New Skincare Favourites - Bioderma, MooGoo, Bia Beauty

Aaaah Bioderma why did I not discover you long ago. I thought I was scarred for life of water cleansers after using the Clarins One Step cleanser which literally eroded my face. But I was forking out £20 a go for a 125ml bottle of Clarins eye make up remover (which is amazing even though it's expensive) and I just happened to move to Bioderma, because I thought well I can get a 500ml bottle for £12, I could use this for my eye make up remover instead!

Turns out this stuff is absolutely amazing and I use it to initially remove all my make up now. As you can see I have it in various sizes too…the baby one is 100ml so you can take it in your hand luggage. My fave is the 500ml bottle though because it's the best value and lasts me a good 4 or 5 months!

Now you may have heard me chatting about Bia Beauty in an earlier post. I love this stuff! It's good, it's natural, it's fresh and beautiful and gives my skin life. The exfoliator/cleanser is the only product gentle enough to tackle yet aid my dry skin patches. The moisturiser is just so lightweight and glorious to apply. I am using the eye gel as well though I am not sure how I feel about it yet. It feels very nice and cooling on the eyes (and a little tightening too!). The Feed Your Skin set has all you need for your facial cleansing/moisturising routine. And it costs €45, not bad! 

This is a new addition (using it about 3 weeks) but already I have to include it. After hearing so many bloggers talk about MooGoo I really wanted to give it a go myself. I saw my local chemist had some of their products so out of curiosity I picked these two. Now confession time… I did not read the package properly and thought I was buying a cleanser and a moisturiser. In actual fact, I bought the Blemish Cleansing Moisturiser, which I guess is designed for blemish prone skin (which I do not have), however when I used it, I thought it actually performed like a cleanser, in that I was massaging it into my face like nobody's business but it wasn't absorbing into my skin at all, the product was still on the surface of my skin. So I have been using it in that fashion and then wiping off the excess with a wash cloth. It smells so amazing and almost edible…like lovely vanilla ice cream. I have also used it on any body acne and I have to say it did clear that up.

Now the Full Cream moisturiser….oh my god. It looks and smells like real double cream. Delicious! This is a nice thick but not sticky moisturiser and it is so satisfying putting this on. it has that lovely dairy cream smell and it's just so nice I find it hard not to want to eat it! ha!

Products you NEED for Winter

1. Hydraluron Serum. 

This was recommended to me by Aisling from totalmakeupaddict during a time when I suffered severe dry skin. I finally got it in August of this year and have been using it every night. At first I couldn't understand the hype or even see any difference, but here we are mid November and my skin is great! Despite being in and out of the cold, central heating etc. my dry skin has not flared up. I have to put it down to Hydraluron because it is the only thing that has changed in my skin care!

2. A rich moisturiser. 

My favourite it La Roche Posay Nutric Intense. I think this is around £15.00, not overly expensive and it is a 50ml jar. This is an extremely thick moisturiser, best used at night.

3. Nuxe Reve de Meil lip balm. 

You need this. You just need it. I use it 2 or 3 times a day. Without it, my lips will literally shrivel up and dry and crack. For me, this is a Winter essential.

4. A cinnamon candle. 

There is nothing that gets me feeling more festive than the smell of cinnamon. I absolutely love Christmas candles and will burn them from Halloween til about March or April! Of course Yankee Candles are my favourite, the one pictured is from Our Own Candle Company which is also a really nice candle and the cinnamon one is just divine. 

5. A Winter perfume. 

It's time to do away with our light florals and reach for something a little deeper. my favourite is Thierry Mugler Angel. It's smokey. It's spicy. It's woody. It's sexy. Admittedly, it's not for everyone, it may be an acquired scent but for me there is no better perfume for Winter.

6. A red lipstick. 

With Christmas party season imminent it's not a bad idea to have a nice red (or whatever colour you fancy) in our make up bags. I for one can't wait to wear this little number, Clarins Joli Rouge (in the shade joli rouge). For me it is the most beautiful, glossy, neutral-red. It's very Hollywood glamour and quite festive looking!

Bia Beauty

It seems everything I write about on this blog always comes back to me having dry skin. But, I really needed some kind of gentle facial exfoliator, and I remembered about the fantastic brand made in Cork  Bia Beauty. I used a sample of their Orange & Grapefruit Facial Exfoliant & Cleanser a while ago and I remember I loved it because the little exfoliating beads were that fine, they were extremely gentle on the skin and yet they got the job done. So, I finally purchased the full size. I absolutely love the quirky jars that they come in.

The lovely people at Bia Beauty put in a sample of the Mellow Mandarin Moisturiser in my parcel so I was delighted to try that as well. I loved it so much I went back and ordered the full size of it too!

First of all let me talk about the scent of these products. I think some will love it, some will hate it. They just smell completely "natural" if you know what I mean? I just love the scent. You really feel like you are putting something really good on your skin.

I use the cleanser/exfoliator every other night to keep my skin as flake-free as possible! As I said before, the "grit" in this product is extremely fine and does not cause any irritation or redness on my sensitive skin. It contains castor and thistle oil, orange blossom water, orange & grapefruit essential oils, and jojoba grains. I just give it a good massage all over my face, focusing on the extremely dry areas and just rinse off. My skin has never been in better condition and I really mean that. My complexion is brighter and the jojoba grains are keeping the obvious dry texture of my skin at bay.

So to finish off my cleansing routine I slather on the Mellow Mandarin moisturiser! I know the Bia beauty slogan is "feed your skin", well i really feel that is what I am doing when I use this moisturiser. It feels really nourishing on the skin..I actually think I am addicted to it! It's suitable for all skin types, and it's a light enough moisturiser to use as a day cream too. It contains Mandarin essential oil, calendula water and sweet almond oil to keep skin hydrated and to balance the skin's sebum levels. I use it day and night and together with the cleanser/exfoliator they have made such a massive difference to the condition of my skin.

Also ordering from the Bia Beauty website has been really great, they are kind enough to include a little "bite size" sample of their products with my orders and a little handwritten note which honestly just makes my day when I open up the package. And also the service is super fast, my package is delivered to me in the north after about 2 days.

I am so so impressed with Bia Beauty and I am very eager to try out more of their products. I think I might try their eye cream next.

My new skincare routine with La Roche Posay

My face was in seriously bad repair the last couple of months. I do believe that it was down to the Clarins One Step cleanser that I was using. I enjoyed using that cleanser at first but pretty soon it left my skin looking red and blotchy, and putting anything on my face made it sting!
I stopped using the Clarins One Step and tried some more gentler products, but my skin still looked rather irritated. I read that La Roche Posay would have products that would help with that, so off to the chemist I went!

I needed a little help, because I really did not know what I was after. I've only ever used La Roche Posay sun cream, so their skincare products are all new to me!

The sales assistant in the chemist helped me pick out a few things, after I told her what the problem was with my skin she recommended Toleraine cleanser and moisturiser. I also wanted to get some kind of exfoliator, as I had noticed a lot of dry skin around my nose. So I bought Physiological Ultra Fine Scrub as well!

Before

After

As you can see there is a substantial difference after just one week of using the La Roche Posay skincare! In fact, when I started using La Roche Posay, my skin looked even worse than it does in the "before" photo. 

I cannot believe the difference! All of the La Roche Posay products that I got are absolutely fantastic. The cleanser is a lovely consistency, lotion type cleanser. The exfoliator is a gel-type consistency with very fine exfoliating beads. It has a nice sweet scent too. The moisturiser has almost a gel type consistency too. Only a tiny amount of the moisturiser is needed! I have to get used to only squeezing out a tiny dot, as the tiniest amount goes a long way.

Also La Roche Posay was a touch cheaper than the Clarins skincare products I had been using, which are a little expensive. I got the Toleraine moisturiser and cleanser, and the exfoliator for just over £30.00 in total. Not bad!

If these are the results I am getting after just one week, I will definitely be continuing my use of La Roche Posay and I wouldn't mind trying out more of their products!

My Clarins Skincare Collection - it's growing and growing!

Since I started paying more attention to skincare last year, it transpires that Clarins is actually my favourite, go-to skincare brand. I don't know why, I just love it. I feel like they are a top quality, luxurious product with a fairly reasonable price.

It seems that lately, between sale purchases and duty-free splurges that I noticed I have amassed quite a collection!

What I use every night without fail are the Instant Eye Make Up Remover, Cleansing Milk and Toning Lotion, and the Eye Contour Balm. These are must-have items for me! I am on my 4th bottle of the eye make up remover (I had to use a sample size bottle in the photo but don't worry I ran out and purchased the full size soon after, because I can't live without it!)

For moisturisers I am using a sample of the Hydraquench but I really do love the Daily Energiser Cream also!

The rest of my collection are (very generous) sample sized items which came as part of skincare sets. I have the One Step Cleanser (which i actually did use up a full sized bottle of and loved it!), Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream, Moisture Rich Body Lotion and a teeny tiny Eye Contour Gel!

There is a great selection of products here, I have tried each and every one and have fallen in love with them all! There is nothing here that I don't like, they are staple products in my skincare routine and I love trying out new things. I am constantly adding Clarins skincare to my never-ending wish list!

Duty Free & Paris Purchases (and post holiday blues)

Some of you may already know that I took a trip to Disneyland Paris for my holidays this year. I just arrived back early yesterday and I can safely say the holiday blues are well and truly here :( I had such an amazing time, better than I expected! What I wouldn't give to be back in Disney again.

We spent most of our days in the Disney parks and one day we took to see some of the big tourist attractions in Paris.

Naturally, if there is anything of the cosmetic nature available to purchase, i will be all over it! I bought a couple of items in duty free and visited the Val d'Europe outlet centre for a bit of shopping too.

These two Chanel beauties I bought in duty free before i had even left Ireland! I had been lusting after both of these after seeing loads of swatches and reviews online. I have not yet tried the Mirabella nail polish yet because I got a gel manicure for holidays, which I am now dying to have removed!

The eyeshadow is the Illusion d'Ombre in "New Moon". I used this every day on holidays. It is like a pinky, purpley, cranberry shade with intense shimmer. It's absolutely beautiful, so sparkly! Swatches will be coming soon. I'd like to give it it's own review.

I popped into L'Occitane as well, having never tried anything from this brand I was a little overwhelmed! They had so much to choose from but I played it safe with a body cream and hand cream. I adore both of these, they smell amazing (especially the lime body cream). I think they are beautifully packaged too and they look lovely on my dressing table.

This is another duty free purchase, I couldn't leave without it! It cost €39 which is a total bargain in my opinion. I am a little obsessed with Clarins skincare, and this set features some of my favourites as well as a few bits I've never tried before. They are really decent sized products too. The only full sized product I believe is the Daily Energiser Cream, although I have never seen this packaged in a tube before, but it is 50ml of product, the same size as the jar.

And now I can't resist showing you these gorgeous little hats I picked up in Disneyland (reduced to €3 each!). I think they are so cute and currently I am trying to find a place to display them.

And now, here are a few snaps from my holiday. I really had the most wonderful time. There is nothing like that magical feeling of being in Disneyland. No matter what age you are! Seeing that castle is just something else. I went on as many rides as I could (even the big ones) and saw the parades and night show, and I loved going into Paris too.

Best holiday ever :)

My Current Skincare Products Feat. Clarins, Lancome & Nuxe

I never used to pay much attention to my skincare routine until the end of last summer. Before, I would use make up wipes (shudder) and I tried a couple of drugstore brand cleansers too. I thought I was getting to an age where perhaps I ought to pay a bit more attention to my skin. I know you don't necessarily have to spend huge amounts on your skincare, but I have been trying a few different brands and I think Clarins is my favourite. Some of their products are rather expensive, but in my opinion worth every penny!

Clarins Instant Eye Make Up Remover - In short, the best product ever. It removes all traces of eye make up within seconds. This is my third bottle of this, and at £17.00 a go it is certainly not cheap, I have found that a bottle is lasting me just over three months. I adore using this because I do not like to pull at the skin around my eyes, and before I discovered this I found it really difficult to remove eye make up, particularly certain mascaras etc. I only use a small amount on a cotton pad, give it a swipe across my eye and the job is done!

Clarins Cleansing Milk - I got a couple of samples of this before I took the plunge and bought the full size. I think it cost around £22.00. It has the nicest, creamiest consistency while still being light. It has a nice but not overpowering scent, kind of smells like Johnstons baby shampoo! I have used other cleansers before but never one as nice as this. I hate using a cleanser and it "disappears" into your skin, I like giving it a good old massage over my face and being able to wipe it all off with a cotton pad.

Lancome Tonique Douceur - I am not really into toners to be honest, I don't particularly think they are of much benefit but what do I know! I got this little one as a sample and have been using it after cleansing since Christmas. It is quite nice to use for removing any excess makeup left after cleansing, and your skin does feel energised and fresh afterwards. But I could take or leave this step to be honest.

Lancome Advanced Genefique - Another one that I could take or leave. I have been using this little sample just for the sake of using it! It is a very nice serum to use, but I don't think it's doing anything for me. Perhaps I am not quite the age for using serums like this, but I might as well give it a try!

Clarins Eye Contour Balm - I have been using this religiously every night since I got it at Christmas! I got a little freaked out about getting wrinkles around my eyes so went straight out and bought this. I figured that Clarins wouldn't let me down, since I love other skincare products of theirs. It comes in a tube with a little nozzle, and you only need a tiny dot of the product for both eyes. It does come in gel form too but I went for the balm as it is more like a moisturiser. I haven't really noticed a major difference, though my underyes do look a little brighter than before.

Nuxe Creme Fraiche Moisturiser - This I have just fallen in love with. I have tried a couple of Clarins moisturisers but none that I would really write home about. I chose this one by Nuxe and oh my goodness, it is so good! It is kind of thick and creamy but not greasy. It feels (and smells) so luxurious and it feels absolutely amazing on your skin! This would be very good if you had dry skin. My skin is kind of normal, but I love using it and without a doubt, it's the best moisturiser I've ever tried!


After a good few months of upping my skincare routine, I have to say I am happier than I have ever been with myself and I would be confident enough to go make-up free. I cannot believe the difference it has made. No more make up wipes for me!

My New Skincare Routine - featuring Clarins

I am a low maintenance kind of girl. Truth be told, I didn't have much of a skincare routine before. So long as my make up was taken off and some kind of moisturiser was applied! But lately, I don't know if it is because I will soon turn the big quarter-century in a couple of weeks, but I have noticed my skin starting to not look in very good shape and I have been feeling completely paranoid about it. I especially hate my under-eye area.

Anyways, a quick trip to the Clarins counter and this is what I came out with....

I wanted the Clarins eye make up remover as I really need something gentle to remove eye make up so as I'm not rubbing the skin around there too much. I got a sample of the Lancome eye make up remover which is more or less the same as this. In fact I'd say the Clarins one is nicer. Just give it a little shake so the oil and water layers mix together, put a small amount on a cotton pad, and literally one swipe and your eye make up is gone. It is brilliant!

I asked the lady at the Clarins counter what would be the best cleanser for me. My skin is neither dry nor oily, but it is just kind of dull and lifeless. She recommended this One Step Cleanser with orange extract. Now I was a little apprehensive as I thought a water type cleanser would be drying on the skin, but she assured me it wouldn't. Similar to the eye make up remover, it has an oil and water layer so you give it a good shake and use it on cotton pads to remove your make up. The idea is that you don't have to do anything else, which is brilliant for me as I really can't be bothered with anything else! I soak a cotton pad with this, and go over my entire face until all my make up is gone. I will then dispense a tiny amount onto a second cotton pad just to go over my face again "just incase".

It does leave a kind of oily residue on your face, which I think is quite nice although I think some people would dislike it. It says on the bottle that there is no need to rinse this cleanser off, though. My skin honestly has never looked or felt better since I started using this cleanser!

So I needed a moisturiser and I already knew I wanted the Daily Energiser Cream! I really liked the sound of it! You can get this in a gel form too, but I thought the cream would be better for me. It's quite a luxurious cream, lovely citrusy scent and a great accompaniment to the One Step Cleanser. I really only use a tiny amount of this and massage it well into the skin.

So I have been using these products every night for two weeks. I have never spent this much money on skincare before! I really cannot get over the quality of them. I think Clarins may be my new favourite brand! So far so good, my skin is looking a little more radiant and regenerated - which is exactly what I wanted! The only thing I need now is the ultimate eye cream to tackle my eye bags!!

I also got a lovely Clarins bag with some samples in them - including the above skincare products so I now have a great range of stuff to try! Maybe I'll become addicted to skincare instead of make up! ha!

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Cleansing Oil

I have wanted to try a cleansing oil for a long time now. I found this product in Superdrug recently, and I thought why not give it a go. It calls itself a "15 second miracle" cleansing oil. Well, it's not wrong!

I was a bit dubious as it says it is suitable for face and eyes. What I did was apply 2 pumps of oil to my hands, rub my hands together and then onto my face. This stuff is absolutely brilliant for removing eye make up. I tried using the oil on a cotton pad to remove eye make up, but it is nowhere near as effective as using your fingertips. Just make sure you don't get any in your eyes!

Make up literally dissolves within seconds using this. It is fab! I never expected it to be so good. I had only ever used lotion cleansers before, but I have never used anything so quick and so effective for removing make up. My skin even looks a lot more healthy since I started to use it. To be completely honest, it does everything it says it does on the bottle! I couldn't fault it at all, and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Clinique All About Eyes Rich

I am very, very conscious about my under-eye area. Although I am only 24 years old, I swear my under-eyes make me look so much older. I put it down to dry skin making me look like I have fine lines. So in need of some hydration, I started to research what eye creams would be good for me, and I came across this one. I got it in Debenhams and it cost me £24.00. 

 Nearly all gone! 

So I have had this cream for more than a year now, and been using it every night. And I can safely say, that it has made NO difference to the appearance of my under-eyes. I might as well not have been using it at all! I had read so many good reviews on it, some people really saw a huge difference after just a few weeks, but a year on I see no change at all.
Just recently I have read some pretty bad reviews on Clinique's 3 Step skincare range and it has really frightened me. I have used Clinique's make up before and liked it, but this was my first time using any of their skincare products. This eye cream did not irritate my skin or anything, it just hasn't made a difference at all. If anyone has any suggestions as to what would be a suitable and effective eye cream for me, please let me know!

Spot Remedies!

Everyone has their own spot remedies, and I have certainly tried a lot too. Sudocreme, Tea Tree Oil, Witch Hazel, Germaline and many more... but this one is by far the most effective for me.

You can use any brand I suppose, but a tea tree cream is supposed to be more effective than an oil because your skin can absorb it better. This Nelsons one I got in Boots and it costs £5.00. I adore the smell of Tea Tree products too. If I feel a spot coming on I dab some of this on, several times a day if I can. It honestly clears up any spots within a day or two (for me anyway!). I only wish I had discovered this in my teenage years!

Benefit Skincare Set

I ordered this set online from Debenhams for £10. I thought it was a good enough deal, since I had thought about purchasing from this range but not sure if the products would be right for me or not. 

This little set is very well presented, it would make a lovely gift! Plus it looks really cute on display in my bathroom.  It contains:

Foamingly Clean Facial Wash

Refined Finish Facial Polish

Moisture Prep Toning Lotion

Triple Performing Facial Emulsion

Total Moisture Facial Cream

It's Potent Eye Cream

I have used all the products, and to be honest the only items I would purchase the full sized versions of are the Total Moisture cream and the eye cream. I am not saying that the others aren't good, I just don't think I would use them that often! There is still quite a lot of product left in my sample sizes. I had been using Clinique All About Eyes Rich and I really think that It's Potent is a much better eye cream, it has really brightened up my eye area after just over three weeks! I am so impressed with it.