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!

Ladies Day Outfit 2016

Sometimes you just want to throw on some jeans and a t-shirt and be done with the day (me everyday) but there are others where you want to make a real effort and feel like a grown woman. I find it difficult to reach maximum confidence with an outfit but I do have a few tips.

- Be comfortable in someway. This could be through the material of your outfit or the shoes you wear. If you choose something you are constantly adjusting then there is no winning.

- Choose colours you love and compliment your complexion. It difficult to get out of wearing monochrome as it goes with everything, right? but colour can really do wonders for you if worn in the right way. So use the races as an opportunity to show your personality and Sasha Fierce confidence.

This is my ultra feminine outfit which incorporates the S/S trends of this year but still keeping it sophisticated for the day. I have brought in a lot of tones of colour to avoid black and so with neutral makeup I think this could look fab!

Pinks and florals are one of my favourite looks for S/S as they can really bring some sunshine and happiness to an outfit, which in turn makes me feel confident on the inside.

Dress: ASOS / Bag: Accessorise / Shoes: ASOS

What will you be wearing on your trip to the races this year?

Love Khrissie x

LoveBox Festival 2015

Jessie Ware was incredible! If you ever get a chance to see her, do it! She seems like the nicest and most down to earth artist I've seen in a while, plus her songs are beautiful!

Heres my outfit that I wore to the festival. Top and shorts are from ASOS. Necklace from Oasis. Shoes from H&M. Choker and lace throw on from New Look. Sunglasses from Topshop.

Your probably thinking these chips look gross but let me tell you. Chips with gravy and cheese are just amazing! On those days where you go wild and forget about healthy food, this is what you need!

So I can bee a right nutter sometimes and this blog is one about me, imperfections and all so this just gives you a little glimpse into what I'm like on a daily basis. Life's too short to be normal - right? 

Lovebox 2015 was such a great day out. Music was good and it was great to spend some quality time with my man. Although we live together we don't actually spend much time together with our busy work lives. Today was a day for us to enjoy life without the annoying distractions ad create some memories. 

Make most of the days you have and live it to the full. Always do what makes you happy!

That can be a walk on the beach, getting an ice cream or sob in front of Netflix for half a day feeling sorry for yourself. You might not be an outdoors kind of person and prefer spending time in your happy place. I'm trying to make a conscious effort to be more social as I can be a bit of a hermit crab at the best of times. Its helping my confidence a lot and I always feel better once I'm in the situation than I do thinking about it. Don't ever feel like you need to live your life in a certain way, just make sure your happy doing whatever you want. Life really is too short. 

Try and enjoy your week the best you can. 

Ciao!

Love Khrissie 

A day out in Battersea: Formula-E Racing

Me & Nick in an electric mini car! How cute!

Hello & Happy Sunday everyone!

I hope your all doing well and you had an amazing weekend! There was lots going on in London the whole weekend so I'm sure lots of you were up to something. I sadly didn't get tickets in time to see the queen herself, Taylor Swift, which I am super sad about so I decided to go to a Formula E event instead.

Formula E is like formula 1 racing but with smaller and quieter electric vehicles. It was held at Battersea park which was a great location as you could chill in the E-Village during the day in the beautiful park until the races started at around 4pm. Around the park were little stalls full of electric related products, like the car in the image above. It was really interesting to see the future of what electricity can do while walking around in the beautiful sunshine.

I made a vlog of the day, lots of me talking and some clips of the race. I want to get into vlogging if I can as I feel a little more confident to do it more now, its just the camera I'm using isn't the best quality but its all I can use for now so bare with me. I hope its not too boring, I never like the sound of my own voice but hopefully I'll improve over time. Do let me know any feedback.

I hope you enjoy the vlog and comment down below if you have any questions.
Enjoy your week guys,
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

First try... Bobbi Brown

Hello there! You're probably wondering who I am as I have been away so long! Since the end of January I was away for two weeks as I won a Contiki trip to Asia, which was amazing! It was always something I have wanted to do and to be able to do it when I did, was perfect for me as I felt like I was having a mini quarter life crisis at the time. The trip really opened up some new doors for me and  helped me discover a few things about myself which I didn't know before. Two week was a perfect amount to be away but I don't feel like I have fully 'discovered' as much of myself as I want to just yet, so new trips are going to be planned soon!

I have been super busy since and have been trying to write posts for a while but I haven't had time as I have been ill and had too much life stuff to do. I dont want to have lots of excuses but this blog is for me and a hobby that I want to love and if I put too much pressure on myself I will begin to hate it, but I'm here now and I'm excited to be back!

To start my next post ( I am going to make ever effort to post at least once a week from now on) I am going to be talking about a beauty brand I shockingly haven't tried yet for some unknown reason. Thanks to my mum and sister for getting me these gifts I have finally been able to give some a try. I have to admit, as soon as I laid my eyes on them I became a little bit addicted. Not only are the products beautiful, with some gorgeous packaging but they apply lovely too!

This first product is one of Bobbi Browns staple beauty items, the shimmer blusher. This is the aptly named 'Coral' which is the perfect amount of pink to orange ratio on the cheek. Perfect for spring as it gives a beautiful golden glow to the cheeks with its golden flecks running throughout.

Next I got given some mini products, which included this mini lipgloss (too cute!), an eye cream which is below and a baby eye makeup remover which I am all more than happy with, mainly because I love mini anything! After using them for a while I think I'm going to have to pick up a bigger version of the eye cream as it feels wonderfully smooth and cooling on the eyes, although a small amount really goes a long way with this product so this one will last me a little longer yet. The lipgloss is a pretty shimmery colour and suits the blusher really well. The eye makeup remover is actually pretty good! I was worried about the oily consistency at first but it really helps to remove that stubborn mascara without scrubbing at your eye.

Last up is my favourite product from the bunch! I first of all wanted this purely because of the packaging!

I love the old school design of the crest on the outer packaging, embossed in gold and finished off with a faux ribbon design. Once you open the box you instantly fall in love! The wood effect packaging with the gold trim and simple type is just beautiful and something that could happily live on my dressing table. It took me a long time to actually use it as I didn't want to make any mark on it, but I finally caved in and was really happy with the result. The shimmer brick in 'Copper Diamond' itself is gorgeous! It highlights your face in such a way that your skin looks so glowing and healthy, you actually want people to look at you, a must have for the S/S months.

I hope you enjoyed a look into the beginning of my Bobbi Brown collection. I cant wait to add some more products to it, especially if the packaging is just as pretty. What products do you love from Bobbi Brown? I'd love to know any recommendations.

Now I've got the blogging bug back I'll be posting and interacting on social media a lot more from today. So watch this space for a lot more recipes, fashion posts, beauty and some DIYs in the next few months.

Love Khrissie xx

If you have any questions about any of the products just write a comment below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Honest Shopping

Happy Monday Guys!
It feels like I haven't blogged in ages but it was actually only last week since I posted! Its been the busiest week but feels like I've been away for a month. Lots of life stuff has been going on lately so I feel I have been off he radar but I'm currently planning to schedule 3 posts a week, covering lifestyle, beauty and fashion in each of those days. I thought I would start with posting lifestyle on mondays, fashion will be on wednesdays and I think beauty will be on Saturdays. I'm going to see how I get on so bare with me while I get my feet on the ground.

So me and my lovely bestie Ellie have been friends for years and we occasionally meet up when we can; which we are sad about as it's not often, but it just so happens that we are now going to live together and we have  finally found somewhere! yay! I'm so happy! It was stressing me out big time and I'm so excited as I'm still living with Nick but Ellie and Rob are joining us too so I get to see her everyday! Best news ever!

Before this all came about we went for some lunch and done a spot of shopping on Oxford Street. Its mental at the weekend but as a tip to you all. Try go a little earlier than mid-day and have in mind what you want so you don't spend too long in shops. We actually spent most of our time in Topshop, you can see my haul for that here. These were some new sunglasses that I got while I was there as they are by the brand Quay Australia who I follow on Instagram and I have always loved their glasses! I never knew they were sold in shops in the UK so when I saw they had a stand I had to pick up a pair. These are quite different from most normal sunglasses but I love them! They are definitely a statement piece which can enhance the dullest of outfits.

For lunch we decided to go to Honest Burger in Soho as shock horror we have't been before. I do love a good burger but I can't eat too much wheat or red meat as my body doesn't seem to like it as much as my tastebuds do. I opted for the chicken burger with cheese and some onion rings on the side. Let me tell you...it was delicious!

I got a lemonade for my drink as lemonade is my favourite drink and so when it came served up in this glass with the cutest straw I couldn't have been any happier. The little things eh! I devoured what I could as there was so much food but I loved being in the little tucked away restaurant sitting at the window seat with my buddy and catching up on life, it was lovely! The whole decor and atmosphere is really nice, I would definitely recommend trying it out if you haven't been before. 

We ended up doing a little more shopping afterwards (back in Topshop and New Look) where I didn't find much else but we decided to have a tea stop as we hadn't had one all day and we were deprived. It was a really lovely day which was as much relaxed as busy. I must meet up with more friends like this over the coming weeks as I hardly get to see them much at the moment. (bad friend award)

So summer has officially ended and now on to Autumn, which is one of my favourite seasons. Dressing up in cosy scarves and coats is my favourite thing and I've already fallen in love with a grey leather-look coat in River Island which I just had to order...naughty me! (seriously in love though)

What have you been up to lately? Are you looking forward to Autumn?

Enjoy your week

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

 

Holiday Travel Essentials

Happy Monday everyone, although most people don't see Monday as a good thing, I'm trying to get back to my positive self. I used to be a super positive and happy person and that person has got a little lost along the way. This is my goal at the moment. 

So today I thought I would show you some of my travel essentials that I photographed by the pool on holiday. These are things I would struggle to live without and I love them all dearly, as if they were my children. ha!

The Body Shop / Vitamin E Body Butter & Face Mist

These two products are so amazing! The body butter really helps make my skin soft and helps with damaged skin. The face mist is perfect for cooling you down and giving your face a refresh. Perfect for the aeroplane too!

Soap and Glory Hand Food

Lots of people love this product and I'm so exception. It comes in a handy bag friendly size and makes you smell amazing!

Blistex Lip Balm

I love this lip balm and its lovely and moisturising and ti gives you a small tint of colour to your lips to make to feel that little bit more fabulous! I also think its 15 SPF? Good huh!?

Canarian Aloe Cream
I got this while I was on holiday as I was burning so easily. This was helping cool my burn and helping it to turn brown from pink and it really worked! I tanned for the first time this year...yeah!

Garnier Sun Cream
I was using this thinking it was protecting me but it didn't protect me at all, after 4 days I had nearly used the bottle I was applying it so much! I then realised that its main ingredient was alcohol! Which clearly isn't good for your skin. I have become a lot more skincare wise after this and know to try and find a suncream that doesn't have alcohol or aqua as its first ingredient.

Olay Sunkissed Moisteriser
I've been using this for the past few months now and I'm hooked. It smells amazing and its been very kind to my skin and keeping it looking healthy and glowing. It has SPF 15 in it so perfect for daily use and has 7 total effect in it. Its purse friendly and a clear winner in my beauty routine.

Vintage Hat
I've been trying to find one of these hats for ages now! and non I tried on really seemed to fit me properly or the shape was a bit funny. I found this in a market in London, sitting on its own on a hat stall, £10 cheaper than the ones I have seen in shops. I tried it on and it was perfect. I just love it and it now stops my head from burning and makes me look super cute! ha!

Primark Neck Pillow 
This thing is better than sliced bread..... There you go I said it! It perfect for the plane so I can actually sleep and not end up on someones shoulder. Yes that did happen.... Its also perfect to use on the sun lounger for some extra comfort. I wouldn't go on holiday without it and if I did I would have to buy one from the airport straight away.

Sunglasses
Everyone and their dog loves sunglasses but I find it really hard to find ones to fit my wide face. Damn those cheekbones :P I always want to wear those super trendy ones and have a great collection of them but I cant :( boohoo! Aviators suit almost everyone, including me! yay! So in a rush I brought a £2 pair from Primark and they done the job perfectly. Next up is saving for some Raybans!

Kindle
This little but of technology makes reading so easy. I love picking up a good book at the best of times but a hard copy is no fun in the sunshine, nor is it good for luggage allowance. This is perfect as it doesn't reflect the sun so no matter where you hold it, you can still read the words without the sunlight shining into your soul. Its easy to hold too..kindle in one hand, cocktail in the other! Perfection!


I hope you enjoyed my roundup of some of my holiday essentials.
What are your holiday essentials? I'd love to know :)

Seeya!
Khrissie x

KhrissieLoves...Vlogging Pt.3 (holiday edition)

I'm such a joker.. ha!

Food glorious foooood!

Outfit: Playsuit & Shoes / New Look

   

Happy Sunday everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend? Mine was spent at LoveBox festival which was brilliant, I had a wonderful time, mainly spent chilling in the hammocks under a huge tree as it was so sweaty hot! I had filmed a vlog about this and it will be up on my channel next week hopefully. I have also filmed a video with my lovely blogger friend and former roomate Jough which will be up soon too! I have so many videos at the moment! I'm loving it though :)

I hope you enjoy this Part. 3 of my holiday. I cant believe I filmed so many clips for such a chilled holiday, but its so nice to look back on all the things we done. If you film any holiday vlogs, do tweet me at @khrissieloves as I would love to see them.

Let me know any feedback as I'm always looking to improve!
Thanks guys
Khrissie x

KhrissieLoves... Vlogging Pt. 2 (holiday edition)

 

Evening Ladies & Gentlemen!

Here I have Part 2 of my vlog as I had to separate the footage as there way too much! It's been so fun trying to learn how to edit these things, and I still have lots to learn but hopefully its watchable without being too annoying? 

I seem to talk a lot in these vlogs ha! It was my first ever vlogging session and I didnt really have a plan on how it was going to come together, so this is me just being me! We play mini golf and get a little bit crazy at the end of the video....

Part. 3 will be uploaded next weekend.

I hope your enjoying this little holiday series and if you want more just let me know

Are any of you heading off on holiday this summer?

Or have yu already been somewhere. Let me know as I love hearing

about your recommendations