Product Review: Nivea Body Summer Beauty Firming Gradual Tan Body moisturiser

 

So I've had this in my beauty cabinet for awhile and thought,its almost summer,may as well try it

Well it is safe to say my first attempt was a disaster! I was all streaky and patchy around my knees,ankles and feet 3 days in so thought"Hmm lets try this a different way" so I thought the fake tan approach

I shaved and exfolaited in the shower,then used a normal body moistiser on my knees,ankles and feet then applied the product

Well I have to say the product stinks,it smells so bad!But unlike some other gradual tanners it dried pretty quickly(which is good as I put it on at night so I dont smell throughout the day!)Once I figured out how to apply it,and once I got past the smell,it was ok!

But after 3 days I had to stop as I was pretty damn tan!(ok lightly Tan lol Im pretty pale to begin with).

Firming wise though....hmmm not too sure if I can rate it as I only used it a couple of days and was focusing more on the colour,not the firming properties.

So when you put together the smell and streakiness the product kind of sucks BUT if you forget the smell and take into consideration that my fake tan approach produced great results and in only 3 days its fantastic so I am kind of on the fence here about how to rate it.

The bottle says to use as a daily body moisturiser so the fact that I used it differently to get good results I guess I cant rate it very highly!

But hey its doesnt cost much and if you want to use my fake tan approach do so,you may love it!

Battle of the bronzers

With summer fast approaching and having alot of summer days Im using bronzer more and more(I will not tan in the sun,I hate the thought of what the sun does to my skin,I burn,blister and peel, a hot look but not the good kind!)

So I usually use Thin Lizzy 6 in 1,have done for a good 3 years but when I ran out and saw my bank account balance there was really no $50 to shell out for thin lizzy.
Being a fan of most designer brands products I went on their website and saw they had a few reasonably priced bronzers ranging from $9.99 to $24.99

When I went in all I could find was their Mineral Multi-Colour Blusher & Bronzer for $13.99,not exactly the one I wanted but I grabbed the bronzer and went off happy as can be. This is kind of what it looks like(the shade is not exact)

Now when I use bronzer I use it as a blush,cheek contour,face framer and use it on my neck,chest and shoulders if they are bare

Well I can say I am impressed with their compact,it has this gorgeous slide out mirror which is awesome,but thats as far as my being impressed goes
The brush provided,well, it sucks unless you like stripes so I tossed it into my brush box as it is good as an eyeshadow blending brush!

So I used a regular powder brush to apply and well when you consider how little it costs I suppose it is worth what you pay but it is very much a case of you get what you pay for which dissapointed me as I love Designer Brands make up!

The multi tones in the compact meant it could end up being quite uneven and I realised it has some chunky glitter particles which is a sign of cheap manufacturing,so I have to say I was most dissapointed with this.

Now onto Thin Lizzy. Its roughly $50 and you get 2 compacts,2 brushes.2 scented lip glosses and 2 double ended eyeliners in black and brown
Well the lip glosses,I HATE! They are sticky and I hate the scent,but then again I have a friend who loves the lip glosses (although she isnt a huge make up fan) so I guess its personal preference

I love the eyeliner,I use the black for my waterline often and the brown for my eyebrows so getting 2 is a bonus

The brushes are also great and I will often use one to apply mineral foundation

Onto the bronzer itself. Alot of people complain Thin Lizzy makes them orange and (now I dont want to offend anyone) but I have found it is only orange when you apply it incorrectly.Its has a sublte sheen,nothing too glittery and no chunky particles.When applied correctly it gives you a gorgeous bronze glow

So really Thin Lizzy is great value for money and is a fantastic product and one I will have to stick to(although I have to wait for my bank balance to get over its little virus,ha ha)

It is safe to say Thin Lizzy is definatley the winner here!

Product Review:L'oreal Paris Elvive Smooth Intense Anti Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner

Today I am reviewing L'oreal Paris Elvive Smooth Intense Anti Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner

This particular duo is as the title says,anti frizz and it claims to be for:Difficult to smooth,Dry or Wavy hair

It claims 48 hour anti frizz,contains Silk protein and Argan Oil and "Smoothes,Calms,Nourishes,Sleek, Fluid, Managable hair"

Now to let you know a bit about my hair is it is naturally wavy but very frizzy if blor dried or left to air dry,the only thing that reduces the frizz is if I straighten my hair or use an anti frizz serum which I dont like to use as they are often very very greasy and to be honest Im on a budget so cannot afford to always have a good quality serum on hand. Lately all shampoo and conditioners have been failing to produce the result they promise

There are a few reasons I bought this particular shampoo and conditioner
1:I heard rave reviews on it on the TradeMe health and beauty messageboards

2:It cost the same as most other shampoo and conditioners at the supermarket

3: It claims to fix all the problems I have been having with my hair and I was at the end of my tether will all the other shampoo's I had tried but did not get results from

I loved this Shampoo and Conditioner from the very first wash.It smells great and the thing I loved about the conditioner the most was when I smoothed it through my hair and rinsed it out it didnt feel all slick and greasy like most of my previous conditioners but my hair still felt smooth and silky.

I was very sceptical about how it would leave my hair once dry so I blow dried my hair(no brushing or trying to style like I usually do just a straight blasting) and wow I was so shocked when I saw how frizz free it was once dry,especially seeing how rough I was with my hair!Plus my hair felt so soft

Ok so it passed the first test,the second was how it would leave my hair once air dried(just leaving my hair loose and letting it dry throughout the morning) and I have to say it kept its promise,my hair was not at all frizzy and again was so so soft

So the 3rd and final test,how frizz free would my hair remain for 48 hours? Well my hair wasnt completely frizz free but bear in mind I had slept on it and played in the wind with the kids,running around but there was very little frizz and it was as soft as it was at the start of the 48 hours

My hair has been so much more manageable in the week I have been using this and I will continue to use this shampoo and conditioner for good!!

So how highly do I rate this product?So highly there arent enough stars to rate it with. So below I'll just leave a list of why I love it

-Smells Lovely
-Left my hair silky and soft
-Kept its 48 hour anti frizz promise
-My hair is alot more manageable
-The conditioner doesnt feel slimy or greasy in wet hair

So thats my review,I got each of these for less than $6 at the supermarket so it is such a bargain,you get so much for so little!

Why am I getting pimples?

So you cleanse,tone and moisturise. Eat pretty well. Stay hydrated but those damn pimples keep popping up?!

Well I have a little bit of info that may help you combat those spots,starting with reasons why they may be coming back to haunt you!

How clean are your hands,make up brushes and sponges? Dirty brushes and sponges are riddled with bacteria,your hands even moreso so cleaning is the key.If I can get to soap and water when applying my make up,I use either a baby wipe to wipe my hands(being a mother I always have these on hand) or a hand sanitizer.

If you use a foundation brush or a sponge and have a spot leave covering this till you have finished otherwise you will spread the pmiples and wash in hot soapy water before using again. Also do not use the wand or stick of concealer straight on to blemishes as this will contaminate your concealer,dab some on your hands and then blend and before moving onto another part of your face wash or wipe your hands using a baby wipeor anti bacterial wipe or use some hand santizer.

Also if you use a concealer brush on pimples make sure you wash it after each use in hot soapy water

Are you washing off all of your cleanser? If you dont wash your cleanser off thouroughly each time it can cause you to breakout. If possible do what I do,cleanse in the shower

If your the kind of woman who likes to be at a sink,use a face cloth to help wash it off and make sure you dont miss your hair and jawline.If a standard face cloth is too harsh for your skin,use a muslin cloth available at most baby stores

Like a glass of wine or 10(well any alcoholic beverage really)? This is going to be absorbed by your bloodstream and can wreak havoc with our skin,make sure your drinking plenty of water between glasses of wine(or whatever your drink of choice is

Got clean pillowcases? Bacteria breeds in your pillow and hey you sleep on it every night! Turn your pillow each night,change your pillowcase every few days. Latex pillows are also more hygenic than feather or down types

Stress and Hormones! This one is so obvious I wasnt even going to mention it but hey may as well! For women stress and hormones are linked and when we are stressed,our hormones go out of whack causing a surge of cortisol and oestrogen. No matter how busy you are take time each day to relax. Have a nice hot bath or shower,slap on a face mask,lie down in a nice warm room and listen to some music.Go for a walk.Get plenty of sleep to help your skin regulate and repair itself

Till next time lovelies,stay Simply Stunningly Gorgeous

Product Review: Natio Lip Colour in shade Sienna

I love love love this lipstick! Its almost my perfect shade(but Im still hunting for THE perfect shade since Loreal discontinued my shade back in 2004) anyway enough of my sob story more reviewing!

Like all lipsticks this has its good and bad points,lets cover the good first shall we?

The lipstick itself glides on you lips which is great, and it feels really good on your lips,kinda luxurious so you feel great wearing it.Sienna also has slight glittering particles to it,maybe copper or gold-ish as it is quite a reddish brown shade,anyway this lipstick is definatley shimmer rather than Matte.The particles are so fine you do not feel them on your lips. The blurb on the site says

Twenty long-wearing moisturising lip colours.

Benefits: Enriched with essential oils to help keep lips feeling velvety soft and smooth.

While it feels great on your lips I dont think it actually does anything for your lips. I also find that if I dont use some type of lip plumper or primer underneath that its not actually that long wearing which is a shame as you have to keep re-applying so if your looking for a lipstick thats long wearing,Natio Lip Colour isnt the right lipstick for you. Also if you use the site as a shade indicator(http://www.natio.com.au/colour/lips/lipstick.html) you will be dissapointed when you go in store to puchase it as the shades on the site are SO different to the actual shades.

I tried to take good colour quality photos but I wasnt very successful here you are anyway

All in all its an OK lipstick but as I said if you are looking for long wearing colour,this probably isnt a great choice for you. From memory I paid $16-$18 for it from Radius Pharmacy

Untill next time my lovelies, stay Simply Stunningly Gorgeous!

The world of Mineral Make up

So I was about to write up a review on my Australis Mineral Inject Liquid foundation when I thought to myself, how much do I actually know about Mineral Make Up? The answer was”not a hell of alot”

So with my Powder Mineral Foundation and my liquid mineral foundation I started researching ingredients found in Mineral Make Up

Now there is so much info out there I couldnt possibly compact it here so if you would like more info,just ask and give me some time and I’ll try and get as much info as I can packed in a couple of blog posts

The scary thing I have learnt is for a make up to be marketed as  mineral it doesnt have to be pure mineral make up! There are no strict regulations so as long as one of the main ingredients is mineral it can be labelled as such

 The most common mineral used is Titanium Dioxide, now imagine my surprise when my usual foundation which does not claim to be mineral said it may contain Titanium Dioxide on the ingredients list! My liquid mineral foundation only contains 2 ingredients that are considered mineral,one of which it MAY contain and both are found in my regular foundation!

Make up companies can slap on the word “Mineral” ,adding another money making product to their brand,charge more(because apparently minerals are so good for your skin)and the worst thing is they are and will continue to get away with it

2 main/major ingredients in Mineral Foundations is

Titanium Dioxide:   It offers sun protection, reflects light (only surpassed by diamonds), has high coverage, and helps makeup “stick” to your skin.  This product is the first choice for many powerful sunscreens. For more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_dioxide

Zinc Oxide:  Zinc oxide like Titanium oxide also offers sun protection.  Zinc oxide can calm irritated skin and helps with certain skin conditions such as rosacea.  You'll get high coverage and staying power with this in your mineral makeup.For more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_oxide

One thing Mineral make up has going for it is that it is better for skin as it doesnt contain irritants. Well they do remove frangrances synthetic dyes, preservatives and binders which of course is going to be kinder to the skin.

Ok so what we have now is Read the label and look for the purer ingredient lists?

Sadly,no. Mineral Make up can also pose health risks(powder mineral make up).

One of the reasons Mineral Make up is so popular is because of the smooth,long lasting coverage it provides,most companies accomplish this by “micronizing" their minerals into microscopic or nanoparticle size, and here is where the danger starts.Please do take note that not all cosmetic companies use nano particles in their formulations.

This following Paragraph is from this website http://www.lavera.com/education/ingredient-questions/mineral-makeup

    Recent UK studies advise of strong health risks when using Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) in nano particle form in powdered mineral makeup. These inhaled TiO2 nano particles coming in contact with living tissue have a similar effect as asbestos and can cause lung cancer.    However, TiO2 is safe when contained in cream form as it cannot then become airborne. This is typically the case in sun screens. In cream form, TiO2 stays on the upper layers of the skin and does not come in contact with living tissue

Ok so its dangerous when it comes in contact with living tissue?! Wow that is really quite scary

Upon further research I have found that in large quantities it is dangerous but in small quantities risks are minimal.

Here is a link providing further information on the risks of inhaling mineral make up http://www.ehow.com/about_5471072_risks-inhaling-mineral-makeup.html

Well now my mind is well and truly boggled I’ll leave you to umm and ahh over mineral make up. I hope this has been helpful and untill next time stay Simply Stunningly Gorgeous!!

Sunday

Well its Sunday and in the morning we wake up to the start of a new week!!

This week is going to hopefully be good, blog wise.Have some new products Im trying and will be reviewing, another australis foundation review,hopefully a video for my youtube channel and maybe some new make up looks and an article on ingrown hairs so I better be motivated and do it!!

Today I tried ANOTHER nail look

Wow look how fat my fingers look! Pretty much its a new take on a French Mani,hot pink with black tips. Recently some of my nails snapped so my original french mani doesnt look so hot(plus I was stuck in a rut) so am trying out some new looks. So far out of the 4 nail looks Ive tried only this one and my spotty one I posted yesterday have been worth a mention!

Ok so two products Im trying out this week are the shampoo and conditioner by L'oreal Paris Elvive,hopefully it will restore my hair to its former glory and a nivea visage firming gradual tanner(I dont have it on hand right now so will let you know the name of it when I write the review)

So now it is time for me to go to bed but hopefully this week I get some new followers(if you know anyone who may be interested in my blog give them the link pretty please!)

So untill tomorrow stay Simply Stunningly Gorgeous xx

Coz its true,I glue,I glue,I glue,I glue,I glue woahwoah!

Arent ya just loving my cheesy tag lines? The above if you dont recognise it,is inspired by the song I do by Abba (youtube it if you dont know it,GREAT SONG) anyway thats way off topic!

This post is about false eyelashes(get it,I glue?). Now not long ago I finally figured out how to put on falsies and boy Im glad I did!!

Today I was at the 1,2,3 Dollar Store and saw these amazingly thick gorgeous falsies

So for the huge price of $2 I thought "Gotta have them,what have I got to lose?"

Now the glue that comes with it is crap(but hey do you really expect great lashes AND glue for $2?). Dont get me wrong it does work I just dont like it.

Now while I cant say all 1,2,3 dollar stores have them I am saying if you see falsies in cheap stores, try them,use your own eyelash glue and give them a whirl! they look great on

Dots and dots of fun!

When it comes to nail polish,like my make up,Im pretty set in my ways. Its either red,black or french tips so today I decided black with white dots would be fun!

I thought they turned out quite well considering I only had a limited amout of time to do them in

It was pretty basic and simple,just applied a base coat(which with most nail polishes is a must,especially black as it is very good at staining nails!) then applied black and used a kebab skewer,dipped it in my Designer Brands french white and dotted. It was relatively quick and not too complicated so definatley a look I will use again and hey if your feeling in the mood for a fun look,try it! you could even do red and white or pink and black,pretty much any colour combo would work!

Damn you KK x3

Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian are the KK x 3 I refer to!
I love the Kardashian sisters and most of all their dark,smokey eye look so I followed suit and stated creating a down played version of it
But now Im stuck in a rut, just could not get inspired with a new look, so with the help of the beautiful ladies on the TradeMe health and beauty message boards I was given a few ideas and am going to try them over the next few weeks

It was suggested I try a pin up style look but instead of red lips, bright pink lips! So I did my best(I dont create pin up well) but this is the result,the pink is alot pinker than it appears in the photos but unfortunatley my cell phone camera isnt the highest quality! Im also going to try green in a few days but here are some pics of the look I did do! And to the TradeMe messageboard ladies,thanks heaps!

Product Review:Australis Perfection Brush On Foundation with SPF

Australis Perfection Brush On Foundation

I use this foundation all the time I think I am actually running out!

The blurb on the back says

A simple and mess-free way to achieve a flawless, natural looking finish. The unique formulation assists in hydrating the skin and protecting it from the harsh environment.

Australis Perfection Brush On Foundation effortlessly transforms the skin to luminous perfection with the stroke of a brush.

As you can see it comes with the brush which dispenses the foundation and the concept is you use the brush to apply the foundation. I tried this and personally I do not like the brush,I think it is crap and a useless way to apply the foundation, this is my own personal opinion.

The foundation on the other hand I love. The way I use it is I squeeze it out of the brush onto the back of my (clean) hand and apply it using my fingertips. The foundation is very liquid-y(if that is even a word) but it offers AMAZING coverage. The downside is it is quite heavy on the skin which in all honesty is something I dont mind but I know alot of women like lightweight foundations. It is also quite time consuming to completely wash off.

It comes in 5 different shades Nude, Natural fawn, Golden tan, Natural beige and Natural tan. I use Nude

All in all a good foundation for someone who likes a heavier, full coverage. The brush is pretty useless though in my opinion but good value for money(I got it before the GST rise for about $23 from radius pharmacy) I love it

SUCCESS!!

Last night I had a good night out with a good friend of mine and I had the most dramatic eye look going on (will post the photos later). Pretty much the look was thick,black gel eyeliner along my upper,lower and waterline some grey,dark shimmery navy blue and some shimmery black on my upper lids,white under my brows as a highlight and a light dusting of grey underneath the black liner of my lower lash line. ANYWAY with a look this dramatic insane lashes had to go with it. So I get ready to do my eyelashes and thought,no!Now is the perfect time to practice putting on the falsies.
Well I tried,and tried,and tried and then tried some more. I then realised that the only reason they weren't working is because the inner quarter of my lash line was quite watery and it  just would not stick. So I bravely got my scissors and trimmed them.applied glue,put them on my eyes and voila! I had done it!!

Now I am going to do a YouTube tutorial on eyelashes for beginners  or if your interested go onto YouTube and search for a tutorial,they are so helpful. But here are some steps to how I applied them

1:Sit at a table and place a mirror on the table to look down in
2:Apply glue to lash and while waiting for it to get tacky wiggle the lashes a bit
3:Close you eye and look down into the mirror,you should easily see your lash line
4:Take the falsie and put the middle of it on your lash where you want it to sit then work on attaching the inner and outer lash as close to your lash line as possible and pay attention to the outer corners as these are the areas the lashes typically unstick
5:Fill in any gaps with eyeliner

Now I found when I first put the lashes on they were so heavy they were almost uncomfortable although half an hour later they felt natural. I also very gently used my eyelash curler to curl them but that is completely optional

To remove them I soaked a cotton ball in make up remover and used that to help peel them off

I used Manic Panic eyelash glue which is only about $4 and has super hold,the only problem I have with it is the tube is small

Hope you are all having a fabulous Sunday

Stay Simply Stunningly Gorgeous! xx

False eyelashes

Later today I will be testing out putting on false eyelashes! I have never had much luck so am hoping to do this successfully and master the skill. I will also be using manic panic eyelash glue so can also do a mini review on it!

Gorgeous and stunning lashes

I was going to do a video for this BUT my camera broke yesterday(open bottle of coke,camera,handbag you can see where Im going with this!) so sadly I cant even do some pics to show before and afters of my own lashes but if I can get some good ones in natural daylight with my phone tomorrow I will flick them up

Now the following is what I do with my eyelashes to make the lashes really stand out,it may or may not work for you but hey try it,if you dont like it then dont do it again!I use this method as I am pretty hopeless when it comes to applying falsies(still trying but until then...)

Long,curly,luscious lashes(please note you do all the steps on one eye then do the other)

Step 1:Dust your eyelashes with a loose or transluscent powder

Step 2: Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler(you can warm them slightly using a hairdryer)

Step 3:Apply a coat of a curling mascara(I use Avon Supercurlacious) then apply a coat of volumising mascara(Now I use either Maybelline Unstoppable,Avon Spectralash or Nutrimetics Lash impact)

Step 4:Brush your eyelashes while still wet either with a lash brush or a clean mascara wand

Step 5: Start on the other eye

This looks great teamed with dramatic liquid eyeliner!!

If you do try this method please let me know what you think of it!!

Nutrimetics Christmas Launch Party

Last night I attended the wellington Christmas Launch party and WOW what an informative night!
Found out about all sorts of great new deals coming out for xmas,got to check out some awesome new products,it was just fantastic! Later today I will be posting the great Christmas deals on my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Wellington/Simply-Stunningly-Gorgeous/156943724335139 and posting a few of my personal fav deals

Hope you all enjoy it when its all up

2 products Im using right now.. AND LOVING!!

I have 2 products Im using at the moment that I am totally in love with!!

The first is Anew Alpha Peel-Off facial mask from avon

I am not sure of the RRP of this as I purchased it at a discounted price off Trade Me

I use this mask 1-2 times a week(the tube says to use it 2-3 times though my skin gets irritated if I use it more than twice). It is very "strong" Im not sure if that is due to the alcohol content(which I usually shy away from) or the AHA's. I would not reccommend this for sensitive skin

Heres the blurb from the avon website about it

Reveal younger, healthier-looking skin in only 10 minutes. Custom blend of AHAs and gentle botanicals lift away impurities. Refines and conditions for fresher, smoother-looking skin. Peel-off formula. Dermatologist tested. 

Now from the blurb it sounds like it could be,or is very similar to a chemical exfoliant but dont take my word on it. Either way I love how it makes my skin feel(although when I first apply it stings a little) and as it is peel off its easy to remove.

Now for the 2nd product Im using and IN LOVE with is Anew Alternative Intensive Eye Cream. It is OMG WONDERFUL!!I have a problem with dark circles and this product reduced them significantly within a week!! I use it once a day.

Last time I checked it reatiled for about $59..99 from Avon(can ya tell I just LOVE Avon products!)but I again purchased mine off Trade Me for about $15.

It is an eye cream I will definatley buy again and again(as long as I can get it at a discounted price)It is worth the $59.99 but at that price it is a little out of my price range

Oh I almost forgot about the blurb on the Avon Website about it!

Reclaim brighter, younger-looking skin around eyes. The brightest innovation in herbaceutical skincare. Anti-aging science and Eastern healing herbs unite to attack the major signs of dark circles and treat the age-related conditions that can make them look worse. (#07228)

Immediately
Undereye area looks naturally brighter, more radiant

In 1 week
Dark undereye circles start to visibly fade*

*Results based on a clinical instrumentation study

It is so true about eye circles fading in a week! 

 

So those are two of my products Im loving this week

Stay simply stunningly gorgeous ladies! xoxo

The big bad sun

The sun is a lot more damaging than most of us really care to think about. We may think of sun damage when we get a bad sunburn, when we pick up a moisturiser with an SPF but we really should be thinking about the damage the sun can do and what steps we can take to prevent it

Sunburn and excessive tanning is the damage the sun does that we can see, but what about the damage we can’t see?

First off, it doesn’t have to be a sunny day for the sun to harm your skin.... scary thought huh?

UV rays penetrate deep into your skin and kill living skin cells. Your body then has to work hard to try and fix this (the process then results in the hot and red sunburn). Sunburn can lead to DNA damage, repeated sunburns increase your risk of developing skin cancer because of this damage to your DNA

Skin cancer can happen to anyone but those more susceptible are

·       Fair skin that burns easily in the sun

·       Red or fair hair

·       If you have alot of moles or freckles

·       Family history of skin cancer

·       Have had sunburn

90% of skin cancers are the result of sun damage, so now is the time to slip, slop, slap and wrap!

If you notice any mole changes remember to go straight to your doctor and check moles on a regular basis.

If you’re a tanner and thinking sun beds are a safe alternative think again, your skin will be exposed to harmful and damaging UV rays

UVA rays also damage collagen which is the protein that holds your skin together keeping it smooth, plump and firm. Collagen cannot rebuild itself and once the collagen structure breaks down it results in wrinkles

When choosing a sunscreen the higher the SPF the better. Apply sunscreen under moisturiser and at least 20 minutes before apply make up to allow it to penetrate your skin and start working. Using a moisturiser and/or foundation with an SPF just protects your skin a little bit further, although if you use a sunscreen daily you shouldn’t need to worry too much about your other products containing SPF

When applying your sunscreen don’t forget your neck, the back of your neck, chest, arms and your ears. Any body part that is exposed needs sunscreen. Carry your sunscreen with you if you may be removing clothing layers later on.

Also make sure you are protecting your eyes as the sun can damage them and if badly damaged this can cause irreversible damage and worst case scenario: BLINDNESS!!

Now with my other blogs I have been recommending products but this time I’m not. I am going to tell you what I use, prices and where you can get it from. I just think sunscreen is something so important and I am no expert so would not feel comfortable recommending any. I am sharing with you what I use and leave it at that.

I use New Zealand Cancer society Broad spectrum SPF 30+

I also use Nutrimetics Sun Days Sunscreen Cream SPF 30+

I hope this has been helpful in helping you maintain gorgeous skin!!

DISCLAIMER: Although all care has been taken in research for this article it should not replace advice given to you by a dermatologist, doctor or other skin care professional

Moisturisers

Moisturisers, everyone should use one whether your 13 or 90!

Moisturisers play a vital role in helping retain your skins natural moisture and adding moisture,keeping your skin moisturised makes it supple,smooth and flexible. Moisturising helps in keeping your skin looking younger(as dehydrated skin tends to wrinkle sooner). Lack of moisture leaves the skin not just looking unhealthy but makes it brittle and rough

Moisturiser is best applied to a damp face,this could be after your shower or after you cleanse.

Everyone needs to use a moisturiser, yes even those of you with oily skin. Oil is not moisture and excess oil DOES NOT keep your skin hydrated. Think of it this way, you would you substitute water with cooking oil? Absolutley not! So do not make the mistake of skipping moisturiser if you have oily skin.

If you have oily skin choose a water based moisturiser

If you have dry skin,an oil based moisturiser is your best bet,you may also benefit from a thicker moisturiser depending on how dry your skin is.

When choosing a moisturiser check what skin type it is desgined for and only use one designed for your skin type.

Protection against the sun is also very important so choosing a moisturiser with an SPF is great,the higher the SPF the better but you may also want to apply sunscreen underneath your moisturiser for added protection.

Also night moisturisers are important,just make sure you use a night formulation and again make sure it is suited for your skin type.

I reccomend that you do not use an anti ageing formulation until you are at least 30,Ive made the mistake and Im sure many others have too. Living in a beauty obsessed world where youth is valued ,we all want to look young but anti ageing formulations are heavier and more moisturising because more mature skin needs that extra moisture,if your under 30 you DO NOT NEED IT and more than likely will not benefit from it! If you are concerned about ageing and are under 30, use an eye cream instead,they work wonders!!

 You do not have to spend a bomb on moisturisers to get fantastic results!

The following moisturisers I have used(the Olay and Nutrimetics one I currently use) .The Olay 7 signs of ageing one I have used BUT as I was only 21 at the time it was not suited for my skin however my Mum used it(I gave it to her as I switched to my current Olay moisturiser) and she loves it. I have chosen mostly supermarket available brands as they are the ones I use and get fantastic results from. They are also a bit more affordable.

Olay Complete SPF 15 $14.79 from Supermarkets

Nivea Visage Young Control Shine moisturising gel cream $11.79 from Supermarkets

Nivea Visage Q10 plus anti wrinkle ngiht cream $18.89 from Supermarkets

Olay Total Effects SPF 15 $33.70 from Supermarkets

Nutrimetics Hydrafinity Skin Hydrator with Vitamin C $47 available from nutrimetics.co.nz or email me at simplystunninglygorgeous@gmail.com to order,free postage within New Zealand!!