Skincare Tips & Tricks #9 - Ingredients


It's obvious that the cleansers, moisturizers, toners and other cosmetics are made up of chemicals, and although the product may be designed to treat acne or whatever, there are some ingredients you need to avoid and some to look for in order to improve the condition of your skin.
It's always best to check the ingredients in the products before you purchase them, especially if you've found a product that irritates your skin- you can find what ingredient is causing it and avoid it in further purchases.

These are the top ingredients to look out for:

Ingredients to avoid:

  • Isopropyl isostearate
  • Isopropyl myristate
  • Myristyl myristate
  • Coconut butter
  • Lauric acid
  • Lanolin oil
  • Artificial fragrance
  • Oleth-3

Ingredients to look for:

  • Salicylic acid
  • Benzoyl peroxide 
  • Alpha hydroxy acids 
  • Sulfur
Not all the ingredients above need to be in one product.

----

If you wanna find out what ingredient irritates your skin. Look at the ingredients in the product that caused your skin to break out, make your skin feel like it's burning, etc. 

Now grab a couple of other products you have that don't irritate your skin and look at the ingredients in those. If you find uncommon ingredients that don't appear in the other products you have then that is what's causing irritation (you may be left with 1-2 ingredients). 

If you're left with a lot more uncommon ingredients then grab more of your other products to compare. 

----

I hope this helped & i have sites that have really helped me. It is definitely worth it to read them:

http://www.sageskincare.com/Articles.asp?ID=255 - has a good list of what is good and bad for your skin, as well as explains deeper into why some products don't work.

http://www.skinfitaustin.com/node/391 - has a list of cosmetics that you shouldn't buy.

http://acnetreatmentcenterwa.com/acne-facts/pore-clogging-ingredients/ - list of good and bad ingredients and briefly explains why.


----







Leaders - Active AC Spot Serum [REVIEW]


Let's Begin!~



This is a spot treatment by Leaders. I got this from W2Beauty & it was actually recommended to me by Alice (the owner of the store) when i asked for products that can help reduce my acne.

As it says on the box it is an anti-blemish solution that claims to rapidly calm & reduce redness. Tbh i have no idea what it means by '10-Non Added Formula' :P, and i've tried looking it up but i can't find it anywhere.


On one end of the tube is where the solution comes out (from 3 holes) and it is pushed out form the opposite end.  I don't think you can see it well from the picture above but the end where you push out the solution has a close and open function. You have to twist it to the open side and then push. Once your finished you twist it back to the closed side so that the solution doesn't accidentally come out if the button is pressed.

The button is controllable and the amount that comes out when pushed fully is a lot so i recommend only pushing it a little at first, especially if you're only using it on 1 spot.

I'd rate this 8/10 for dealing with pimples. I don't think it works on pustules, but it works fab on pimples. If you don't know what pustules are. They are basically pimples, but are filled with pus, so they appear white/cream/yellowish.

Overall, i think it's a great product and i'm glad Alice recommended it to me :D I will definitely buy it again when it runs out! Tho i think there is a lot to last me a while as it's 15ml.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to buy it, it's available at W2Beauty.

add code ‘03551412’ to enter in the registration form, that says ‘Sponsorship Program’ for $/£5 voucher.

------------------------------------------------

Earn extra money testing out apps!

Sheinside - Lace Dress & Vintage Dress [Review]


Okay lego!~

----------

Vintage Dress:



This a gorgeous polyester dress with a vintage style design. It has a high boat neckline and the skirt section flares out.

There are no pockets in this dress and it has a zip in the back. Depending on your height the length of the dress is different for everyone. If you're short then the dress with be above the knee by inches and if you're tall then it will be a bit higher.


There is a lil bit of loose threads at the end, but that's about it this time.


----

image from website


  • Color :White
  • Material :Polyester
  • Style :Vintage
  • Neckline :Round Neck
  • Sleeve Length :Sleeveless
  • Silhouette :Pleated
  • Dresses Length :Short
  • Pattern Type :Print
  • Bust(cm) :M: 86cm | L: 88cm
  • Length (cm) :M: 78cm | L: 78cm
  • Size Available :M,L

Comfort:
10/10 - Very comfortable and easy to move around in

Quality:
10/10 - Quality was top notch, there was a loose thread but it's nothing scissors can't fix

I would definitely recommend this dress. It can be easily be dressed up or down. It has a very unique design and is perfect for summer occasions.

If you're interested click here to buy. (IT'S ON SALE NOW!)


--------------

Lace Chiffon Dress:



This is a chiffon dress with a lace design in the front.


It is a little translucent so you will need to wear bandeau or vest underneath. You can use this to go to the beach and wear a bikini underneath. 
The skirt bit has 2 materials unlike the top half. The fabric underneath makes the chiffon material more opaque, but i would still recommend not wearing dark underwear.


The dress also has pockets on both sides of the dress. The pocket isn't that deep 3.5inches wide and 2.5inches tall(up to the shortest cut), but any phone can fit into it and maybe even a small purse.


Just like the other clothes i have reviewed i wasn't surprised there was loose threads on the garment, but this is the first time i've had loads. I only took a pic of 3, but there were a couple more.


I was also very disappointing to see that the sewing at the bottom dress was quite poor:


 It looks as though someone rushed to get it done. Not good.


----



  • Color :Apricot
  • Material :Chiffon
  • Style :Street
  • Neckline :Round Neck
  • Sleeve Length :Sleeveless
  • Silhouette :Shift
  • Dresses Length :Short
  • Pattern Type :Plain
  • Decoration :Lace
  • Shoulder(cm) :S: 34cm | M: 35cm | L: 36cm | XL: 37cm
  • Bust(cm) :S: 92cm | M: 96cm | L: 100cm | XL: 104cm
  • Length (cm) :S: 81cm | M: 82cm | L: 83cm | XL: 84cm
  • Size Available :S,M,L,XL

Comfort:
10/10 - Again, very comfortable and easy to move around in

Quality:
3/10 - Way to many loose threads and the bottom of the dress wasn't neat at all. The threads can be cut and the sewing isn't noticeable unless someone inspects the dress, but no matter what the amount of threads was just too much and no customer should have to clean up the mess. 

I like this dress and if the quality was better i would definitely recommend this, but the price is not worth it for the quality that this dress is in. 

If you're still interested in buying then click here.

-----------------------

Thank you for reading ^^ 

ArtBox - Notepad & Stickers [Review]


Hey guys! ^^ Today i will be reviewing items from ArtBox. They sell authentic numerous amount of cute stationary, plushies, accessories, clothing, home decors, stickers and more!!! from San-X and other brands~~

-------

From Artbox i purchased a notepad and 2 sticker sheets of different designs. 

First up..

The notepad:



This is seriously so cute! & useful too :P

As you can see it's an illustrated instructions on how to make chocolate cookies, Rilakkuma style.

In the back it just has this simple design:


The inside is like so:



The quality of the paper i definitely 10/10! I'm very picky when it comes to paper quality because i can't stand having very thin rough paper. If i had to compare the quality, it would be like the makings of Pukka Pads~

I love this notebook but the only downside to this is that there isn't a lot of paper:


I normally would prefer spiral notebooks but this one is just great ^^ It's a good size too! 

---------------

Sticker Sheets:


These are the 2 sticker sheets i chose. I find them so cute! xD

The adhesive on them is very strong! You can't tell but i used 1 sticker from each sheet and the sticker does not budge. Both stickers are 3D. Artbox has many many sticker designs and they are also on sale right now!

I give the stickers a 10/10 for creativity ad quality!

----------

If you'd like the check out their website click here. They are on sale right now! & are offering a 24hours dispatch! 



2 Easiest Ways to Earn Extra Cash!

1. SwagBucks.com



Swagbucks is a website that pays you to do surveys and various other things. All you do is sign up and fill in simple details about yourself so that swagbucks can specifically give you surveys based on your profile.

You can also watch videos, play game, answer daily polls and do daily tasks to earn swagbucks. These swagbucks can be exchanged for Paypal money, gift cards, charity donations, hotels….

There is also a swagbucks code every-now-and-again that is worth a certain amount of points that you can redeem.

Furthermore, there is this thing called Swagstakes where you can enter numerous giveaways that go from large amount of swagbucks to spend, to Apple Macbook Pro (which is on right now).

2. FeaturePoints


image

This app that pays you for downloading and trying new applications on android/iphone & any other device such as ipod/ipad/tablet. The instructions are pretty simple: Just download apps. Go to the FAQ in the settings if you’re ever stuck on what to do next to redeem your reward.

You can use the code 99TPGS to earn your first 50 points you can use towards Paypal money, gift cards or paid apps~

When you sign up, click on the link title with your chosen device (not PC).
Make sure you read the specifications properly! You need to play the app for at least 1 minute to earn the points. Also, there are people out there who try to con you into thinking that you can claim thousands of points using their codes. THIS IS NOT TRUE! All referral codes can only give you 50 points so don’t believe what they’re trying to tell you.

—

So happy earning everybody! :D 
If i ever come across any other sites or apps i’ll let you guys know ^^

Haircare 'QUICK' Tips & Tricks #1


—-
*UPDATED* i started making a post on how to make your hair grow faster, but then most of the things i was going to write was already in this post. So i thought i’d just add some of the other tips here instead of creating a whole new post because all these tips will lead to faster growing hair as well as keeping it healthy (: 

1. Condition. This may be a basic thing to know but there are people who do not use conditioner in the shower. If your hair is the dry type then using conditioner will help with hydration. If your hair gets greasy really quickly & you feel like using conditioner will make it worse. It actually helps. If your hair produces oils really quickly it’s a cry for help. Your hair needs to be fully hydrated in order for your hair to stay healthy. If you do not use conditioner your head will produce oils in order to prevent your hair from being dry. 

2. Keep your hair down. It’s not good for your hair to have it constantly in a high & tight bun or ponytail. It’s okay from time to time but having your hair up pulls on your hair which can damage it & can slow hair growth.

3. Dyeing & bleaching. Colouring and bleaching your hair constantly does not have to lead to dead/split hair if you look after it properly. If you dye or bleach your hair you need to take extra care of it, as dying and bleaching is the short cut to damaged hair. I would advise to get a hair mask to use a couple of times a week to keep the hair in health. You can also get a leave in condition spray. 

4. Heat protectant. If you like using hot tools it is important to use a heat defense to prevent split ends. Even if you don’t use them often it’s better safe than sorry. It will also be beneficial to minimize the use of hot tools to reduce damage.

5. Long hair. With long hair it is much easier for it to be damaged than short hair as the bottom half of your hair is old and has become more vulnerable and fragile. Long hair gets scraped against everything and it can lead to split ends. To reduce wears and tears put it in a braid during the day and night. You don’t have to wear a braid everyday, of course, but put your hair in a french braid before going to bed and it prevents it from the constant grazing you do in your sleep.

6. Brush up. When brushing or coming your hair start at the bottom and work your way upwards instead if brushing/combing from the root to the tips. This will reduce wears & tears as you aren’t dealing with all the tangles at once. You’re getting rid of them one level at a time. 

7. Pat don’t rub. After washing your hair pat it dry, not rub. Your hair is weaker when it’s wet so it’s easier to damage. You can leave your hair in a turban for a while as an another alternative from patting.

8. Don’t brush your hair wet. Like i said before, your hair is weaker when wet so brushing the tangles out of wet hair is a big no no. Just leave it until it’s either almost or fully dry. If you really want to detangle your hair comb it, not brush. Remember to comb from the tips to roots.

9. Get a trim. Trim off 1-2 inches. I know you’ll probably hate this tip but it really does help. Get a monthly trim or every 6 weeks. This get rid of split ends and helps maintain your whole hair healthy as you will not have dead ends. This will then increase your hair growth.

10. Massage your scalp. Do this every so often for a couple of minutes. I can’t remember how this helps :P but it’s something to do with blood circulation.

11. Eat healthy. I believe that eating a balanced diet can help your hair grow faster and keep the hair healthy. So cut down on the junk food and start eating more greens. 

12. De-stress. If you’re stressed, your body is stressed so relax and put your feet up (: Stressing a lot can lead to hair loss.

-

Also, REMEMBER that your hair won’t grow inches/be healthy overnight, be patient. If you think about it too much and monitor your hair everyday it’ll only take (or rather it’ll seem) like your hair isn’t changing. Just take a record of the current state of your hair/how long your hair is, then do all the above tips and look at your hair again after a month or so. You’ll see the difference don’t worry (:

Hope this helped, happy caring ^^

Mwah xo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: I am not a hair stylist or a professional. I am only sharing my experiences and years of research on haircare.

----------------------------
Earn money by downloading and trying out apps! Click here to go to the post i made about it to find out how ^^

Lush - Angels on Bare Skin, Imperialis & Tea Tree Water [REVIEW]


So this review is long overdue & i just remembered to do this :P 
Because i will be reviewing 3 products at once i will jump ahead to the conclusions. 

Lego!~


----------


Unfortunately the photos i took were stored in another computer that crashed. I lost everything so i will be using photos i found on google. I was lucky enough to find an old photo from my twitter account, which is the one above. 


------------



Angels on Bare Skin

image from femaledaily

The cleanser is what it looks like in the picture. It's kind of like a clay consistency, but it's a little more crumblier with the lavender.

Pros:
- It has a pleasant smell
- It says that the cleanser will expire within 3 months, but despite being in a small container there is enough product in there for 3 months
- The tube is recyclable
- I felt refreshed after washing my face
- My acne used to be pretty bad and i have noticed that after using this, my acne has reduced a lot!
- It has natural ingredients
- Price is reasonable

Cons:
- It's a little messy

Conclusions:
Whilst doing this review i wondered why i ever stopped using this! :P i think i really wanted to try Korean cosmetics afterwards :L i do highly recommend this if your after something that is more on the natural side and doesn't have a lot of chemicals. I think i will alternate using this and the other cleanser i recently reviewed as i think they both do different things to help my acne (:

-----------------------------------------

Imperialis


image from influenster

Pros:
- Expires after 1 year & a little goes a long way. This lasted me about 9/10 months
- It's lightweight
- It doesn't have a bad smell, the scent is quite subtle
- It moisturizes well and doesn't make my skin oily quickly

Cons: 
- If you put too much then the moisturizer becomes a bit heavy on the face
- It's a bit pricey

Conclusion:
It is a good moisturizer but it isn't the best. I have a few dry areas and the moisturizer didn't do well enough to moisturize those areas as they still stuck out dry. If you have a combo skin type i don't suggest this to you, but if you have oily sin then i recommend using it.

-----------------------

Tea Tree Water


image from influenster

Pros:
- The smell is not overwhelming
- Has no expiration date
- Can get it in either a small or big bottle

Cons:
- Spray gives out a lot at once so it takes a bit of time to get use to

Conclusion:
Unfortunately this toner did not work for me. When i used this it made my skin either sting a bit, or made it feel itchy. 
Moreover, little pustules formed on my face. I stopped using it for a while after i noticed this then gave it another go after i stopped using it for about 3 weeks. When i started using it again the little pustules came back. I was confident about this product after reading many reviews, but it did not work for me. I even bought the big bottle I guess that was lesson learnt for me to always try out the smaller versions first before buying the full size ones :L haha, i just gave it to my sister instead. I found a much better toner that i recently reviewed. You can view that here.

-----------------------------

Overall i highly recommend the cleanser for anyone with acne. For the moisturizer, i only recommend it on those with oily skin. 

If you're interested in purchasing them, click here to go to the Lush website ^^

----------------------------
Earn money by downloading and trying out apps! Click here to go to the post i made about it to find out how ^^