My laser hair removal journey with Therapie Clinic

Hello my loves,

I hope you are all well!

So as many of you know I am currently receiving Laser hair removal from Therapie clinic and I have gotten a lot questions about the treatment ranging from the price, to the pain, and everything in-between! And all the questions I am getting are the exact same questions I had before I started the treatment myself.

*Q&A* Image 4-layer Face Lift peel with Therapie Clinic | Level 2 Peel details

Hi my Loves,

I have been so unwell the past few weeks hence my absence over here, I swear I feel I have had a very unfortunate 2016/17 - here's hoping to a healthier 2018.

 I am back today to give you all an update after my my latest face peel from Therapie Clinic - because if you thought my skin was good after my first peel - WAIT till you see what my skin is like now! My skin has never looked so good and has not been this consistently good for years.

I am going to link my previous post on my first Image 4 Layer Face-Lift peel here so you can get all the in-depth details of the whole process.
The amazing thing about face peels is that each time you get them you see improved results - your skin just gets better and better.

(2 days after my second peel with no makeup - I look tired because I was so sick :( )

Facial time at Therapie Clinic | Image 4-Layer Face-lift Peel

Hi my Loves,

I hope you are all well!

Today I want to chat to you all and give you the low-down on the gorgeous facial I had done in Thérapie Clinic last Saturday because I literally had so many questions when I popped up a picture of my skin on my Instagram after the facial!

(This is a picture of my skin straight after the facial)

My Current Fave Sheet Masks | Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask collection

Hello my Loves,

So you know me - I AM SKIN CARE JUNKIE. 

Honestly, I think that Skincare is probably one of my favourite thing to spend my money on - nothing makes me happier than good skincare.

And when it comes to face masks - I love me a good face mask, especially if it hydrates my skin and gives me that celebrity-esque "I-just-had-a-facial" glow. And this is why I love sheet masks.

Yes, they can serve other purposes other than hydration and moisturizing depending on the one you pick - but that is my favourite use and benefit from a sheet mask.

How I get rid of Skin Texture | the Secret Ingredient

Hi my loves,

I have a quick one for you today as this is a question I get asked quite a bit and it is something I suffer from myself unfortunately. The question I get asked quite regularly is how does my skin look so even and what would I recommend to get your skin like that.

Massaging your FACE at home for youthful looking skin!! | Nurse Jamie 'UPLIFT' Beauty Roller

Hi my Loves,

I'm being really productive with the posts at the mo - I'm literally confined to the bed with tonsillitis but I don't do confinement well and I'm starting to go mad being stuck in the house!

Today I want to chat about the importance of facial massaging and my favourite product to do from the comfort of my own home.

Banish Skincare Kit + Face masks | Your skin Saviors

Hi my loves,

Today I want you chat about my recent experience with skincare company Banish.

The Ordinary Skincare & My Skin Chats

Hi my Loves,

How are you all? I hope you're all having a lovely week!

I'm sure many of you have heard me moaning and complaining about my skin the past few weeks - after Christmas it just decided to play absolute havoc on me. I've not had bad skin for years and I've managed to keep it under control so to see it becoming bad again was extremely difficult for me, especially seeing as I take very good care of my skin, I eat relatively okay and get enough sleep and I had not changed anything at all. 

It had taken me years to get my skin to a good place so when I say I was very upset about my skin playing me, I'm being very honest. It seems so silly to people who have good skin or are used to having good skin to hear people giving out about spots and bad skin, they can't seem to understand but it is extremely hard dealing with bad skin and it really affects your confidence. It got to a point there recently where I wouldn't even want to leave my house or even go near a mirror I was that conscious about it and this might sound dramatic to some people but this is how it makes me  feel.

I am not a person however that cries about things and doesn't try to fix them so I went on a mission to over haul my skin. 

It turned out I had a slight allergy to eggs in the end that was causing my bad skin (typical) so I'm glad I got to the bottom of it. I still decided to over haul my skincare as my current products weren't enough to shift the issues the allergy had left me with like blocked pores, sore under the skin lumps, milia like texture on my forehead and redness, YES I literally got it all.

I had stumbled across a skincare company called Deciem a while back and had been intrigued by their products, especially their line of skincare called The Ordinary. The Ordinary is a brand that provides its customer with great skincare products, including amazing 'wonder' ingredients that cost a fraction of the price in comparison to their competitors. As a skincare junkie, when I saw they stocked products like Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol and Vitamin C (Vitamin C that was packaged CORRECTLY to maintain its properties) that were all under €10, I honestly nearly died. I couldn't believe my eyes - I just couldn't understand how these amazing products were so cheap! Not one of their products was over €20 and these products had ingredients you would pay well over €40 each for!!

So naturally, I placed a substantial order because I just had to test it out for myself - because if these products worked like they should my skincare game would be changed forever.

I am going to individually review each product I bought as they each deserve their own post but I will list to you what I have bought and tried:

• Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%
• Advanced Retinoid 2%
• Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
• "Buffet"
• Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%
• Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

Each of these products is amazing, I cannot say enough good things. 

My skin is finally nearly back to looking like itself again and even better in some ways too which I am over the moon about. I cannot recommend that you guys check out this brand enough. They have regimen guides on their website that you can follow to create your own regimen or if you have an questions message either the company or me. You can completely over haul your entire skincare plan giving you top of the range ingredients and benefits with this brand for about €40(ish) for everything and if that isn't a bargain I don't know what is!

You can purchase The Ordinary from The Ordinary website, TRND Beauty or Beauty Bay so whatever is your preference you have tonnes of options.

Once I have my singular reviews up I will link them here on this post - I was just so excited I had to tell you guys about it now!

With Love from,

Rebekah x

Timeless Truth Sheet Masks review

Hi my Loves,

So I am on a bit of masking role at the moment. I have most of my other skin care down pat but I'm really hunting for holy grail status masks now. A few weeks ago I reviewed the L'Oreal clay masks for you all and I'll link that here if you guys want to check that out.

This week I have chosen to test out the Timeless Truth masks from beautybelle.ie. These masks were very kindly sent to me to try out based on my skin type & concerns - but AS ALWAYS my opinions are all my own and written because I love to share new finds with you guys, be them good OR bad.

I picked two masks from their range which I felt matched my skin well and these were the Timeless Truth 'Herbal Rejunvination Immortelle mask' (very fancy, I know) & then the Timeless Truth 'Bee Venom and Royal Jelly Miracle mask'. 

Basically, with this company they stock two different types (or categories if you will) of masks - Functionality Masks & Bio Cellulose Masks and they are all sheet masks.

• What makes the the functionality mask that bit different to your normal sheet mask is the cloth of the mask itself has beneficial extracts ground into dried powder and then impregnated into the face mask cloth - I know right? WOW!
• What makes the Bio Cellulose masks so special is that they are made with natural fibers that help to form an elastic 3D mask which will feel like a second layer of skin on the face and allow the ingredients to be absorbed.

The website in detail explains what each mask does so it's easy for you to decide what one is best for you. 

Another plus about this company is that you can buy their masks in single packet form or in packs of 5 once you know that you like your chosen one and the pack of 5 is at a discounted price.

Herbal Rejunvination Immortelle mask

(€5.67 for 1 mask OR €23.15 for 5)

This sheet mask is part of their Functionality category and claims to have a rich herbal infusion & Immortelle extract (this is a flower that grows in Mediterranean countries BTW that is used in many healing formulas) that will Nourish, Hydrate & stimulate the skin. This will lead to a reduction in fine lines, dryness & blemishes. It also claims to boost cellular activity leaving the face looking more toned, whilst the hydration will leave smoother skin.

That's a lot of claims right?

For me I can 100% vouch that it helped to clear dry patches and rid some stubborn blemishes (lingering from those L'Oreal masks) - my skin also felt lovely and hydrated which was amazing and something I always really struggle with is dehydrated skin (I'm bad with drinking water..).

The mask had a lovely fresh smell and not even a hint of a chemical smell, that's something that is VERY, VERY important to me. I honestly felt like this was a freshly prepared mask as opposed to being in a packet. The sheet itself was easy to apply and held on to the face well - it felt so nice I didn't want to take it off.

Bee Venom and Royal Jelly Miracle mask

(€9.15 for 1 mask OR €38.21 for 5)

This specific sheet mask is part of the more luxurious Bio Cellulose range hence the more expensive price point. The claims of this mask are to stimulate the production of collagen & elastin to help smooth, lift and tighten the skin. This mask is really aimed towards anti aging which I believe you're never too young to start investing in (it's called ANTI-aging for a reason - preventing is easier than fixing). Bee venom itself is called natures Botox (I'll bathe in that thanks) and Royal Jelly is known as the 'Elixir of Youth' (I'll bathe in this too). 

Okay, so sounds like a winning combo yes?

YES.

I used this mask before a night out and my skin literally looked amazing. It looked plump, smooth and felt beyond soft. My makeup also went on a dream.

This texture of this mask upon taking it out of the packet was a lot more fluid than the Immortelle mask - the Immortelle mask was more wet if you get whilst this had a more gel-like and rich consistency and this is the luxurious element of this mask.

I found this one a little more difficult to apply because of how fluid it was but it was nothing unmanageable just make sure you're near a sink applying it. It had the same fresh appeal as the Immortelle mask and no chemical smell.

Final thoughts

My final thoughts on these masks are that I loved them so much I will be purchasing some more myself and other variants. I know that the price of some of the masks in these collections are steeper than some that I've seen in boots etc. but the ingredient list speaks for itself. The ingredients in these masks make them worth every cent. I can't speak for everyone but I'm of the opinion that you have one face, so take care of it - spoil it - use good products and avoid harsh chemicals. If a mask works I will pay for it rather than wasting money on cheaper masks that do nothing, I am not about the life of putting bad things on my face and you shouldn't be either!

If you asked me to pick which of the two I liked the most, it's a very close call - but I would say the Bee Venom and Royal Jelly mask; I loved how luxurious this one felt and I loved that the results were so noticeable.

Have you guys got any products you would like me to review for you all? Is there something you are intrigued to know about and if it's worth the money? Leave me a comment below and I will definitely look into all suggestions!

Have a lovely weekend! <3

With Love from,

Rebekah x

*Updated* Skincare Routine + Skincare Tips

Hello my loves,

I did a skincare routine blog post previously, however since then a lot has changed in my regime. I'll link the post here so you can read that one too because it's not that I still don't love the products I mentioned in that post, it's just that I have just found some new ones that make my skin the best it can possibly be.  My previous post was very budget friendly, so if that's what you are aiming for with your skincare products that post might be more of an interest to you.

I believe in investing in your skin because lets face it, how you look after your skin when you're younger DOES have an impact on how your skin will look in the future (obviously some of it is totally down to genetics and out of our control, so you can blame your parents!) This being said, that is one of the reasons why I do use slightly more expensive products, with proven results in my skincare routine at the moment.

Another outlook that I have is that I believe that your makeup can only look as good as the base you provide for it. I like to look at in the sense if you're painting walls, you always need a clean, good conditioned base or else no matter what you do, the paint job will not turn out the best it could of if you'd taken the time to prepare the walls.

 Does this make sense? It makes sense in my head haha!

Before I fly into my routine, I want to list some skincare tips that I have picked up over years:

1. Drink water. I know you're going to be like okay as if we don't know that, but I want to stress this. Not only is water good for keeping your skin blemish free, it also combats dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin is often mistaken for dry skin however it is treated very differently. Dehydrated skin lacks water not oils as dry skin does - this means your skin will look dull, feel tight and will show signs of aging i.e intensified fine lines on the face. Dehydrated skin also produces more oil to make up for the lack of water therefore leading to breakouts. Do you notice your concealer creasing and caking under your eyes but you don't have dry, flakey skin? You're probably dehydrated. Now do you see how important water actually is?! Drink at least 8 glasses a day. 
2. Sleep. Again, another basic point, but tiredness shows on your skin - be it temperamental breakouts, dark circles, dry patches - this can all be results of lack of sleep. Recommended sleep for adults is 7 - 9 hours.
3. Taking off your make-up. I die inside when I hear people telling me they just use makeup wipes daily, because they are absolutely not sufficient for taking makeup off, they also drag the skin causing aging and upset the balance of the skins natural oils. They are fine for a once off night out or staying somewhere that's not your own house but they shouldn't be a habit. In order to remove your makeup fully and treat your skin you need to cleanse your face with a cleanser (cream, foam, oil, up to you) TWICE. once to remove the makeup, second time to double make sure it's all gone and to care for your skin needs (e.g. acne etc.) Also, this goes without saying I hope, PLEASE, DO NOT SLEEP with makeup on, it's a skincare sin.
4. Dermaplaning. This is controversial  so I debated adding this in because you absolutely DO NOT have to do this. This totally preference, but it does make a difference to how makeup applies if you notice that the hairs on your face catch in your makeup. Dermaplaning is basically using a single blade razor to remove the light peach fuzz hair off your face. It originates from Japan and is very popular in american facials as a procedure for exfoliating the skin. Contrary to popular belief NO it does not make the hair grow back thicker/blacker/stubblier, If you would like a blog post dedicated to this topic let me know below and I can talk you through the pros and cons and how-to's if this is something you would safely like to try.
5. Facials. The above leads on to this point I suppose. I am a huge fan of facials & microdermabrasion - if you have the funds you can get these done as much as you like; I try to get them minimum twice a year as I feel they really renew the skin and give you a good basis to take care of at home. Facials aren't as expensive as people presume; sign up to beauty parlor's newsletters and keep an eye on Groupon for deals. My favourites are Microdermbrasion, Vitamin C peel and Image O2 lift facials.
6. Facial oils. I call facial oils miracle products and I like to use them during the night mainly. Facial oils help to add hydration and nutrition to the skin; they also help topically with concerns like acne scars and signs of aging like fine lines. I also find the definitely help enhance your glow. Look out for facial oils that include vitamin E, rose-hip, Argan oil, almond oil or coconut oil. You apply a drop of facial oil AFTER your moisturiser. If you have oily skin, facial oils are something you may not require but you can use a very little amount if you do want added benefits. 
7. Eye cream. Totally over looked product, even by me. I tend to forget this step for some reason. If you notice your makeup isn't holding well under your eyes - that it's cakey etc - an eye-cream can help with this (but as I said above under dehydration, dry under eyes can be sign of that too.) Eye  creams are basically your tailor fit moisturiser for your eye area because the skin is thinner and more delicate, they help to combat aging and fine lines around the eye area.
8. Wear sun protection every single day, even when it's not sunny. If I could ever preach something, it would be this. Wear a minimum of factor 30 every single day - even if your makeup contains some. The sun has two types of UV radiation, UVA & UVB. UVA is what causes skin aging and wrinkles whilst UVB is the skin cancer developer. I know it's great to have a natural tan in the moment, but the damage that you are doing to skin by going without sun cream in the long run is just not worth it, especially with the education you are given on it now-a-days. I'm not even going to touch on sunbeds, as that is a totally other post that I could write pages on!

I hope that everyone can take take at least a few things from my tips above. I am asked a lot how I keep my skin good ( I am only 23 so I don't have to worry majorly - but i believe in prevention over correction!) and these are tips I religiously follow.

Now, on to some of the products that I currently use and swear by:

Products:

Pixi Glow Tonic, Lancome Visionnaire cream, Dr.Dennis Gross Alpha beta extra strength daily peel, Lush cosmetics Love Lettuce fresh face mask, Clarisonic Mia 2, Clarisonic Refreshing Gel cleanser, The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence lotion.

Step 1: I use my Clarisonic Mia 2 every night & every second morning. This is the product I attribute my good skin texture to. It is worth every penny in my eyes. I use it combined with Clarisonic Refreshing Gel cleanser after I have taken off the bulk of my makeup off with a makeup remover. I have no preference for a makeup remover, I just try to avoid one that is too oily as it hurts my eyes.

Step 2: I use my Pixi Glow tonic as a toner after I have removed my makeup fully. I use this morning and night. It has 5% Glycolic so it helps your skin to literally glow!

Step 3: As my serum to put hydration back into my skin I use my Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua boost Essence lotion every morning and night.

Step 4: I know it is expensive, but I swear by my Lancome Visionnaire cream; once I stop using it I can see a difference and that's how I know it works. It is a gel like consistency, which I love because it works well under makeup. I then apply eye cream, I haven't it pictured here, but I use the No 7 protect & prefect eye cream. I use both these products day and night.

Extra steps: 

- Twice a week I will use a mask. I love Lush face masks as they are fresh and I like that I know exactly what is in them - I love things with natural ingredients.

- I am also a massive fan of at home peels which are amazing for reducing pores & fine lines and fading scars and pigmentation - I use a month supply of  Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta extra strength daily peel every three months or so and it keeps my skin perfect. 

- As mentioned above, I use facial oils and I'll use them 3 - 4 times a week roughly before I go to sleep.

So there we have it, that rounds up my skincare tips and routine! 

I hope I've helped you all in some way. I know the products I use are expensive, but they are very much worth it. My skin is not perfect & I have my bad skin days; we are all only human - but if I can make my skin good 90% of the time I'm happy!

With Love from,

Rebekah x♡