Fab Pore.

Soap & Glory -

The Fab Pore Mask

I’m always looking for a mask that helps tackle my pores. Anyone with large pores knows they get clogged so easily, and really need a good mask to help unclog them. A few years ago I tried this mask, and I cant really remember what I thought of it. However, I saw it on offer in Boots and as its been recently re-vamped I thought I would give it another go.

Soap & Glory state; ‘Infused with SUPERFRUIT™ YUZU and Soap & Glory’s super-active secret weapon, PORESHRINK-R™, this deep cleansing facial treatment is a must-have for any girl who wants to see less of her large pores. Use once a week for maintenance (unclogging pores, spot prevention, and face detoxing), or twice weekly if you’re battling breakouts. Guaranteed to give exhausted skin its fresh back.’

This product is basically a deep cleansing mask for blackheads, large pores and oily skin that you leave on for 5 minutes as an express treatment, or 15-20 minutes for better results. I personally apply it all over my face once a week (usually Sunday), and then apply to the T-zone/centre of my face (always over my nose and the sides where I have the most noticeable pores) midweek, as these are the areas I find get clogged much easier.

I leave it on for 15 minutes before washing it off with warm water and a flannel. As a face mask to reduce the size of pores and to clear out blackheads I actually think this does a pretty good job! However its important to note this is very much a temporary effect and your pores will go back to how they were the next day... but that is how the cookie crumbles with annoying oily skin and large pores. But for instant results I would always go for this mask over any other product that remove junk from pores such as pores strips. The reason for this is that is gives instant results while not stripping the skin, it just leaves it smooth and refreshed feeling.

The main benefits for me with this mask is that is does visibly tighten pores but it also removes excess oil, which is why I use this before going somewhere I want my skin to look nice (especially as it's doesn't leave the skin red/inflamed). Or I use this when I look at my face in the mirror and gasp at how oily my nose looks and how my head is just one big pore. I'm sure you have been there if you have oily skin, and to stop the temptation of wanting to squeeze my blackheads I pop this on.

If you are looking for an instant temporary fix for blackheads, large pores and oily skin then I highly recommend this. It won't leave your skin red and stripped like using pores strips can do but it will give a very similar shrinking and deep cleansed effect!

The F80.

Sigma -

F80 Flat Kabuki Brush

The website states; ‘The F80 is one of the SigmaX High Definition face brushes made with Sigma's synthetic HD filament. The flat top kabuki brush from Sigma has a black handle and tightly packed dense head. The flat surface of the brush allows you buff products to achieve a flawless finish. Perfect for applying and blending liquid and powder products.’

So I've been eyeing Sigma brushes forever! Not only are they cruelty free, but they get rave reviews from most beauty gurus. I was a bit skeptic ordering it online because I know there are a lot of fakes around, therefore I made sure I did a lot of research about reliable sellers.
Although they state that the brush is ideal for flat surfaces (i.e. cheeks, forehead), I have absolutely no problems with the application of the foundation on the rounder and softer areas such as the eyes, so truthfully this brush does a perfect job for a full foundation routine. I use it in a tapping motion then buff it in, so I squeeze a bit of foundation on the top of my hand, and then lightly tap the brush into the foundation. Don't be fooled, you're not going to see loads of foundation on the brush (if any), but trust me; it picks up just the right amount.  I then gently tap and press the foundations into my skin, then buff it in all over just to make sure it helps disguise my pores better. This method also saves you from using too much foundation and giving excellent coverage. 

One of the things I absolutely adore about this brush, apart from it being so gentle on my face, is that the bristles are extremely dense.  So what does that mean you may ask lovely reader?  In simple terms, the brush won't soak up any unnecessary liquid; therefore you won't waste foundation as you would with ordinary brushes or sponges. 

Out of all the foundation brushes I have tried, this is a winner and I give it top marks!  Now I'm onto saving for my next Sigma brush, I have to admit that I'm now quite the addict of their brushes, and although definitely not necessary, would love to invest in the other ones. For the price, I think it’s quite cheap because it’s really a great product! Compared to the MAC brushes in price range, mostly Sigma brushes are more affordable and better in my opinion.

Targeted Breakout Corrector.

La Roche-Posay –

Effaclar A.I Targeted Breakout Corrector

Talking about spots is pretty gross but you seriously need this little miracle worker in your life. I originally used the Origins Super Spot Remove, however when I ran out, I thought I would try something new.

Their website states; ‘The La Roche Posay Effaclar range is specially formulated to combat oily skin, imperfections, persistent dilated pores and irregular skin texture. La Roche Posay products are paraben free, 100% hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, use minimal fragrance and ingredients, are tested on the most sensitive skin and all packaging is designed to minimise contamination from bacteria. ‘

I have sensitive skin that is rather prone to blemishes or breakouts. A couple of weeks or so ago my skin went pretty bad and I started getting cystic spots. The main reason for this I put down to the Origins Out of Trouble Mask, which contains a lot of Zinc Oxide. Yet I occasionally get the odd breakout and a cystic spot or two. I find them pretty distressing to deal with. Seriously, those things are nasty.

The formula smells weird. Very chemically, but not in a super unpleasant way. I noted that people said don't apply a big dollop or it'll visibly dry out on your skin, just pat a little of the cream onto the area and leave it alone. The cystic spot I had literally shrank overnight. It was small to begin with but totally wasn't planning on leaving my face for a while. The swelling immediately went down, the pain disappeared, and it become barely visible. I had an older cystic spot on my cheek that was looking pretty angry. When something is making your skin hurt it lures you into touching it more than you should. La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I Targeted Breakout Corrector calmed the swelling down, dried the abscess out and virtually eliminated it. Three days later and they were completely gone.

I really couldn’t recommend this product more. It was amazing. 

Within an hour my spots appeared less red and reduced in size a lot. 

I don’t think I will be using any other product again.

Cleansing Mask.

Clinique –

Anti Blemish Solutions Oil Control Cleansing Mask

What Clinique say; “Soothing natural clay-based mask helps heal blemishes, prevent breakouts and keep skin shine-free. Medicated formula goes deep to clean and unclog pores, rid skin of excess oil. In just 5 minutes, skin looks clearer, smoother, less blemish-troubled. Gentle, non-drying formula won't irritate skin.”

This white, creamy-to-thick clay mask should be applied to clean skin and rinsed off after 5 minutes.  The mask spreads without any effort and there is no burning or stinging sensation.  Thankfully, this mask does not have any menthol. I was initially surprised at the instructions to leave the mask on for only five minutes before rinsing off, but you can feel it working rather quickly, sometimes I do leave it on for 10. After washing it off, my skin felt soft and comfortable, pores were more refined, and my blemishes were less red and angry. Plus, all traces of oil (particularly in the T-zone, to my delight) were gone.

I found my skin texture and condition improving nicely. I also found that my blemishes receded and healed far quicker than they would normally, which was a lovely little side effect. Their claim about no irritation rang true for me. No blotching, itchiness, excessive dryness or flaking occurred as a result of using this mask.

So far so good with this mask!

I use it 2 times a week, however sometimes in my nose and chin look a little congested then I just put a little on those areas to help those areas. I still have loads of it left, so I’m still not sure whether I will be repurchasing it, but as long as it doesn’t upset my skin…I’m happy.

UD New Releases.

Firstly is Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss. Like a luxe gloss and a rich balm all rolled into one, it’s supposedly unlike ANYTHING you’ve ever tried. Made up of a painstakingly crafted formula. Even the firmly gloss averse will become hardcore addicts when they try Naked Lipgloss. It not only looks and feels amazing on your lips, it’s also really nourishing. And they have the claims to prove it! With its creamy texture and gorgeous, high-gloss finish, Naked Lipgloss is the perfect gloss to complement any makeup.

Next up is Urban Decay Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder. This silky, weightless formula provides all the benefits of their pressed powder—including the luminous, demi-matte Naked finish. Set makeup, cut shine and blur flaws. Designed to be virtually invisible on your skin, their high-tech, light-reflecting formula “fools” the eye with optical blurring, seemingly airbrushing away imperfections and creating a soft-focus effect that looks professionally retouched. The creamy, build-able formula applies beautifully, never looks chalky or cakey and won’t settle into fine lines. Wear it to set your makeup and help it last, or use on bare skin.

Lastly, they have added 2 new shades to the Naked Skin Beauty Balm, Naked Light (light tint) and Naked Dark (dark tint). All three shades blur flaws in seconds and provide serious anti-aging benefits. Naked Skin Beauty Balm diffuses light with high-tech pigments to give you amazing, natural, NAKED-looking skin as it perfects, protects, treats, primes and hydrates. Moisturising but never greasy, it hydrates skin instantly and improves hydration over time. Makeup goes on beautifully and stays put. 

I'm really excited about this release. Especially the loose finishing powder, which from reviews done already it is meant to be fool proof and unbelievably incredible. Alongside this, the lip-glosses also look really good, however before your pigment loving ladies get your hopes up, they are the totally opposite of Urban Decays newest lipstick releases last year. These don't have that much pigment, and from the swatches I have seen, there isn't that much difference pigmentation wise between them all. However I definitely think I'll be picking up one of them to give them a try. The beauty balm however wasn't my cup of tea when it first come out, it doesn't really give enough coverage for me, and I don't really think I would buy it to under a foundation, as I prefer more pore minimising aimed primers.

Is there anything that's caught you eye?

Naked 3.

Urban Decay -

Naked 3 Palette

Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette includes twelve eyeshadows, (equivalent of a full-sized eyeshadow), in hues of pink and brown. It also includes a dual-ended eye brush, and a week’s worth of samples of each of their primers. The case is a rose gold metal with “waves” indented across the exterior.  

These are how I would describe each shade (in order of palette)

Strange is described as a “pale neutral pink matte-satin.” It’s a pale, neutral-to-warm white-pink with a satin matte finish.

Dust is described as a “pale metallic pink shimmer with iridescent micro-glitter.” It’s a light-medium pink with warm undertones and a white and gold micro-glitter.

Burnout is described as a “light pinky-peach satin.” It’s a rosy, medium peach with a pearly finish.

Limit is described as a “light dusty rose matte.” It’s a mauve-y, medium pink with neutral-to-cool undertones and a matte finish.

Buzz is described as a “metallic rose shimmer with silver micro-glitter.” It’s a warm, coppered rose with a frosted, metallic sheen.

Trick is described as a “light metallic pinky-copper shimmer with tonal micro-sparkle.” It’s a medium copper with brownish tones and a gold sparkles over a frost finish.

Nooner is described as a “medium pinky-brown matte.” It’s a medium-dark, rosy plum with neutral-to-warm undertones and a matte finish.

Liar is described as a “medium metallic mauve shimmer.” It’s a medium brown with subtle warm undertones and a slightly gray-ish cast on top. It had a very frosted, almost metallic, finish.

Factory is described as a “pinky-brown satin.” It’s a medium-dark brown with warm, reddish undertones and a soft, pearled finish.

Mugshot is described as a “metallic taupe shimmer with slight pink shift.” It’s a medium-dark, warm-toned taupe with a frosted, metallic finish.

Darkside is described as a “deep taupe-mauve satin.” It’s a cool-toned, purpled taupe with a pearled finish.

Blackheart is described as a “smoky black matte with rosy red micro-sparkle.” It’s a deep, blackened burgundy with warm, reddish-brown undertones and ruby red micro-shimmer.

Overall, it’s a really lovely palette filled with eyeshadows that are highly pigmented, soft, blendable, and easy to use. 

What do you think?

Becca.

Becca -

Compact Concealer

Recently I have been on a mission to find a full coverage concealer. I don’t want to use it for my under eyes, just to cover spots and imperfections. So, I was recommended to try out Becca's concealer, however when researching it, I was completely put off by the price (how I came to own it will be explained later). I've never tried anything from Becca before, so I excited to give it a go. It turns out Becca Compact Concealer is everything I was looking for. 

Their website states - ‘A true innovation in concealer technology. BECCA's Compact Concealer cleverly contains two highly pigmented formulations within one slim compact - Extra-cover and Medium-cover. Enabling layering and mixing, this ingenious product provides total camouflage for almost any skin problem including blemishes, scars, birthmarks and under eye circles.’

Becca Compact Concealer comes in a huge variety of shades (34 to be exact) to match all skin-tones - from very fair to deep dark. I've never seen so many shades - especially for a concealer, so there shouldn't be too many problems finding your perfect shade. Becca Compact Concealer consists of two concealers - one is called the "extra cover" and one is called the "medium cover". The idea is to create the amount of coverage you'd like - by layering or using each of them on different areas of the face. I personally like using both for spots. I tend to find I apply the ‘medium coverage’ first, and then if I think I need a bit more, I add a thin layer of the ‘full coverage’. The consistency of the "extra-cover" concealer is slightly drier, so it's very ideal for spots, as it's not going to budge/fade.

I have the shade Sherbet, which is a duo of two fair shades. They're almost identical, except one of them is slightly peachier. It's a pretty nice match if you're around the MAC NC15 colouring.

It has a fairly matte finish, it still looks really natural. I like using a small concealer brush for precise application (and to lessen waste of any product). I'll lightly apply the concealer to the blemish completely covering it, and then with a fluffier brush (such as a blending brush) I'll lightly (with no pressure) blend out the edges so the concealer blends in with my skin.

The coverage is great.

It completely covered my spots.

The lasting power is very good.

By the end of the day it's all still in tact.

Now the not so good bit! This little concealer holds only 3g of product, and it retails for £30. Which I think is just…heart stopping! However, I came across this in an Xtras store randomly one day when I went in with my friend. It was my first trip into Xtras, and for those who don’t know what Xtras is, well it basically a make up store that sells products for less, mainly because most of the shades of thier branded stuff is really dark, and everything else is usually unbranded. However, my friend loves the unbranded stuff.

Whilst wondering around I saw a little collection of Becca cosmetics, and my exact words were ‘shut up they don’t sell Becca in here!’. The women then told me that they did, however the products were for darker skin tone. Just to pass a few minutes I decided to rummage though their Becca stuff, just on the off chance, and little old me found this concealer in my perfect shade. Not only did the assistant look annoyed that she hadn’t found it earlier, but I got it for a measly £7! Which I personally think is just AMAZING!

So.

Would I repurchase it? Yes, definitely.

Would I pay the full £30? Not a chance.