NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash

As a blogger you get sent a lot of beauty goodies or pick them up at events (which I’m so grateful for), but a lot of the time I know they won’t suit me or fit in to my current routine so most of the things I get go into my blogger drawer which contains samples and full sized products I have yet to test out. A month or so back I reorganised the contents and came across the NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash, it was in there for months and I’m raging that I didn’t try it sooner because this stuff is amazing.

It’s a foaming cleanser that strips your makeup off, exfoliates your skin, as well as unclogging your pores.

From the first time of using the facial wash I could instantly notice my pores had shrunk, which I had only ever seen from using facial masks. Pores are a big thing for me so anything that can shrink them into oblivion I’m all for. I only properly noticed that they were no longer there when I had forgotten to put my Benefit Porefessional on my face one morning. I usually can’t leave the house without it or my nose would be a holy mess, to my surprise my skin looked as perfect as it does when I usually have the primer on.

The product comes out like a foam which I rub between my hands and massage into my skin.

Another benefit of the foam was that it made my skin super smooth due to the glycolic acid in it, I now only exfoliate my skin once a week rather than every few days.

Don't hate the bunny onesie, this is me in all my night time glory and yes it does make me look like a giant baby :)

I am still a bit worried if I should be using it on a daily basis though as It does contain glycolic acid and lactobionic acid, it could just be the sound of acid making me wary of it but so far my skin is agreeing to it. However if you have any kind of cut or broken skin I would steer clear of it until it is healed. It feels like the gates of hell are opening on your face as the foam goes into your skin, the pain does go away very quickly though but for that second or two you will scream like a baby. Also if your face is in anyway sensitive I wouldn’t use it and it isn’t a cleanser that you can put near your eyes as well as the rest of your face so you’ll need to cleanse those areas separately.

Before on the left and After on the right. I use the Ziaja Sensitive Skin Micellar Water to remove my eye makeup. 

It is a little pricey but I definitely think it’s worth it, especially if you suffer from very large pores. It costs €24.95 and you can purchase NeoStrata in most pharmacies or on dolledup.ie

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

Dupe Tuesday | L'Oreal vs Benefit

Dupe Tuesday
L'Oreal Nude Magique Blur Cream Vs Benefit Porefessional

On my rampage of Boots the other day I was creeping around the L’oreal stand and my eyes lit up when I saw the L’oreal Nude Magique Blur Cream.

It was in the BB cream section and I almost passed it by because it looked the same as the other BB creams, but luckily I noticed NEW on the packaging and that caught my attention. I think it’s only released in Ireland and the UK in the last month.

The Blur Cream contains micro blur technology and promises to instantly give flawless skin by immediately blurring pores, imperfections and refining skin texture. It comes in two colours for either Light to Medium Skin or Medium to Dark Skin, I chose the Light to Medium. It does say you can wear it with or without makeup but both colours end up translucent so I’m not too sure how great it will look unless you have absolutely flawless skin other than a few large pores and as it ends up translucent if you’re in the shop and they only have the darker tube then get it because it won’t make any difference to your skin colour.

(Left) Benefit Porefessional (Right) L'oreal Nude Magique Blur Cream

Just like the Maybelline Baby Skin and Benefit Porefessional they are silicone based. I would rank it in the middle of those two primers as it shares good qualities from both.

I would rival this to the Porefessional, it’s similar in colour, texture and the results are pretty much the exact same for half the price. I have really oily skin and my pores are super large so any primer or any cream that can cover them in is my new BBF (beauty best friend).

On application the cream leaves your skin with that silky silicone feeling, some people like this but I think it just feels a bit greasy and that goes for any silicone based primer I have tried, so I just leave it on my skin for a bit and let the product dry as much as it can into my skin.

I tried it on my MAC, Revlon and Rimmel foundations, and worked well on them all. I’ve heard other reviews saying that it helped their skin stay matte throughout the day, it didn’t have that effect on me but my skin wasn’t any more or less matte than usual.

Basically this for me is gives the exact same results as the Porefessional for a fraction of the cost. If you don’t want to fork over €34 at a Benefit counter then head over to Boots or any good Pharmacy that sells L’oreal because this beaut only costs €14.99.

Love Sarah xoxo

April Favourites

Well it's half way through the month so I suppose you could say I’m a bit late with this one but here are my April favourites (about time says you!)

I'm going to start off with the first product I have ever bought from Wet n Wild! They were only introduced to us in Ireland at the start of the year and every time I went to buy something from the stands in Pennys they had swarms of girls around them, it wasn't until I went to a Wet n Wild bloggers brunch a few weeks ago that I went out and bought this lipstick (I figured I better be wearing something from the line if I’m going to an event), it’s their Megalast Lipcolor and they are a matte lipstick and stay on for so long.

I'll be doing a review on these lipsticks soon enough so I won't mention too much on them other than the fact that the colour stays on for so long and that I have been wearing this colour for most of last month. I bought mine in 907c Mauve Outta Here, It's a lovely pinkie berry colour and even though its spring time I love darker tones.

Wet n Wild Mega Last Lip Color

I was queuing up in Boots in Jervis Centre one day and they had a little box of Benefit samples for €12. I love getting little sample sized products, for one, I love to use these when I’m going on holidays and two because I have never used the Benefit Porefessional *covers face in shame*. 

Benefit Stay Don't Stray

Out of the little box I have been using the Stay Don't Stray and the Porefessional most. The stay don't stray is a primer for concealer and eye shadow. I've been loving this for my dark circles and blemishes, it's a coloured primer with such a great coverage and colour that I've been using it as a concealer under my foundation.

Benefit Porefessional

I've been using the Porefessional everyday now and I will most definitely be going out to buy the larger tubes. I have terrible oily skin so my pores are gigantic, the Porefessional fills in every pore and doesn't clog them. It is going to become one of my staple makeup bag pieces! 

Soap and Glory Smooch Operator

I have had this bad boy at my desk since Christmas and use it every now and then, but it the last few weeks my lips have been getting chapped really so I popped this beauty on my lips and the hard skin instantly melted away and I had the softest moistest lips, I am using this daily now and my lips are thanking me.

Clinique Cheek Pop Blush in Plum Pop

Every blogger and their mother have this blusher by now, I got mine in March but have been using it nearly everyday in April. I got mine in Plum Pop. I love this colour, its a bright pink but goes on sheer and is build-able if you want a a stronger colour. They are €20 dollars each and I would have bought more but this is the last one they had in the store and I haven't seen them in any other clinique counter. 

Plum Pop

Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Dark

And finally we have the holy grail in tanning, I love love love Cocoa Brown. The new darker shade is my favourite colour, it has everything you want in a tan. If you've been living under a rock and you have never heard of Cocoa Brown or have never bought a bottle then I implore you to go out and buy has many as you can! I love this so much I don't think I'd buy another brand in my life!!

So that's my very very late April faves! Enjoy this amazing day and remember to put some SPF on cos no one likes to look like a lobster :)

Love Sarah xoxo