello lovlies!

I have quite an interesting blogpost for you all to read today.. as I'm sure you can guess by the title- shaving!!

When people think of shaving the face, they think stubble, prickles, hair that grows back quick and men (obviously!). However.. there is a way for the girls out there with hair on their faces to easily get rid of it! No.. its not with wax.. its also not with a trimmer or your usual razor.. its with a special blade.

These types of blades were created for women's faces, and also eyebrow trimming and shaping. Its pretty much one simple blade designed not to cut or hack, but to gently get rid of and pull out those annoying hairs on the face that may make you self conscious or annoyed.

I know I've always had 'baby hair' on my face thats never gone away.. and even though its blonde and no one notices.. I DO and Ive been very self conscious about it in the past. I used hair removal cream, which I had a terrible allergic reaction to, and I used waxing, which hurt like a b*tch because the face is a very delicate area! Of course shaving my face entered my mind, but I always assumed that it would end up growing back like stubble or it would turn dark etc etc.

THEN one day I was browsing in DAISO (a Japanese 'cheap shop' here in Australia) and I came across a section in the store that had blades which were advertised for the face and eyebrows. I had actually heard of eyebrow blades that people use, particularly in some salons, to shape the eyebrows and clean them up. I was very curious and so I thought I would try it out.

Here we are months later, and I don't regret it at all! It surprisingly doesn't leave any 'stubble', it hasn't grown back dark and I haven't cut myself. A couple of weeks after I purchased the blades, Carli Bybel on Youtube, whom I have been a subbie of for quite a while posted a video on how SHE SHAVES HER FACE! And to my surprise, she uses the exact same method as I had tried with the eyebrow and face blades. Watching her video actually gave me a lot of good pointers, like to wash your face and have a clean and fresh canvas before doing the procedure, moisturising afterwards, and to only do it every couple of months. Obviously the more you 'shave' the less hair grows back as time goes on.

The steps I follow when I use this procedure is, as I mentioned above, to clean my face prior so that my canvas is nice and clean to start using the blade. I swipe the blade downwards, which is the way the hair grows. If you hair grows up, or to the side, then I advise to swipe the blade the way the hair is growing, don't go against it as that may cut you or encourage 'stubble'. I also wipe off the blade after ever 2-3 swipes on my face. Once I feel that I am satisfied with the result, I then moisturise my skin very gently and slowly. Remember, because there is no hair on the face to protect, your skin may be sensitive for a day or two, so don't go using harsh chemicals, exfoliants or alcohol rubs!! This may burn and cause irritation!! 
I use this method every 2 months, give or take, and I am happy with the outcome every time. I believe this is a very safe way for those who have been considering doing something about the hair on their face.

I know this may be a very controversial topic, and everyone is definitely allowed an opinion on it. I just love that I am not self conscious anymore, and another MASSIVE POSITIVE is that your makeup goes on SO smoothly. You have such a hairless and smooth base to apply your foundation on, that it blends so well. My face also feels incredibly soft. Im not joking when I say I have never felt anything as soft as my face after I use the blade then moisturise afterwards... such an incredible feeling!!

I do advise however, that girls who don't have a lot of hair on their face, don't try this procedure. This post is aimed at those girls who struggle with hair, or are self conscious of hair on their face. I don't think I would have even thought about this if I wasn't self conscious. I also recommend that you do your own research on products and techniques. This is MY way of using the blade and getting rid of hair on my face, and what works for some, may not work for others. I'm just sharing my experience and thoughts on this particular beauty technique :)

Thanks so much for reading and I hope this has helped some of you :)

You can also watch Carli's video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_y-rEwhqHI

xoxo

Blade is inserted into an easy to hold handle to ensure shaving is done safely and correctly

Razor pack from Daiso that I use and LOVE

I hope everyone is having a great week! 

I just want to take a moment to thank all the people who take the time to view and read my blog, like and comment on my instagram posts, and follow me on social media. I cannot thank you enough, and I hope you all know that it puts a smile on my face each time! 

Hi Guys! 

I hope everyone had a great New Years!

Today I am blogging about my everyday skincare routine. I do these steps every single day, and I will also include steps of products that I follow a few times a week.


MORNINGS
My morning skincare routine is quite simple. I mainly just rinse and moisturise to remove all the impurities and creams that have sank into my skin from the night before.

Step 1: I use my Soft Caress Cleanser by Alogologie (review of this brand up on my blog). This leaves my skin feeling soft and ready for the day.

Step 2: I moisturise using my Soft Caress Day Cream again by Algologie (review of this brand up on my blog). This calms my skin, relieves redness, and preps my face for makeup.

Step 3: Moisturise my body. I want to keep my body in the best condition I can whilst I am young, so I ensure to follow through with a moisturiser on my body and sunscreen on my hands, neck, face and décolletage. I just use whatever is around to do this! Nivea, Vaseline etc etc.

NIGHTS
I like to really pamper my skin at night, especially if I've had a long day, or have been wearing makeup for hours on end!

Step 1: To remove my makeup, I use my Clean and Clear self-foaming facial wash. This is oil free, doesn't clog my pores, and after washing and rinsing, all of my makeup is removed! I used to spend a lot of my money on cleansers and foaming washes after getting my skin checked by a therapist who told me what products would be suitable for my skin. I then tried a drugstore brand of foaming wash and I believe it does the exact same thing. I don't have very sensitive skin in regards to cleansers, so I'm safe with some drugstore products. I'd rather spend my money on moisturises, creams, serums and oils.

Step 2: After washing my makeup off, I usually use an exfoliant of some kind. I tend to switch between my Garnier Pure Active exfoliant with blue beads, my Neutrogena Gentle Scub or my Dermologica Microfoliant (review of this brand up on my blog).  I work this into my face quite firmly, but slow enough so that it doesn't irritate my skin.. more like massaging the product so it really works into my pores and cleans out my face. Again, I don't mind using drugstore exfoliates as I believe my skin has the same outcome as the high-end products that I recently have used. Twice a week, I also use an exfoliating glove/brush/sponge to just really get in there and remove any congestion underneath my pores. My skin does go quite red after this, but the end result is great! Leaves my skin feeling so damn soft.

Step 3: Once I have completed my facial washes that involve water, I move onto toning. I believe toning is great for your skin as it can hydrate, replenish, cleanse and put vitamins into your skin. I use the Soft Freshness Lotion by Algologie (review of this brand up on my blog) or, when my skin is feeling quite congested, I use Isocol. I know this is a harsh alcohol liquid, and I don't like to use it all the time, but it works for my skin, and has for years! It really dries out impurities and when it stings, it feels like its really getting in there and working haha.

Step 4: I use serum (about 2-4 times a week) just to give my face a bit of extra pampering. When I do use it, I stick to my Alogologie Algae Maceration (review of this brand up on my blog). I like to use this a few times a week to replenish. I massage this into my face and down my neck for a solid minute to attempt to 'contour' my face. Huda Kattan (Huda Beauty) has spoke about this on her channel, and the benefits of rubbing in creams and oils and pushing your fingers along your jaw line and cheek bones to contour your face and give it more shape.

Step 5: When toning, its always important to remember that you should moisturise after. I use the Loreal Youth Code recharger night balm. This moisteriser is so rejuvenating and even though its thick, it feels like it works perfect for me and recharges my skin by filling it with vitamins and nutrients. Makes my face feel great!

Step 6: An extra step that I sometimes follow is giving my skin some extra hydration. To do this, I use my trusty Antipodes Hosanna H20 Intensive Skin-Plumping Serum. I am not very fond of the smell of this product to be honest, but the way it leaves my skin feel after applying... ITS SO WORTH IT!! The serum is water-charged and oil free and leaves my skin feeling super supple and soft. I also think this helps with dark spots on the face such as pigmentation and scarring.

Step 7: Eye Cream. I don't always do this as I'm only 20 years old, but a couple of times a week I apply my Clinique All About Eyes eye serum/cream. This looks like a balm and feels quite tacky, and once applied it feels wonderful! So soothing and cooling.

Step 8: Hand cream. For some reason, moisturising my hands before bed gives me such a relief and makes me feel relaxed and ready for sleep haha. I slowly moisturise my Mecca Cosmetica Hands On Transforming Hand Cream, which makes my hands feel super hydrated! Or I use my Maine Beach Lorde Howe Island hand and nail cream. I tend to get dry hands and nails very easily, so I always have a hand cream in the bathroom, and a hand cream on my bedside table.

Step 9: My final step before I finish the night off with some much need slumber is a lip balm. This is an absolute ESSENTIAL for me. My lips get extremely dry, in the colder months due to no moisture, and in the warmer months because of the burning sun here in Australia. I often use any type of paw-paw ointment, however I feel that this only gives me temporary relief. I otherwise use my Lanolips, which feels amazing! Its almost like a balm that transforms into an oil once applied to the lips, and gives such a soothing feeling.

As you can probably tell, I LOVE skincare and looking after my skin. I feel that if I start early enough whilst I am young, then I won't have issues with my skin later on in life. I try to prevent lines, creases and wrinkles as much as possible haha! I also think that the skincare routine that I have now, is working perfectly for me, and as of right now, I feel like there is nothing that needs to be switched up or changed. In saying that however, I always like to try new products and brands, so I'm always on the lookout!

Hope you enjoyed 😊

xoxo