Super Sleepy Sunday

Boy oh boy am I feeling ridiculously tired today.  I'm finding it physically impossible to stop myself from yawning every five seconds...is there a cure for yawning?  On 24 Hours in A&E I saw a man who had gone to hospital with hiccups so maybe should take myself down there and see what they can do for my yawning?! Alternatively I could continue to do what I am doing right now, which is lying on my bed writing this post with the view to having a nap shortly afterwards! 

Roast - CHECK

In my defense, I have been fairly busy (not really) this morning; up and at body attack for 8.30 this morning, then coffee morning (eating pastries and drinking tea not only undoes all the hard work at attack but it's flipping exhausting  - back me up here Grace!), following that I went straight to my Grandma and Grandad's where my brother had cooked up a mighty fine roast.  I'm a little concerned that if I don't buck my ideas up soon though, I wont make it through Strictly Come Dancing which I recorded last night, and that would be a sin! I also need to tidy my room and do some homework but to be perfectly honest it all pales into insignificance when I weigh it up against the thought of sleeping through Strictly!! 

On a side note; how good is Autumn tv?! We've got Downton Abbey, The Great British Bake Off, The Paradise (love it!), and now Strictly...what more could you ask for (well, actually if they brought Waking The Dead and Spooks back I'd be over the moon)?

I do apologise for the fact that this is a totally uninspiring post, but I don't particularly feel like I've got it in me to write anything too mediocre incredible today! 

Hot Chocolate - has been substituted for plenty of tea, but there is still time! 

Primark's finest - coming right up! 

I hope you're all having wonderful Sundays! 

xxx

Brush Cleaning #2: Spot Cleaning

In this post I talked about my choices of brush cleanser, and how and why I have chosen to decant them.  This post is on spot cleaning my brushes.  Because it doesn't require the use of water it makes it a much quicker method, so it's great if you need to use that brush again quickly (between colours or clients say) and it's also great for keeping on top of all the dirt and bacteria build up of brushes that will still need a deep cleanse (foundation brushes for example).  If you want to know more about the MAC brush cleanser that I use (price, why I decant it etc) do go and check my first brush cleaning post here.

So, first of all I need all my dirty brushes in one place! I seem to have developed a pretty large brush collection over the past couple of years (oops) so I don't store them all together, instead I get a selection that will do the job and put them all in this old (and cracked) Cath Kidston mug which lives in the bathroom which is wear I do my makeup.  Then, once they're in need of a bit of a clean (this tends to be once a week) I bring them all into my room to get down to business!

Because this is spot cleaning if there is one eye brush I'm particularly desperate to use but it's already covered in eye shadow I can get it back to working condition in a matter of minutes (particularly synthetic brushes) which is perfect! 

A selection of brushes all ready for a good old clean!

There are many different ways to spot clean your brushes, and if you'd like me to let you know some of the alternative methods please do let me know and I'll either explain to you personally or write another post.  To save this from being uber long I'm just going to focus on one technique for now.

I use an old towel to clean my brushes on, but you could use kitchen roll (I'd advice against toilet roll as it just isn't strong enough), couch roll if you have it (beauticians etc), an old flannel or muslin cloth, an old t-shirt or a bit of old sheet - you get the drift; it can be anything!  I simply place this on my work surface of choice and get ready for cleaning.

Place your brush on the towel or hold it slightly above, and then spray your cleanser onto the bristles.  You can turn the brush over if it is particularly dirty to ensure you've coated both sides.

Then, simple swirl your brush around on the towel.  Be very gentle with this, you don't want to end up scrubbing away at it, just use soft circular motions or gently sweep it one way and then the other in a line.

You can repeat the process if you need to, simply apply more product and gently wipe it over a clean section of the towel.  At the end of the process you should be able to wipe it over without leaving any makeup residue behind.

Once they're all squeaky clean you can either simply lay them flat on the towel, or place the towel near the edge of the surface and place it so the bristles are sticking just over, this prevents the brush from becoming misshapen as it dries.

Smaller brushes tend to dry in a matter of minutes using this method because they do not become too saturated in cleaning product, and the alcohol evaporates quickly, but do make sure your brushes are completely dry before you either put them back in their home (mug etc) or use them again. 

So there you have it, my spot cleaning process.  If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Next up - the deep clean!!

Happy Brush Cleaning!!

xxx

Review: Origins Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Pads

Around a month ago I had a 'complimentary facial' at the Origins counter because it was my birthday; of course it turned out to be the most expensive facial of my life because I got suckered into buying nearly every product that the lovely girl on the counter used on me!!

Despite the fact that I already own the Super Spot Remover gel (post coming soon) I somehow managed to come away with the Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Pads.  I'm still a bit annoyed with myself because I hate anything like this - essentially by selling you a prescribed amount of pads Origins are making sure you can't eek out the product for as long as you like, and at £22 (available here) for 60 pads with the instructions of using a pad in the morning and evening, we're talking £22 a month for one element of your skincare regime.  I think that that is daylight robbery, and I'm sorry Origins but that's just too much to ask! 

Thankfully, I was advised to only use one pad per evening (despite this, I'm still tempted to cut them in half to get more out of them...is that taking it too far?!) and so that is what I've been doing for the past month once I've cleansed my face and applied toner to the areas where I'm not suffering from breakouts. 

The Salicylic Acid, Oregano and Clove are meant to help fight spots and blemishes by exfoliating the area, unclogging the pores and helping to clear up and fade any current blemishes.  To control the level of excess oil Saw Palmetto is used; which also helps to clear up any dirt left on the skin. 

After cleansing with Origins Pure Cream cleanser in the evening I pat my face dry and then sweep one of these pads over the areas that either have current breakouts or are prone to them (nose, hair line, jaw and chin...that's basically my whole face).  More often than the sensation is just a cool feeling, but occasionally if there's a really big b*****d then it does sting/tingle a bit.  Once I've given it a while to sink in (it probably doesn't do anything of the sort, but I feel as though it might need a moment to do whatever it is going to do), I apply my serum and night cream and then I'm good to go.

So, have they made a difference? The truth is, I don't know.  My skin hasn't been particularly clear recently (but it isn't horrific - even though it feels like it is), but then I don't know if it would be worse if I wasn't using these, it's a tough call.  I just keep hoping my skin will clear up of it's own accord soon because I don't know how much more money I can throw at it! I want clear skin damnit! 

Have you tried this relatively new offering from Origins? What do you think of them? 

What do you feel is your secret weapon to keeping spots at bay? 

xxx

Is it time to tan?

I've got a bit of a fear of awful looking fake tan.  I notice it really easily on other people, and I would be so critical and paranoid if I wore fake tan that looked, well, fake, but I'm in a bit of a quandary because right now I'm just feeling a bit fed up with my pale skin, I don't think it does me any favours and seeing as I have to get various limbs out for my course (beauty therapy) I feel as though I'd be more comfortable doing so if I had a bit of a glow instead of the dull flubber that currently has to be uncovered! 

But, where do I start?

I've bought fake tans in the past but I've never really used them - I get the fear and never commit! Does anyone have any tips for me? Which tan should I go for, how and when is best to apply it? Do they all stain the sheets? How do I avoid looking like an oompa loompa? How do you do your back if you just can't reach it?! 

If anyone has got any tips I'd be really grateful.  I know it's something people do day in, day out but I don't and I'm not sure where to start!!

xxx

Current Loves

Book I've got to admit that since I moved and started my new college course I've barely had any time to read and I've been just so exhausted that one page has sent my straight to sleep.  I'm lusting after Dorothy Koomson's new release though!

Nail Varnish Essie Watermelon I've had this on my toes for a week and I just love the colour, it's so bright and summery which is nice when all I can see is pouring rain!!

Face Product Origins Pure Cream cleanser.  It's gentle and it does the job, what more can I say?

Lip Product Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream I have the fragrance free version (in case you care) and have been slathering it on before bed every night...I've still got dry lips though, damn you cold weather!!

Hair Product This is a tricky one because right now I'm not loving my hair...it's probably my Tangle Teezer again, I may not be liking it but at least it's kept knot free!!

Drink It's not the most exciting answer but boy oh boy have I been loving chugging back the ice cold Water, don't get me wrong though I've stayed faithful to my one true love tea!

Food Muesli has been keeping me going recently, and I know people argue about how good it really is for you because it's crammed with nuts and seeds and fruit but hey I don't care!

Website YouTube, I just can't get enough of beauty videos, I swear I could watch them all day every day!

Place Shoreham (home) I've moved back to the place I was born, and it feels good! 

I'd love to know what you're current loves are, let me know in a comment!! 

xxx