Pamper sesh/Mini-facial.

Once a week I like to treat myself to a little facial, so to speak. No, I don't go out and get it done professionally, I do it by myself on myself, in the comfort of my own room. Perfectamundo.

It is one of the most pampering things you could do and your skin will love you for it, and you don't really need fancy expensive products or equipment. For example, stage 1 is cleansing. Any cleanser would do, depending on your skin type. Stage 2 is a repeat, so essentially a double cleanse, and you could use the same cleanser as before or go for a different one if you fancy. I find that my oily congested skin appreciates a double cleanse and I find this really effective at leaving skin prepped and primed. If you don't want to double-cleanse or don't feel your skin needs it - don't. I only do it because I definitely need to! Stage 3 is exfoliation. Any exfoliator will do, just make sure that the exfoliating matierial within the product isn't natural - peach kernels or nut shells aren't naturally round and therefore can scratch the skin, which isn't good. Man-made beads or crystals in exfoliating products are better because they can be refined down and rounded so they have a less harsh effect on the skin but are still effective. Step 4 can be carried out over a bowl of water. You don't have to own a steamer! Step 5 can be carried out again with a preferred cleanser. Stage 6 can be carried out with any mask you like - hydrating, chemically exfoliating, cleansing, whatever you want!. For stage 7, use your favourite moisturiser, and hey presto.
Everyone does their own facial differently, but mine is through trial and error, and this method and these products work for me!

I have written out what I normally do once a week facial-wise. Sometimes I skip out a stage if I'm feeling pushed for time, but normally I don't feel like I'm doing my skin justice unless I do the whole caboodle!

1) If I have a full face of makeup (which is rare), I take it all off with a baby wipe first and then I cleanse my face with the Neutrogena 'Visibly Clear 2 in 1' face wash to remove all the impurities and oil from my skin, leaving skin already feeling fresh and so clean.
2) I cleanse my face again with my Clarisonic and a foaming face wash (I am loving Neutrogena's 'Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash'), and then follow with Boots' Botanics 'All Bright Cleansing Toner', just to ensure I have cleaned every last trace of grime from my skin.
3) I follow the double-cleanse with micro-dermabraison courtesy of No7's 'Total Renewal Micro-dermabraision Exfoliator'. This is hands down the best exfoliator I have ever used. I haven't yet found one to beat it (yet). It removes all the dead skin cells, revealing new skin, ensuring all my products are ready to be absorbed well!
4) Then I steam my face with my own steamer - I've had it 6 years and it's still going strong! I add Boot's own 'Glycerin and Rosewater' or tea tree to the water. It really depends how my skin is feeling, if it's a wee bit sensitive I opt for the rose water, if I have a massively huge breakout I opt for the tea-tree essence just to clear out my congested pores.
5) Then I cleanse with a foaming cleanser, to make sure I have removed all the micro-dermabraison crystals from my skin.
6) I then apply a mask; this could either be the Neutrogena 'Visibly Clear 2 in 1' used as a mask (I love those multi-purpose products I do) or the Elemis 'Papaya Enzyme Peel'. I normally alternate but if skin is feeling congested, I will plump for the Neutrogena mask above the Elemis one, and if skin is looking dull and lifeless, I'll opt for the latter!
7) I then apply Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, followed by a nice big sticky layer of Eucerin's 'Aquaphor' to ensure my skin is moisturised like hell - and I'm done!

I do think it is important not only for the skin, but also for the mind to completely de-stress and focus on yourself - I don't have much 'me-time' at the moment so this is the one selfish thing I revel in.

Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair'.

I first got a bottle of this back when I was 17 from my boyfriend for my birthday (not that anybody thought I was old or anything, I have always been obsessed with skincare), and I have always had a bottle in my skincare box ever since.
This serum is probably one of my most re-purchased skincare products, I really love it. I love everything about it, the packaging, the way it works, the smell, the name...I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH OKAY? And this is really a blogpost telling you why.




This serum has won so many awards and accolades it is like the celebrity of the skincare world; Cosmopolitan Beauty and Fragrance Awards 2012 - Best Age Defying Serum, Woman & Home: Best Beauty Icon - Turn Back the Clock 2011, InStyle Award Winner 2011, She Magazine 2011: Best Night Cream, Stylist Skincare Awards 2011 Winner.
This product is dermatologist-tested, ophthalmologist-tested, fragrance-free and non-acnegenic, the latter being the most important for me because of my well documented battle with acne.

Basically, the people at Estee Lauder understand that environmental assaults damage skin cells and their DNA, leading to fine lines, wrinkles (a sharp gasp) and age spots. Which is true, I mean think of the sun rays, emotional stresses and pollution our skin faces day to day.
These folks believe that 'Advanced Night Repair' can reduce the appearance of past damage and help prevent future damage.

Now here is the really sciency bit; to which I have copied from the Estee Lauder website because I can't put it into my own words;
Skin cells have clock genes that, when in sync with each other, help skin do what it does naturally—repair at night and protect by day.
Working extensively with a leading, independent research team, Estée Lauder scientists are among the first to understand how important these genes are for your skin.
This pivotal research showed that clock genes regulate a series of precisely timed repair responses within each skin cell to help maximize its DNA repair.
Furthermore, with age and repeated exposure to environmental stresses, skin's clock genes become de-synchronized, causing its repair and protective processes to slow down.
Advanced Night Repair; This silky serum with our exclusive Chronolux™ Technology helps support the natural synchronisation of skin's repair process.

If that went completely over your head, then I will tell you what I thought about it!

I find this serum to sink in beautifully into the skin without leaving any residue, leaving it feeling incredibly moisturised and more plump. This serum contains Hyaluronic Acid, which has long been claimed to be 'the moisture magnet'. It is so moisturising you could probably forgo the moisturiser afterwards, but I never have because I think layering up skincare and using different products is very effective. My skin also feels so much more radiant after application, it's so bright and healthy.

I find that using this product over how many years I've used it has improved my skin texture, has minimised the appearance of my enlarged pores (hurrah!), hydrates my skin extensively, and more importantly, it has reduced the redness and pigmentation that has been left behind on my skin after suffering with acne for 3 years. I do still have areas of slight redness, but I would definitely say that this product has helped reduce the level of scarring and pigmentation I have been left with. I don't particularly have a problem with wrinkles yet, so I can't particularly give an opinion on that side of things.
I can use it on my skin even when it's sensitive due to Retin-A use, since it doesn't sting or cause my skin any irritation, as well as using it on my skin is it's normal oily self.

I use this twice a day, in the morning after I've cleansed and toned and before I apply my sun protection (this Vichy suncream) since I feel I need that little moisture-boost underneath my sun cream, and in the evening after cleansing and toning and before my oils/face creams.
Whenever I use it I always use a drop for my forehead, a drop for each cheek and a drop for my chin. I also love to use it around my eyes, I know it's not for that purpose but it makes my eye area feel hydrated and healthy! I always allow ten minutes after applying the serum before applying other products to let it sink in thoroughly.

The packaging is wonderful too. It comes in a cute little brown bottle (rather like the colour of medicine bottles!), with gold lettering. This instantly makes this product look incredibly luxe, and perfect for placing on your dresser for all to see!
It also comes with a little glass dropper attached to the lid, which is perfect for getting the right amount onto the skin, because you can be so precise!

At £41/£54 for a 30ml/50ml bottle, it is a quite expensive product. However, a bottle of this can last me 4 months, which equates to only around £13/month, which really isn't all that bad. I am very happy to spend money on this serum, because I have tried serums in the past where I just thought the product was a complete waste of money. However, the way this works on my skin, I think this product is worth every single penny, and I don't think I could ever be without it.
I hope that when I'm 70 years old the years of using this product will definitely be for all to see.

I mean, at the end of the day, would rather spend money on expensive face products rather than things like clothes, I mean who cares about that nice top you're wearing when you've got a face which resembles a raisin?
It would be interesting to hear your experiences with Advanced Night Repair if you've used it! Do you rave as much about it as I do?

Estee Lauder 'Birthday Palette'.

No, 'Birthday Palette' isn't the name of the palette. The reason for the title of the post is because this palette was a birthday freebie from Estee Lauder since I had spent over £45 online (I spent my money on a bottle of Advanced Night Repair if you must know!). Such a lovely thought, and if you have an account with them, look forward to receiving your birthday treat (knowing my luck, now that I've said that they will discontinue doing this, yikes!).
This was a great opportunity for me to try some higher-end eyeshadows, since I have only ever bought drug-store brands.

Firstly, I'm not a fantastic eyeshadow fan, the only reason being is that most of the time I only have time in the mornings to swipe on a bit of mascara and apply a little bit of tinted moisturiser and blush. Plus, with my skin the way it is at the moment, I really have no motivation to do anything spectacular makeup-wise - I don't want to draw attention to myself or look like I'm trying too hard (if that makes sense?!). That is mostly it in regards to my makeup regime at the moment. I would normally wear eyeshadow if going out somewhere special, but I normally go for darker, matte shades, like a black/dark blue/grey, none of which feature in this palette.
In regards to the eyeshadows within the palette, they are all satin finishes, which I'm not fond of, but don't hate completely. I prefer a matte finish if I was to wear an eyeshadow, which as I have mentioned is a rare occurrence anyway!

As you can see from the photo below, some of the shades are more subtle than the other ones, and to swatch, I used a couple of applications of the eyeshadow, but even then it has been hard for the camera to pick it up in normal light, so apologies!
The colours are extremely buildable, from a subtle wash of colour to quite a dramatic eye especially in the darker colours like Purple Passion and Ivy Envy. Pigmentation is fantastic in all the eyeshadows within the palette, and the satin finish is quite a natural finish, and not in-your-face sparkly.
I found that these eyeshadows didn't crease, which is an amazing feat on my super-greasy eyelids. I wore Ivy Envy on the outside of my lid and French Vanilla on the inner area of lid (nice technical term there) on a long country walk in the blistering heat with mum and the dog, and there was no smudging, sliding, fall-out or creasing, which was really impressive since I felt like I was melting!

My favourite shade from the whole palette has to be Ivy Envy with French Vanilla. Ivy Envy is a lovely dark green with a satin finish. I think I prefer it because it's a lot darker than the rest of the palette, and it's more grungy, which is definitely more 'me'. The other shades are a little bit more delicate, and I am not delicate person so they just don't suit me!

Normally, a single eyeshadow from Estee Lauder costs around the £16 mark, whilst a palette costs around £35. I wouldn't spend that amount of money on the shades that were provided to me in the palette, apart from Ivy Envy.

(Above)L-R: French Vanilla, Sugar Cube, Ivy Envy, Purple Passion, Winking Periwinkle, Sepia Sand, Lilac Whimsy, Nude Fresco and Ivory Slipper.

(Above) French Vanilla, Sugar Cube and Ivy Envy.

(Above) Purple Passion, Winking Periwinkle, Sepia Sand and Lilac Whimsy.

(Above) Nude Fresco and Ivory Slipper.

I have since given the palette to my mother, who was more than delighted to have it! Her favourite shade is Sepia Sand, which looks fantastic on her, but totally naff on me!
But I was really impressed by the quality and the wearability of these shades, they are all so lovely! This is my first make-up purchase from Estee Lauder, and I have been very impressed with the quality.
Have you tried any Estee Lauder eyeshadows? What do you think? And have you recieved any birthday treats from Estee Lauder?