Coconut Oil

Coconut oil seems to be on trend at the moment, especially for those health and beauty junkies out there. So I decided to see what the fuss was all about and research the many benefits of coconut oil.

helps with weight loss

Unlike other oils, coconut oil is made up of medium-chain saturated fatty aside (MCFA). These MCFA's are small enough to be absorbed into our cells therefore our body can immediately metabolise it and convert it into energy rather than being stored as fat. It can also help with digestion by soothing bacteria/stomach bugs that cause poor digestion. Add coconut oil to your diet everyday by replacing your normal cooking oil with coconut oil.  

prevents skin from ageing

 Coconut oil is claimed to be a hydrating treatment that can prevent sagging/wrinkles and minimise any fine lines. Just apply a bit on your face daily as a normal moisturiser.

prevents hair loss and dandruff

hardened build-up of sebum can clog the hair follicles and hinder the hair follicles ability to function properly. This can cause hair loss, slow hair growth, and dry flakey scalps. By using coconut oil as a scalp treatment, it can remove any product build up on the scalp (including shampoo and conditioner build up) therefore stimulating hair growth and revealing a clean healthy scalp.

hydrating treatment

Coconut oil can be used as a beauty treatment - you can use it as a body lotion/scrub to help moisturise your skin, you can use it as a hair mask/conditioner to strengthen your hair and help condition your dry ends, you can even use it as a lip balm, make up remover, cuticle oil, to remove excess wax, or even as a natural deodorant (Ive tried this - it works!). 

Coconut oil is so versatile.. You can use it for just about anything. No wonder its claimed to be a 'super food'. 

Below is a step by step procedure on how to make 1. Your own coconut body scrub and 2. Your own strengthening hair mask.

DIY Coconut Body Scrub

What you'll need:

- 1 tbs coconut oil

- 2 tbs sugar

- container

Directions: 

1. scoop one tablespoon of coconut oil in a container.

2. place the container with the coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds to dissolve the coconut oil into a liquid. 

3. scoop two tablespoons of sugar in the oil.


4.  and mix it in (don't worry if the sugar sets to the bottom as its pretty much impossible to keep it fully mixed).

5. In a bathtub, take a spoonful of mixture into your palms and rub onto dry skin (you can scrub your elbows, knees, soles of your feet for longer).

6. After scrubbing your body, rinse well with warm water and follow with soap if your body is still really oily. 

7. Pat dry and no need to follow with a body cream as your skin should feel extremely moisturised now.

* The only problem about this is that it can get messy. Make sure you clean your bath tub after as it can be slippery from the oil.

* After doing this, your skin should feel extremely smooth, soft, and hydrated.

DIY Strengthening Hair Mask

What you'll need:

- 2 tbs Coconut oil (seals the hair, prevent protein loss, helps retain moisture)

-  2 tbs Honey (natural conditioner, adds shine to hair)

- 1 Egg yolk (full of protein, help frizzy damaged hair)

Directions:

1. Place the coconut oil, egg yolk, and honey into a pot
 on low heat.

 

2. Let the ingredient dissolve and whisk them all together.  

 

3. Apply to all over to dry hair and scalp (massage the scalp).

4. Cover with shower cap/plastic bag (I used a plastic bag so that I could throw away the bag once I was done).

5. Wait for 30 minutes - 1 hour.

6. Wash out with shampoo and conditioner

* The only problem with using coconut oil in the bath/shower is that it can get messy and leave your shower floors oily. So make sure that you clean it afterwards otherwise it can get slippery.

* Also its best to do this mask on a day when you're planning to stay at home because even after the first wash, your hair can look quite oily (It takes a good 2-3 times of washing it to get the oil fully out).

* After doing this mask, my hair felt strengthened (less hair loss), nourished and my scalp was much clearer. 

Makeup Bag

Paul & Joe makeup bag purchased from ASOS

What's in my makeup bag:

Chanel Vitalumiere Eclat SPF10 compact powder B10 Beige

 medium coverage, handy mirror inside, gives radiance and natural/non cakey look given that you use the compact brush provided rather than the sponge.

Shiseido Advanced Essential Energy mini hand cream

very nourishing hand cream, leaves hands feeling soft, compact.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 02

moisturises the lips while giving it a nice peachy pink tint, can use it by itself for a more natural look or you can use it as a base and put lipstick over it for more colour.

Revlon Lip Butter 080 Strawberry Shortcake

my favourite revlon lip butter colour, glossy baby pink, moisturises the lips while giving it enough colour.

Shiseido Sweat and Oil Blotting Paper

good for hot days, removes sweat and oil, prevents shine, good for those with oily skin/oily t-zone.

Bandaids

always have bandaids with me incase I get blisters from new shoes.

Klorane mini dry shampoo 

on the go shampoo, prevents/fixes oily hair, good for the fringe area, good for summer when theres more oil and sweat build up, compact. 

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle twist and spray perfume

favourite perfume scent, twist and spray makes it very easy to bring around rather than a typical glass perfume bottle which can break easily. 

Nars concealer in Vanilla/Honey

handy to have especially when you need to cover up dark circles or an upcoming pimple.

Contact lens case (with contact lens liquid inside)

so important to bring this around if you're a contact lens wearer. Sometimes contact lens's can irritate your eyes and you need to take them out temporarily to soak and let your eyes breathe. 

YvesSaintLaurent Touche Eclat brightener in colour 2

can brighten up your eyes instantly and make you look more awake, good for long days.

Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic eyeliner in BK999

unlike other liquid eyeliners (which have pots and can leak easily), this one is a twisty so you won't have to worry whether your eyeliner will leak as it will only suspend liquid when you need to use it. 

Napoleon white eyeliner

must have, can make you look like a different person -  make you look more awake instantly if you put it in the inner corner of your eyes/bottom waterline. 

YvesSaintLaurent waterproof black eyeliner

really good compact eyeliner, love that its waterproof, won't smudge easily, good for putting on top/bottom waterline.

Tweezerman mini tweezer

good to fix up your eyebrow shape/any rogue hairs when you're on the run.

Ann xx

Easy NYE Eye Makeup Tutorial

Products used to create this look: Maybelline Color Tattoo - 05 Too Cool, Canmake Glitter Powder - 05, Bobbi Brown - Charcoal 12, Loreal Color Riche Le Khol eyeliner - 101 Midnight Black. 

Brushes used for creating this look: flat concealer brush, dense concentrated application brush, small tapered brush, small fluffy blending brush, dense round smudging brush (from left to right).

Lipstick used for this look: Napoleon - Electra

New Years Eve Makeup Tutorial

1. Apply Too Faced Shadow Insurance eye primer all over eyelids and let it absorb. 

2. Using the flat head concealer brush, apply Maybelline Color Tattoo - 05 Too Cool (frosty white) from the inner corner to the centre of the eyelid. Also apply a little bit just below the bottom waterline.

3. Using Loreal Color Riche Le Khol eyeliner in 101 Midnight Black, roughly draw a side ways 'V' shape on the corner for your eye.
4. Then using a dense concentrated application brush, smudge the eyeliner out, dragging the colour in to the centre of the eyelid (sweeping back and forth). 

5. Using a small tapered eyeshadow brush, apply Bobbi Brown - Charcoal 12 (matte black) over the eyeliner to create more depth/darkness (sweeping back and forth). 

Using a small fluffy blending brush, blend the dark eyeshadow out (sweeping back and forth from the outer corner to the centre of the eyelid).

6. Using a dense rounded smudging brush, this time dab not sweep Canmake glitter powder where the white frosty eyeshadow was initially placed (from inner corner of the eye to centre). 

7. Using Bobbi Brown black gel eyeliner draw a thing slightly winged line to the top of your eyes.
8. Apply some to the bottom waterline as well to create that smudgy smokey look. 

9. Using Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in black, apply to the top of your eyes where the gel liner was placed. 

Finished New Years Eve Look

Ann xx

Frequently asked skincare questions

Throughout these years from working in the beauty industry, I have come across many different skincare/beauty related questions asked by some of my customers. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that I have been asked in the past and some answers to help solve your queries xx 
p.s this is going to be a very long & informative post!

Frequently asked skincare questions

What do toners do?

Toners help finish off the cleansing process by removing any excess dead skin cells, oil, soap and makeup. It also plumps up the skin and tightens up the pores - this is especially important for those who live in humid/polluted environments because once the pores are open from using your face cleanser, it may get clogged up very easily again if you don't use a toner to tighten/close your pores. Many people think that toners dry out the skin but in actual fact it can improve the hydration level of your skin. This is because toners remove any traces of dead surface cells and therefore allowing better absorption of hydration from any of your hydration treatments (e.g. serum/moisturiser). 

However it can also depend on what type of toner you use… There are so many different type of toners out there such as astringents (alcohol-based, tighten the skin and pores, and remove excess oil), fresheners (works similar to astringents by tightening the skin and pores however uses ingredients such as caffeine and green tea instead of alcohol) or other toners (consists of moisturisers, oils, and extracts that soothe the skin). Thats why it's very important to select a toner depending on your skin type (e.g. oily/normal/dry/combination). I have combination skin and like to use fresheners which are non alcohol based products but leave that fresh tightened feeling on my skin.  

How to use toner: After cleansing your skin, saturate toner in cotton pad and sweep gently across the face and neck avoiding the eyes and follow with a serum and moisturiser. 

Different types of toners. From left to right: Softeners (Shiseido & Hado Labo), Fresheners (Clarins & Kiehls)

Can i put toner around the eye area?

Putting toner around the eye area can be bad in the long run as toners tend to be very drying to the eye area, especially as the eye area is much more delicate and thinner compared to the rest of the face. Eventually, applying toner around the eyes will cause the skin to lose elasticity/sag and increase the appearance of wrinkles/fine lines. If you do want to clean around the eyes, use products specifically designed for this area as these products are usually less harsh and don't irritate the eye area e.g. eye makeup remover or even just water. 

The same applies for face cleansers, serums, moisturisers, masks, and exfoliators as they are too concentrated for the eye area (unless the product states that it can be used around the eye area). 

Why can't i just use normal cream for my eye area?

A seperate cream for the eye area is essential as the skin around your eye is very different from the rest of your face. 

The skin around the eyes is much thinner and delicate than the rest of your face - Eye creams tend to be thicker than facial moisturisers and will stay on the thin/mobile skin better. 

The skin around the eye area is more vulnerable to allergic reactions and sensitivity - the ingredients in eye cream is suited specifically for the eye unlike facial cream as such as certain ingredients in it can be too powerful for the delicate eye area and cause problems such as stinging or burning. 

The skin around the eye area uses more muscles from squinting, smiling, or displaying any kind of facial expression, thus quicker signs of ageing around this area (wrinkles, fine lines, crows feet) - Eye creams contain more emollients which can cause the skin to swell enough to lessen the appearance of fine lines/wrinkles. 

Unlike skin on the rest of your face, the eye area does not contain oil glands that can help keep the skin moist - Eye creams contain emollients/moisturisers that can help hydrate the drier eye area and help it look smoother. 

Different types of eye creams

The ingredients in eye cream are specifically designed to help under eye area concerns:

Smoking and sun rays --> wrinkles - Eye creams can contain ingredients that help boost collagen level and reduce appearance of wrinkles. 

Heredity, lack of sleep, sun exposure --> dark circles - Eye creams fight dark circles by temporarily puffing up skin so the blood vessels underneath aren't as noticeable.

Fluid build up, allergies/sinus problems --> puffiness - Some eye creams contain ingredients such as calendula/caffeine that are used to reduce under-eye puffiness and appearance of bags underneath the eye.

What is the best way to put on eye cream? Can you put eye cream right underneath the eye? 

After cleansing, toning, and putting on face serum, distribute a pea size amount of eye cream between your two ring fingers as the ring ringer has the smallest amount of pressure out of all your fingers and allows the most gentle application around the delicate eye area. 

After distributing eye cream between these two fingers, I like to dot the eye cream around the orbital bone area (just on top of your cheeks and on top of the eye brow) rather than just underneath the eye/just on top of the eye. This is because your eye area is so thin that the natural body heat will allow the product to seep right underneath the eye. If you do apply eye cream right underneath the eye, what can happen is millia seeds can form which are tiny white bumps that you get around the eye area from putting such a rich and oily product underneath the eye.

Once the eye cream is dabbed around the orbital bone, sweep from the inner corner of your eye (near your nose) to the outer corner with your ring finger. Do this for the top and bottom of your eye. Below is a diagram to show you.

Where to apply eye cream

After applying eye cream, follow with a facial moisturiser but avoid the region where you put the eye cream before. I like to put my eye cream on first before my normal cream so I know the region where I stop putting on my normal cream (this will help prevent millia seeds from forming around the eyes). 

What are serums?

Serums are highly concentrated yet lightweight formulas that infuse the skin with moisture and nutrients. Unlike moisturisers which keep the surface layer of the skin hydrated, serums penetrate much deeper into the skin tissue (due to their tiny molecules) and have very potent ingredients (which can result in fast/powerful results). Serums are able to target specific concerns such as dark spots, fine lines, hydration etc... depending on what serum you choose. It helps those with dry skin as it allows the moisturiser to penetrate deeper into the skin and also helps those with oily skin as it can be used as a lightweight moisturiser at the same time.  How to use a serum: 1) Cleanse 2) Tone 3) Serum (tap into your skin and gently work the product in until absorbed) 4) Eye cream 5) Moisturise - Use serum day and night for optimum results.  What are exfoliators and how long do I exfoliate for?

Exfoliators can remove dead skin cells, unclog pores that can cause breakouts, stimulate circulation, reveal healthy fresh glowing skin, smooth skin out, remove dark/dull dry patches, polish the skin, improve skin texture, tone and clarity, and allow better absorption of skincare products. Whether you have dry/oily/combination skin, exfoliators are recommended for every skin type.  How to use an exfoliator:  1) Cleanse 2) Exfoliate (can use on dry skin/wet skin.. depending on the type of exfoliator/instructions) 3) Wash off 4) Toner 5) Serum 6) Eye cream 7) Moisturise Exfoliators - Always avoid eye area when exfoliating - Don't exfoliate too hard or too long (30 seconds) - Avoid exfoliating on scratches, wounds, and sun burnt skin - Use sunscreen after exfoliating as exfoliation makes you more susceptible to burns - Exfoliate once a week

Pat, press, rub, or massage in serum and moisturiser?

Every skincare has different instructions for application. It's usually best to follow the instructions for application as there is a reason for this, allows you to get the most out of the product, and doing it any other way may be wasteful. e.g. creme de la mer instructs you pat a small amount between fingertips and press into skin (once patted on to skin, it warms up and spreads more effectively). There are usually a reason behind these instructions. If there are no instructions on the product other than "apply/massage on to skin" then for light/fluid products, apply with circular massage motions then gently pat in and for thicker/hard to spread products, warm up in your hands first, then pat in until sticky feeling goes away. This will allow for more even application. In general, massaging in your moisturiser is good for lymph drainage which will help detoxify congested areas. 

Different types of moisturisers

Should I allow time and wait before I put on each step?

Some articles state that we should wait about 5 minutes between each skincare step. But do we really have time for that? (especially in the morning). Normally, I wouldn't count time. I just wait until my skincare product feels like it has absorbed in (but not completely dry) then i put the next product on. The only product I don't wait for to absorb is toner because moist skin allows the active ingredients from my serum/moisturiser to penetrate into the skin more effectively. 

Should I leave the moisturiser to soak in before I put on foundation?

One of the best things you can do before putting on your foundation is letting your moisturiser soak in first. Allow maybe 10-15 minutes for this and maybe do your eye make up first if you have to wait around. This will prevent your foundation/make up from slipping off easily throughout the day. 

What does primer do?

Primers are used as a step before you put on your foundation and after your moisturiser. If you wear tinted moisturiser/BB cream, then there is really no need for primer. There are many different types of primers for different concerns; some that keep your skin looking matte and help absorb the oil throughout the day (for oilier skin), some that produce radiance (for dull skin or people who like that glowing dewy look), some that hydrate (for drier skin types), or some that just protect from the sun and sustain the basic job of being a primer. But generally all primers claim to create a nice smooth skin base to put your foundation on, allow your foundation to glide on more easily and evenly, help the colour of your foundation to be more pigmented/come through easily and stay on for longer. 

Different types of primers

What are masks and how often should I use them?

There are three type of masks 

1) clay/mud masks (usually for deep cleaning and unclogging pores)

2) peel off/sheet masks (can be for hydration, whitening, wrinkles etc.)

3) cream/gel masks that you can either leave on or wash off (either deep cleansing, hydration, whitening, wrinkles etc.)

Sheet Masks

You shouldn't use masks more than once a week as it is a treatment product with more active ingredients (unless stated). 

Typical steps of using a deep cleansing mask that will help with unclogging pores, oiliness, resurfacing, and deep cleaning:

1) Cleanse

2) Apply mask on dry skin (wait 10 minutes)

3) Wash off mask with water

4) Use toner to ensure all the left over mask is removed

5) Serum

6) Eye cream

7) Moisturise

Deep cleansing/Clay mask

- Different masks have different instructions and waiting times. With some masks, you can put a serum on first before applying the mask to allow better penetration of the serum as well. With other masks (usually not clay/deep cleansing masks rather a hydrating mask), you may not even need to use a moisturiser after and can just tissue off. The instructions all vary depending on the mask you use. 

- Because warm skin absorbs ingredients better, before applying your mask, make sure your skin isn't cold or apply a warm towel over face first if needed.

How long should I cleanse my skin for?

Massage in circular motions for 1-2 minutes until you feel like your skin is thoroughly clean.

- When cleansing, use warm water not do not hot water (excessive heat accelerates skin aging)
- When washing off your cleanser, wash it off with some cool water in order to close pores. Your toner should also help tighten your pores too. 

Whats the difference between gel cleanser, foam cleanser, and cream cleanser in terms of how deep it cleanses?

Generally they all clean just as well (also depending on what brand you get), but are just suited to different skin types. 

It's important to use to correct type of skincare suited for your skin type:

Gel cleansers (low foam & remove excess surface oil and mattify skin to reduce shine throughout the day) - oily/acne prone skin

foam cleansers (soap-free foaming cleansers lift away impurities without stripping the skin's natural moisture/protective barrier) - normal combination skin

cream cleansers (usually calm and hydrate skin while removing impurities) - dry skin 

Cream cleansers (Clarins & La Prairie), Gel Cleansers (Biore), Foam Cleansers (Shiseido, Hada Labo, La Prairie)

 
Another type of cleanser is oil/water-based cleanser - This type of cleanser is not enough to deeply clean your skin and really just removes your make up first. Usually you would follow with your normal gel, foam, or cream cleanser. 

Shiseido oil based cleanser & Bioderma water based cleanser

Is popping your pimple first then applying pimple treatment better? 

Many people think that popping a pimple first then applying pimple treatment on it will help the treatment soak in better however it is actually quite the opposite. Putting harsh acne treatments on top of your popped pimple just irritates the area and makes the wound even harder to heal. You should treat your popped pimple just like any other open wound and leave it alone or if you really want, put Vaseline on it then cover with a small band aid/synthethic skin dressing as the moist and covered wound will help the skin recover much faster. In general, popping a pimple is bad as infected material can get pushed further into the skin leading to more swelling, redness, and further breakouts. It can also leave nasty pigments, spots, and scars on your face which can be hard to remove later on. 

Pimple treatments

What do facial massages do?

Poor nutrition and lack of exercise can affect your skin tone by slowing down the blood flow. Stress and tension can break down muscle and leave you with lines and wrinkles. Pollution can leave you with clogged pores. At night, your circulation system goes into sleep mode, which can leave you waking up with puffy eyes and a dull skin. A facial massage can help flush out toxins and drive out free radicals (to unclog pores and reveal clear skin), increase blood circulation (to give a luminous glow), stimulating the lymph nodes (to reduce swelling/puffiness), relax tight muscles (to prevent the formation of wrinkles and fine lines), remove dead skin cells (to help hydration levels and reveal smoother looking skin), and tightens and firms the flesh under the chine (to decrease double chin).

- Having a facial massage from time to time (e.g. once a month) is recommended to achieve healthy looking skin.