Cleansers that have improved my skin

Its been a while since I posted about anything beauty related, or posted anything at all in fact. Its been a rocky road for the past few months and I haven't been feeling it so I gave my personal hobbies a break so I could concentrate on looking after myself a bit more. My skin was looking drab and lifeless with more breakouts than I have ever experienced and it was really getting me down. What you learn through your 20s is that having good skincare is a much better life decision than having the best makeup on the market. So here are my top 4 picks that I have been loving the past few months.

Chidem Vitamin Cream Cleanser / For radiance, firmness & sensitive skin

I found this in a my draw as I was having a sort out and have been addicted to it ever since. Vitamin based skincare has always been a hit with my face, it really does take to it like a duck to water. Vitamin C is especially a firm favourite with my 26 yr old skin. Its really helped with minimising my spots and imperfections, with my skin feeling freshly clean and radiant after every wash. This was actually gifted to me at a Blogger event and I'm so grateful as this is always the best way to discover new brands. Its not the cheapest in the cleansing world but at £36.50 I personally feel like it is totally worth it, plus the packaging is something you can proudly keep on your bathroom sink.

I massage 2 pumps of this into my face with a dab of water and wipe it away with a muslin cloth, first with warm water and second with cold to close those pores. The smell isn't going to wow you but it has a naturalness to it which is bearable once you get used to it. Great for sensitive skin and perfect for a wiping away all the dirt from the day without feeling dried out .

Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser / For clearing pores and dirt

I happened to pick this up when I was buying some Biore nose strips at Boots. It was on offer at the time, costing only £3.75 (originally £5.24) so I thought it was a good one to try considering it was quite cheap and stated it was great for pores. Charcoal based products are proving quite popular at the moment, especially when its in its natural form as it can transform your skin by drawing out dirt from deep down or whitening that smile. Since using this is have noticed a difference, my skin feels so much cleaner after each use and my pores have minimised in size.

I use this in the same was as all my cleansers, as this is my favourite way to clean my face. The gel consistency feels soft on the skin and I love the minty fresh feeling of this on my face once I have washed this off, although it can give quite a tight feeling after use so make sure you give it a moisturise. It states to use this everyday but I have oily/normal skin so I only use this a couple times a week to make sure this doesn't dry me out. 

La Roche-Posay purifying gel / For a excess sebum & acne prone skin

I use this cleanser on days when I need a thorough clean. You know those days where your face feels gross and you want to get every ounce of make up off and feel fresh. This foams up really well so it does just what I need. With added thermal spring water this makes a great cleanser for sensitive skin. This active water helps to soothe the skin and acts as an anti-irrirant so there should be no cause for concern on this reacting with your delicate skin. 

As I have normal cheeks I tend to concentrate this on my t-zone where I get the biggest build up of sebum on my face. I add product to my hands and add a little water, foam it up in my hands before I apply it to my face. This helps with the control of the foam so you can concentrate it on the areas you need it the most. You can either splash your face with water afterwards or use a muslin cloth to wipe it away. This retails at £11 in Boots, which is mid-range for a cleanser but you can find it on offer for around £7 most of the time so keep an eye out on the skincare deals. 

InsitU cosmetics face scrub / Made for you (personalised)

I came across this brand at a blogger event and what attracted me to it first of all was that I could get it personalised with my name and product based on my personal preferences. Now I have one of those names that is spelt differently from what you find in the shops, Im sure you can guess I got a little bit over excited at this prospect. InsitU is on the pricer side of skincare but I think its totally worth getting if you have the budget, even if its one thing. This particular one retails at £31 and I have since noticed they have improved the formula and it now comes with a natural loofa to help those pesky dry patches.

When choosing your skincare you have a few options to choose from. Picking if you want a moisturiser, cleanser etc is your first call but then you get to make it your own. Adding in your name to get written on the bottle is the first thing, you then decide what mood boost you want added to the product, you then tick what kind of skin you have before finally telling then your biggest skin concern. This then gets made and delivered to your house for you to use. 

I love to use this with my cleansers for an added boost of exfoliation. As I have sensitive skin Im always aware about being careful with exfoliators as I tend to react to them. This is an exception so I have been sticking with this for a long time. My skin feels so smooth afterwards, giving my skin a dry free complexion. 

I hope this has been helpful to some of you with your with skincare problems. Just know that one cleanser/toner doesn't fit all and mix it up and I have found using the same one day in day out doesn't always benefit you. Especially being a girl with ever changing hormones with my acne prone skin. I'm still on my way to achieving the skin of my dreams but just making sure you wash every night before you go to bed and give your face a cleanse in the morning, you will quickly notice a difference if you don't do this already.

Enjoy your week!

#Blogmas 4: Friday Favourites

Today I am going to share with you my top 4 favourite Christmas films. The weekend is the one where I am finishing off my Christmas shopping and curling up to one of my favourite movies with snacks and hot chocolate. So here it is...

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My favourite film of all time, is of course ELF!

This is a favourite of the nation and I'm not surprised. It's full of Christmas charm, wit and love! It carries a special Christmas message and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I also love how funny it is. Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf so well, I almost feel this is his alter ego for real. If you haven't seen it yet, download it now or buy the DVD as its one you are going to want to treasure forever!

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Number 2 on my list has to be 'A Puppets Christmas Carol'

This is a film I watched every year when I was a kid for as long as I can remember. It always seems to be showing on the TV during December and so I try not to miss it. I didn't get to watch it last year which stupidly upset me, so it is time to buy the DVD. Not sure why I haven't purchased it already to be honest.

It is a great alternative to the classic Christmas Carol and Scrooge films you might have seen. A story about a selfish man at Christmas who gets taken back to his past when he was a much nicer person, to the present day where he can see all the misery he has caused and finally, what will happen in the future. This leads to a massive change in personality for Scrooge and it ends on a happy note. This is a feel good family film with the addition of the well known puppets such as Kermit included to make it a little bit more fun.

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Number 3 is The Grinch

This is a great movie! Very much a family movie with yet another message similar to Muppets Christmas Carol. This is a story about a grinch who doesn't like Christmas as he is green and used to get bullied when he was little. His first love let him down and so it turned his heart dark, which led him to being very lonely with no one else but his dog. Cindy Lou is a sweet girl and loves Christmas more than anyone. She is the only one who isn't scared of the Grinch and through the film, warms his heart through a series of events. Its a happy ending where 'Who Town' where they all live is a much happier place. The sing, dance and enjoy the festivities together.

Jim Carey plays the Grinch in this, he is one of my favourite actors as I love his stupid ways. He plays the role to perfection so much so I don't think the film would be the same without him. Make sure this is on your christmas film list this year.

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Number 4 is Love Actually.

Its a feel good romantic comedy about love at Christmas. Through the film you watch peoples lives change for better or worse in love and friendship. You follow along a few stories at a time, which confused me the first time I watched it, but once you get the hang of it and figure out who everyone is, its a delight to watch. It has a lot of famous faces in it from Keira Knightly to Liam Neeson so you know its going to be good before you watch it. A few tears will fall and laughter laughed but its the ending which leaves a smile on your face.

I hope you liked reading about my top 4 Christmas films this year. There are still a few I have never seen like Arthur Christmas which I need to add to my watch list so I have a lot of snacking and hot chocolate making to do.

Leave your top 3 down below as I would love to add some more to my list this year.
Until tomorrow

Love Khrissie x

Love to shop: Anthropologie

This is a little post as I miss writing for my blog but I can't quite decide the direction I want it to go in. I want to more lifestyle and travel but include some fashion etc without it becoming too much of a mish-mash but until I work out what I'm doing, I can tell you about my new love! Anthropologie!

Now most of you would have heard of it and even been shopping there before but I never have! I know, shame on me, but I have found this little treasure now and all I can say is that my bank balance is never going to be healthy again. I need everything in here, including the hanging chair they have in the Chelsea store.

Like, who wouldn't want a carved book of their initials? It would be pretty cool to have a whole word made out of these. Like the modern versions you see but more rustic which would look awesome in a modern setting with white walls and some simple candles.

Here are what Anthropologie are famous for in the blogging world and I can see why. They are gorgeous! I love all the different shapes and sizes you can choose from and in the trendy copper colour that everyone seems to love right now. Adding plants to a home is a great way to make it feel homely and can warm up a room which may feel quite cold in terms of decor.

I also found these amazing shoes while I was having a browse around. They reminded me of the ones from 'The Little Princess' film when she gives some shoes to the girl in the attic to cheer her up. If you haven't seen that film, you must! Its one of my all time favourites, full of great life lessons and tear jerking story lines, but with a beautiful happy ending. Its the perfect princess story in my opinion.

This is what you see when you enter the store in Chelsea along Kings Road, London. Its a tropical paradise without all the hassle of real life insects, which is right up my street. I stood here for a good five minutes just staring at it all, as it made me feel calm and took me to another, more perfect world.

Anthropologie are what a great job looks like in terms of store decor. It sucks you in and you really get a feel for their world and what they are about. I wish more stores concentrated on user experience as it really does make a difference and even if you don't buy anything, you are sure going to come back to see what new stock they have.

Definitely have a look at a store near you when you are next out shopping as I'm sure you will fall in love with it just like I have. I love just going for walks in London with no intensions and just finding new favourite places. Its a great way of exploring and seeing the world through your own eyes which is really important in this day and age as we are so blinded buy information we are fed each day that most people don't form their own views on stuff as much anymore, its all about the hype. When actually if you have a look for yourself you will realise there is a lot of good in the world that we just don't see because we are never really looking.

So next time your out and about, put your phone away and really take in whats around you. I bet you will see things that you have never seen or noticed before, it can be a real eye opener.
I hope you enjoyed this little post and if you have any recommendations of shops you have found I would love to know in the comments below.

Enjoy your week
Love Khrissie x

Ooo...your making me blush!

Evening Ladies and Gents!

So first off I just wanted to point out the change in my blog name. I haven't been happy with it for ages as I feel lots of people use the name 'loves' at the end of their nane and I wanted something unique. I also want to create more creative and DIY based posts as I am quite a creative person and as this is a hobby I want to share those passions. Helping people in life and bringing a positive attitude to their lives is also an ambition of mine so more of that is going to happen in the blog. I hope you like the name change? This is only going to apply to my actual blog and I will be known as KhrissieLoves everywhere else, as if it was my actual name as I find it easier that way.

I'm so happy to have the time to get a post up! Life has been frantic lately and the days are getting shorter, which I love as it's getting closer to Christmas but it means I can't do any 'Outfit of the Days' as its dark when I wake up and when I get home. I definitely need some Vitamin D in my life.

I have managed to squeeze some time in before I head to bed to show you these beauties. A few blushers that I am just loving right now. They are all along the same tone but I find these suit my skin nicely without making me look too washed out.

Nars Blush £22.50

First up is what I call a classic as I know a lot of beauty gurus have this in their collection. Its a NARS blusher in the shade 'Orgasm'. This is a beautiful coral toned blusher with gold flecks running throughout. A powder format that can transform your complexion from dull to dazzling. I personally think this could suit anyone and I think you all need to go buy this right away.

So Susan Blush £17.95

Next up is this So Susan mauve toned pink blush in Universal. This is another blush which would suit all skin tones as it is made to look like its your skin but with a natural flush of colour. So Susan products are great because of what they stand for and how the products are made.

This actually has Buriti fruit oil in to help your skin gain back some elasticity it may have lost, now who can complain at that. It is also cruelty and fragrance free, a big thumbs up from me. So not only is it gorgeous, it is ethical too so no feeling of guilt to how this product has got into your hands.

Last up is Kiko Glow Touch Cheeks & Lips which is not just a blush, you can use it as a lip tint too. This gives you a wonderful coral glow to the skin without it looking greasy. It is one of those products where you can start with a small amount of product and build it up until you have reached your desired look and coming in as the cheapest of the bunch, coming in at a very reasonable £5.60, you can't go wrong.

Top: Kiko / Middle: So Susan / Bottom: Nars

I hope you are all having an amazing week and I'm going to try my best to get more up posts up in the next week. Thank you to everyone who has voted for me in the blog awards so far, I'm just happy I've got this far for such a baby blog but I'm looking to improve it as time goes on. 

Love 

Khrissie x

Beauty | Autumn Nail Varnish Picks

Today I thought I would share with you my Autumn polish picks from my collection that I will be grabbing a lot over the nest few months. This month has been one of the craziest yet and we're only half way through! Its nice to say I can actually relax and do what I want today, no packing or worrying about setting up the internet. Just a day of seeing family and getting my head back together, I'll carry on worrying tomorrow...

First up are my more 'Autumn' colours. Pink and red hues are perfect transitional colours into the colder months and represent the October leaves as they start to turn those gorgeous golden colours.

Ciate Mini in Boudoir is a red polish I tend to always grab, even in the warmer months but giving that its perfect for A/W, especially with a matching red lip I have an even better excuse to wear it even more. This is what I would call a pillarbox red so it would suit any skin tone and it lasts pretty well on the nail too!

Topshop in Blitz it one of my all time favourites. I havent seen online in a while so I'm not sure if its discontinued or if it will come back in stock, but it needs to! This is such a gorgeous magenta toned polish with gold and green sparkle running through it, which reflects perfectly in the light. Great for parties or evenings out or to add some glamour to your everyday look. 

Kiko in 243 plum red is a new addition to my collection. As the name tell you its a plum red shade which is the perfect amount of purple to red ratio which I just love on my fair skintone.

Avon in Noir Emerald is THE most gorgeous colour! Everything about this polish is perfect from the radiant shimmer to the blue mermaid like hues running through it! Get on my nails please and never come off!

Topshop in Plume is another gorgeous metallic which I can't get enough of. Perfect for when it hits party season and the LBDs come out. This is quite an icy metallic colour, full of shimmer and different hues of colour which changes colour in different light. I personally love the pink flect running through it, its just so pretty I cant take my eyes off it.

Topshop in Awol is the nicest hue of blue I have come across in a nail varnish, I just love how bright it is without being too summery. I thought it would be the perfect colour when I want to mix it up a bit with my dark metallics.

What is your favourite A/W nail polish?
Khrissie x

Daily Makeup Favourites

 

Happy Bank Holiday weekend everyone!

Today I thought I would show you my current daily make up. It doesn't really change too much over time as I use my favourite products and then repurchase them so I tend to get stuck in a rut. I'm now trying to switch it up to make my routine more exciting, although it never feels like a chore. I am feeling more inspired to create different looks and I'm getting more excited about make up again so lets see what this looks like in a few months time.

Base: This is currently my favourite combo for my base. I haven't been using a primer as I don't like the feeling of most of them as I find they are quite heavy on my skin.

For my foundation I have been using MaXfactor all day flawless, which is a 3 in 1 product that primes and conceals as well as having an SPF 20. I got the shade Warm Almond as I found the lighter shade too light for me which I found surprising. I have oily combination skin and lately it's got worse so I knew I needed more of a mattifying foundation. I've found this has really worked for me as although I still need to powder it has lasted me a lot longer than other drugstore products. (I'll review it soon)

For concealer I've been using NARS creamy concealer in Vanilla. As a lot of people know, its an amazing product. Far better than any other concealer I've tried and even though its on the more expensive side I would still repurchase this over collections lasting perfection as I found that creased on me big time. Its so smooth on my skin and covers flaws like a dream.

Bronzer/Contour: I've been using Bodyshop Honey Bronzer. I love this bronzer a lot! It never goes too orange on my skin and gives me the perfect amount of colour without it looking unnatural. I don't really need to contour as I have big cheekbones which I personally hate as it gives me a wide face but without them I would probably complain. 

Blush: I got this blush free with another NARS purchase when I was at a launch earlier this year. Its a mini version of the Deep Throat blush which I was actually going to buy not long before. I really wish they sold more of these minis as its a great way to try out a product without paying the full price. Its great on my skin tone and its cute enough for my handbag! The brush I've been using it is also a firm favourite in my makeup bag. Its from the EcoTool travel kit, which all of you must try btw as they are so super soft!

Finally for eyes and brows I have been using this combination. This is the MUA eyeshadow palette in Undressed, which you can pick up from Superdrug for a really affordable price. They are smooth and creamy and blend really well, you could say they are a dupe for the naked palettes. I've been using the two pink shades on the top left the most but I have a go at most of them during the week, depending on how I feel when I wake up in the morning. 

I mix up my mascaras all the time as I love trying new ones out. I was using the Kate Moss mascara but I found it crumbled a lot so I've left that one lonely in my makeup bag for now. This is another new launch by Rimmel. I found I was attracted to this as it has Argan Oil in it which helps to nourish your eye lashes to help them grow. Now I don't have much of a problem with the length but I do find my lashes fall out quite a bit so I need something which will help out the new lashes that poke through grow quicker so I don't look bald in my eye department. I'm yet to see if it makes any difference but I will report back when I do. 

For my brows I have been using another launch by Rimmel called Brow this way. This looks like a mascara but it coats your brows instead. Its a different way of defining your brows but I love it! I find its so easy to apply and it shapes and sets your brows like nobodies business.

So this is what I wear on my face at the moment. I usually don't make too much fuss on a week day as I don't have too long to get ready in the morning for work, mainly because I have a good relationship with the snooze button but I've now got into the routines of using these products so I can get my face on pretty quickly when I need to.

Whats your current makeup favourites at the moment?

Khrissie x