A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Kirsty has been one of my favourite people to follow on twitter for a while and I’m delighted that she’s finally started her own beauty blog.  I don’t know a huge amount about her but she’s got a wonderfully potty mouth, has spermy eyebrows and gets regularly impregnated on the Jubilee line (her words, honest).  Check out her newest baby at www.blushnsuch.com.  Today, she’s sharing her wisdom on how to combat oily skin.

How to beat The Oilies

Oil. I put it on my cuticles, I have no qualms with heating it until it spits and crackles and makes my chips taste delicious and I always slather my hair in it before bedtime to keep it as glossy as can be. It has its uses, definitely, and I love it when it’s anywhere but my face. ANYWHERE but the face.

For as long as I can remember I’ve had a shiny t-zone which is as irritating as it is persistent. I get all the lovely spots and enormous pores which come with having combination skin and a bit of dehydration thrown in for good measure (there is no God) – all of which serve to create a seriously fussy canvas for make-up application.

Luckily, I’ve uncovered a few things which help to balance my skin over the past few years. The products that I’ve listed below are all absolute essentials in my eyes and I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone who has ever applied a full face of make-up in the morning only to have it sliding all over your mush like a well-oiled tubby kid on a water park slide by the time you get to work. Enjoy.

1. Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner

I only received this in the post a week ago and it’s already one of the products I love the most. It’s a milky-coloured gel which I use as a primer to mattify my skin and also smooth over pores. You know how your make-up can look kind of melted on warmer days (or just any old day if you’re as oily as I am)? Well, this stops it. I only need to powder twice in a 12-hour period when I use this stuff, which is nothing short of a miracle. And Lisa Eldridge uses it in her professional kit too. Double joy.

2. NARS Sheer Matte Foundation

Again, a fairly recent purchase. Again, I can’t imagine myself without it. It looks awful when applied with a brush and just as bad when a BeautyBlender is used, in my opinion. To get the best out of this you’re going to have to get right on in there with your hands. I apply it bit-by-bit, starting on my nose, by slowly massaging it into my skin and blending it outwards until it turns to nothing.

This is the only foundation I own that allows me to skip powder and it keeps me matte for around six hours. Don’t let the word ‘sheer’ fool you into thinking this is a wimpy light coverage foundation, by the way. This is a solid medium coverage product that doesn’t whine when you try to build it up. If you’re on a budget, the best alternative to this is Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation.

3. Ben Nye Banana Powder

This powder is an absolute bargain. I paid £5 for 42g of product which is only just halfway gone after eight months of daily use *swoons*. It comes in several different shades but my MAC NC20/ Bobbi Brown Sand-toned skin likes the Banana powder best. It’s yellow-toned, finely-milled and, most importantly, it’s not going anywhere.

The packaging is a bit finickity and impractical (I pour some out into a Muji pot, then use it) but the value and quality of the product really speaks for itself. I have powders worth four times the amount that succumb to The Oilies within the hour – this stuff keeps me going for at least five. Nuff said.

4. Clarins Lotus Oil

I know what you’re thinking. Oil. The very thing you’re trying to keep away from your mush, and here I am pleading with you to put some right back onto it. But of all of the skincare I have purchased in my life, this has been the biggest game changer. After a thorough double cleanse every night, I mix some of this with whatever toner I’m using at the time and gently pat it onto my face. I wake up to plump, bright skin every time.

This product has really helped the dehydrated patches on my cheeks without upsetting my oily, clogged areas and it has definitely helped my skin to chill out on the oil production front. The dropper bottle also makes me feel a bit like a scientist, which is also somehow a massive bonus. Clarins, in their eternal wisdom, also sell Blue Orchid oil for dehydrated skin and Santal oil for dry/ extra dry skin, so no one need be left out. Excellent.

What are your favourite products to keep The Oilies at bay?

Hi! I’m Anna and I write a blog called On the Dressing Table (found at www.onthedressingtable.blogspot.co.uk) which is primarily about all things beauty. I am so excited to be writing this post for one of my favourite blogs and I hope you will enjoy reading it. If you do, I’d love it if you’d come and say hi on Twitter @OTDTblog or head over to my blog and leave me a comment.

I met some fellow bloggers the other day at an event and one of them was kind enough to comment that I don’t look my age and asked what my secret was!

I wasn’t blessed with the skinny gene or the long legs gene but one thing I have been lucky with is my skin, I am often complemented on it and I have been lucky in that it’s always been pretty clear and I only get the odd blemish around that time of the month. A lot of this is down to genetics but I do think my passion for skincare has helped and as I approach 30 (despite a couple of very bad habits), I am relieved that my fine lines are at a minimum and my biggest skin complaints are a slightly oily t-zone and some redness along my jaw (also inherited as both of my brothers have the same).

So, for anyone who is interested, here are my top tips for improving and maintaining your skin.

Stay Hydrated

I try to drink 2 litres of water every day, not including any cups of tea or fruit juice. At first when you start doing this you can end up running to the toilet every 5 minutes but if you persevere this passes and you really notice the difference in how hydrated and plump your skin is. This is even more important if you like the odd glass of wine, cup of coffee or salt on your chips as they all have a diuretic effect which can leave you and your skin feeling dehydrated.

Cleanse, cleanse and cleanse again!

I can’t emphasise enough the importance of regularly cleansing your skin, especially if you wear make-up. We’ve all had those nights when you are so tired you want to just fall into bed and the thought of washing your face seems like too much effort. But trust me – if you clean your face morning and night and follow up with a good quality moisturiser you will start noticing a real difference after 3-4 weeks.

Invest in a High Quality Moisturiser

Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream is my number one skincare product and I will never be without it. It isn’t the cheapest moisturiser in the world but I think that you pay for quality, and when it comes to skincare I am happy to invest in products with those ingredients that will really make a difference long term. The Pro Collagen Marine Cream contains Padina pavonica – a clinically proven, collagen-boosting marine algae. If you’re interested to know the science behind it: it stimulates the synthesis of hydrophilic (water loving) molecules in the skin that retain moisture and therefore improve the texture and elasticity of the skin. I also love to use a hydrating mask regularly; my favourite is Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask which has a lovely fruity smell and really intensely hydrates my skin.

Exfoliate

As our skins cells are constantly renewing it doesn’t take long for dead skin cells to build up on the surface of the skin. This not only leaves the skin looking dull and lifeless but also prevents the products that we put onto the skin from penetrating down to the layers in which they work, so you might be using some great products and really not seeing the full benefits.
My favourite chemical exfoliant is Alpha H Liquid Gold which contains Glycolic acid to dissolve away dead skin cells, and my favourite manual exfoliant is the Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains which you can add in to your favourite cleanser to give it a rough texture which loosens and removes any dead skin cell as you massage your cleanser into the skin.

Rainbow Diet

A healthy diet really does make the difference to your skin. Whatever you put into your body shows on the outside. Now I’m not going to pretend that I don’t indulge in all those things that are bad for us (alcohol, processed foods etc.) but I try to make sure I always eat a variety of fresh (organic where possible) fruit and vegetables and have at least 5 a day. I love to make fruit smoothies for breakfast or fresh vegetable soup for lunch. The trick is to eat a variety of colours of food to ensure you are getting the range of different nutrients that you need.

Exercise & Rest

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and as with other organs a good blood supply is essential in order for your skin cells to renew. You need to keep the blood pumping and regular exercise, especially if it’s outside in the fresh air, really does wonders for your skin and your general health and well-being. Rest is also really important as our skin cells renew while we are asleep so the more sleep we get the better our skin will look!

Sun Protection

It’s so easy to think that sun cream is only needed for that week abroad in the summer but the harmful UV rays are hitting your skin every time you are outside, even if it’s overcast. At the time you don’t notice the damage that exposure to these UV rays is doing but they are prematurely aging your skin so if you want to hold on to your youthful looks, in the words of Baz Lurhman, wear sunscreen every day! If you try and incorporate it into your skin care regime you will soon be doing it without even thinking about it. I would recommend investing in a product designed specifically for your face as those for the body can be too rich and result in break outs.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have managed to pick up a trick or two!