merry christmas!

dear all of my wonderful blog readers,

i just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!! and an extremely happy 2010!

ps. if you haven't seen my christmas looks video yet, make sure to check it out...it's a fairly festive vlog about what i'm wearing this christmas and what makeup looks i'll be doing!

my christmas wish list

isn't it funny how one stupid hater comment can ruin your day. i tried to not let it. but it did.

anyway, here's my latest YT video, that was requested for me to do: My Christmas Wishlist

here's a breakdown of things I would like (ps. i won't get all of this, at all, but these are just ideas!) :

A subscription to Vogue and Country Living, hats (especially vintage ones), Anthropologie vouchers, theatre and cinema tickets, polaroid camera, Folio classic books, socks, driving gloves, craft stuff, cookie cutters, candles, hot water bottles, flavoured tea, cookbooks, fashion and period costume books, blankets, money, a new camera with a focus, the OC season 4, bare minerals stuff, a vintage bike, cooking course, a puppy, and ice cream maker!!

Show and Tell

Here's a bit of an update on what I've been doing lately... and make sure you ask me anything you want to know the answer to, or a video you'd like to see me do!

less negative, more positive

i want to take this moment to apologise for the rant in my last post. i was feeling so sorry for myself, and that's very unlike me. i want to say that i'm feeling much more positive, and happy :) and i have a lot to be thankful for!

i've decided that thanksgiving is awesome, and we should have something like that in the UK. it seems that thinking about all the things we have to be thankful for is just what is required at this time of year, in the run up to Christmas which can get stressful and a bit too much. so, i've taken the liberty of cooking up a delicious sweet potato pie, and trying out other thanksgivingy foods to celebrate the occasion on this side of the pond.

i've also posted a nice long list of things i'm thankful for on my other blog, Alissa Loves, which includes a massive thank you to all my readers and subscribers! I wouldn't keep posting if you weren't reading and watching, and I love all your amazing comments and encouragement :)

i would love your ideas on what videos you would like to see on my Youtube beauty channel, I'm a bit stumped for things to film, and it really would be awesome to know what you would like to see. i sometimes come up with ideas, but i don't think they'd be interesting or i reckon they're too bizarre... so p.l.e.a.s.e. tell me what you would like?!

blah blah blah

Well, some of you are probably wondering what's happened to me, and where I've been these last couple of weeks. Have I literally dropped off the planet? No. Have I been abducted by aliens? No. It's quite simply just pure, stress induced time wasting.

I've been stressing out about future things, and I'm sure you all know what that's like. It's my November blues. And it's not fun. I need to start looking at all the awesome things I've done this year, rather than worrying about money and life this time next year.

Basically I applied for a job, that I probably haven't got. Well, the woman hasn't called me about it anyway, and I'm sure she would have done by now if she wanted to hire me. The stupid thing is that I am soooo qualified for the job, perhaps overly so? I won't go into details about it, as I'm sure that breaches blogger sharing conduct! But, needless to say, I don't really really need a job, I just wanted it, that's all.

Another thing that's annoying me is the weather. It's practically impossible to feel good about yourself when the clouds are grey and its super windy and wet. Urgh. I did meet up with a friend last weekend for a cupcake making session, which really was awesome, and I am so grateful for that! We baked pink and white butterfly cakes with edible glitter on. Yummy.

The odd thing is that my skin has been insanely amazing, until today when my first stress spot appeared :( i've been cleansing with jurlique, toning with that fancy rose water i bought in the US and moisturising with the cheap but cheerful natural UK brand 2nature. I still love the moisturiser with all of my heart. But nothing can stop stress spots, even a great routine. hmm. oh, and i've been using the bare minerals foundation and concealer...etc...every day that I go out.

I reckon a dog would cheer me up, and a visit to see my grandparents. Have you any November blues busting tips? I hope you do :)

Sorry this has been such a moany post, but I thought I'd let you in on why I haven't really been posting lately. Lots of hugs to all my wonderful readers xoxo

you are the champions

hi everyone!

i have finally decided on the winners of my competition...

holiday & hair

Hi everyone! I've had my hair cut! Go and check out a picture of it at my other blog, Alissa Loves.

I chose a long blunt bob, because:
- Liv Tyler and I have almost the same face shape, and her hair looks amazing
- when I was researching hairstyles for oblong face shapes, the only info I got was to not have the kind of cut I used to have! and to make sure that there was a lot of volume to the sides of my face
- it looks awesome!

i'm heading off on yet another holiday (it's ridiculous but brilliant), this time down to devon, where i shall drive over the cornish border and grab myself a pasty and some clotted cream scones...yummy. i look forward to catching up with you all when i get back.

just on a quick note, if you're thinking of having your hair cut differently, book an appointment and have it done soon before winter sets in. there's no real reason, except that it will make you feel a whole lot better about the onset of cold winter weather.

oh, and don't forget to enter my youtube contest, which ends on Friday!

beauty contest prizes

ok well here's the prizes video, so if you haven't entered yet, hopefully this will spur you on...!

vaseline eye make up remover

its october! isn't that scary? it's officially autumn here in the uk, with our house feeling cold and everyone starting to get ill again...not me thank goodness :)

anyways, i was watching a YT video about cheap, effective beauty products, (click here to watch) and i thought that the vaseline tip was really interesting, as i have a massive tub in my room that ought to get used up sometime. so i tried it out, and it does actually work really really well.

basically, you just get a little bit of vaseline rub it over your lashes and eyes, then remove it with a washcloth, and it works really well to get everything off, and it feels nice and smooth afterwards too! have a go, you won't be disappointed :)

You know you all want to enter my youtube contest right? :) the prizes video will be loaded really soon i promise...just wait and see!

Contest Time

Hi everyone! I'm having a contest on my Youtube channel, with some amazing prizes to give away to the winners...check out the video that details more about how to enter, and give it a go! you might just win some special beauty and makeup prizes :)

how many times can i dye my hair

so when i went away round the world i dyed my hair three times, twice permanently and once semi-permanent. i wish wish wish i had only used semi permanent, so i wouldn't be left with any horrendous tidelines when it starts to regrow.

anyway, i thought it was worth telling you all how great the natural instincts semi-permanent range is...i love it! this was the second one i used, and it was such a gorgeous product to use, without a truly horrendous scent. the conditioner you get with it is just delicious, i wish you could buy just that actually because it would be the best deep conditioner ever!

anyway, i'm glad my hair isn't wrecked from all the product that's been put in it. i was so afraid it would all fall out or something...but it hasn't :)

i'm currently a chocolate brown kind of colour, but it's still washing out in the shower, unless that's the semi-permanent that's underneath? who knows, but the more that washes out, the less scary the roots will be when they come through! i have no idea what i'm gonna do when they do start showing...maybe do a semi-permanent root touch-up, or maybe go and get professionally colored back to my original color? not so sure.

what do you think?

this is my natural colour:

and this is the colour it is now:

bathroom shelves

i stumbled across these awesome pictures from the selby, as i found them totally fascinating... this is what julia rr has in her bathroom cabinet.

if you've never checked out the selby, go ahead and take a peek now. it's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jurlique

Hi everyone!

Some of you might know that I'm currently on a round the world trip, and for those of you that didn't, you do now!!

I am currently in Brisbane, about to head off to Fiji...and I've totally fallen in love with a delicious skincare brand called Jurlique. I'd heard of it before, and I reckon it's really amazing!

The stuff is all natural and organic, and so similar to Dr Hauschka. Apparently the dude that created Jurlique originally worked for Dr H. So there you go. Anyway, I went in and tried out a whole bunch of their products. And I came out with their Balancing Cleansing Lotion and a couple of samples to try.

Its seriously gorgeous stuff :)

And, I've been into an Aesop store too. Another brand I've always wanted to try, but I think the products are a little overpriced for what they are. There are only a couple of things I would consider buying in there. I don't know about you, but I am only willing to spend that kind of money on skincare when its totally organic and natural.

The other thing in the big Oz cities that I've like constantly seen, is MAC stores and counters. There's loads. They keep calling to me. But I've made a decision to only buy MAC when I'm over in San Francisco or NYC. I hope it will be a little cheaper than here. And I think it will be more exciting too.....

Anyways, thanks for reading, hope your summer/winter is going well!!!

neals yard remedies

i don't know if i've ever fully expressed my love for neals yard remedies. so here is a little ode to them.

we have a store in my local town, which is really great, because that means i can pop in there and just inhale the goodness every time i go shopping.

the staff are super friendly, and they will always give good advice and not try and sell you something you don't need.

there's also an online neals yard store that ships to the us and japan! amazing!

the main reason that i love this brand is that it is ethical and natural. there are some organic products too, and every item will have a label on it that says what % organic it is. they always give a full list of ingredients, and proper instructions for how to use everything!

oh and the blue glass bottles are the most beautiful thing to have on your bathroom shelf :)

these are some of my favorite things:

- frankincense hydrating cream

- honey and orange scrub

- mahonia clear skin gel

- organic lip formula shea nut and rosehip

- white tea enriching facial mask

- wild rose beauty balm

- lemon and coriander deodorant

- melissa hand cream

- rosemary and elderflower shower gel

- kaolin or bentonite clay or green clay

- remedies to roll travel

underarm waxing

ok, this is never anything i would want to admit to doing, but a couple of my friends have asked me questions about it, so i thought it might be useful for you all to know.

waxing underarms is more painful than any other waxing, but if you've had waxing done before then you'll be fine!

i went and had mine waxed at my local beauty therapists for the first time a couple of years ago. i just hate having the shaving shadow, and someone suggested that if i waxed them it would look smooth and hair free for ages. too true.

so anyway, i went, and because i've had everything else waxed i wasn't too worried about it. i just kinda had that fleeting thought of just HOW painful it would be once the wax was on. best to start having a panic then, because you've then only got about 2 seconds before it starts to sting!

anyways, it was so effective, lasted 4 weeks before they started showing through again, amazing! well worth it for £5 i think.

so, i resolved to go back and have it done again and again, but sometimes i just can't stand to grow my underarm hairs to the appropriate length....ew (which is about 0.5cm btw).

eventually i have managed to go several times, and am determined to keep up a better routine. but, i am now also brave enough to wax my own underarms. i know that sounds terrifying to a waxing newbie, but to us oldies we know that the pain subsides loads after the 5th time you wax any area. you just get used to the type of pain i think.

so i get some really cheap mini waxing strips from boots or tesco, and away i go. the thing is it doesn't take that long, and then when the hairs come back they are smaller and easier to take out again.

just make sure that if you do it on yourself you are waxing on clean skin and hairs, which will make them super easy to pull out.

now, enough of such a gross post.

i wish i could afford laser treatment on them, that would be ideal. then i wouldn't have to worry about them more than twice a year!

any questions about waxing i'd be more than happy to answer them!!!

english rose beauty makeup look

here's a requested look i created for my YT channel:

eyelash perming and tinting

one of the more bizarre beauty therapy treatments is eyelash perming and tinting. it sounds ridiculous doesn't it? i mean, who came up with the idea..?!

anyways, so after going on my course i was totally happy with the results, even if the method felt a little strange.

this is a pic of me tinting my friend E's lashes. they looked so good after, but my camera went a bit blurry, so you can't really tell from the pictures:

before we did the tint, we did the perm. by far the longest part of the treatment...the whole treatment takes just an hour, and three quarters of that is the perm.

it basically involves little rods going just above your eyelash line, gluing the lashes to the rod, popping perm gel on, covering in cling film for 15mins, brushing on some neutraliser, then covering in cling film again for another 15mins. Its pretty lengthy, but any good therapist will give you a hand massage or mini manicure during the waiting parts.

then the therapist takes off the rods, cleans off any residue and goes on with the tinting, which is literally protecting the eyes, then painting on the dye. you can also tint eyebrows, to make them seem more structured.

the perm lasts for 4-6 weeks, and the dye for about 2-4...depending on.

its a really good treatment for holiday, as you won't have to worry about mascara or eyelash curlers. but if you still want volume and thickness, you'll want to put on mascara.

don't be afraid of having this treatment done, and its not usually that expensive. let me know what you think if you have one, or have had one...where you pleased with the results?

over and out.

benefit makeup

Don't you just love the packaging for benefit?! Its beautiful! these are the things that i really want to try :) stuff thats been really well reviewed on youtube and other blogs. hmm, it would cost loads though!

june favorites

Tips on: How To Acheive Flawless Skin

• Cleanse, tone and moisturise
• Test the PH (5.5)
• Drink water + herbal tea
• Half your plate should be vegetables
• Eat right
• Stop touching your face
• Keep antibacterial hand gel in your bag
• Embrace oils (proper face oils, like Rose Oil, etc)
• Exercise
• Have several weapons of attack for pimples
• Be hygienic
• Sleep with your hair off your face
• Treat oily skin as sensitive skin
• Avoid cleansing wipes for whole face
• Do a weekly treatment mask or mini-facial
• Hormones can wreak havoc, no matter how hard you try!
• Too many chemicals can mess up your skin
• Any changes you make in your routine, will take 3 months to take effect. Be patient.

eating healthy = beautiful skin

you all know this, but i thought i'd reiterate any way.

good food = good skin

its so true, so so so true. its not someone feeding you a lie to make you eat healthier.

i always notice a huge change in my skin when I am eating healthy and more varied foods. thats a change for the better. but because i eat healthily most of the time, my skin stays in pretty good condition.

about a year ago, i switched to soya milk rather than dairy for breakfast, after reading an excellent book called Healthy at 100 written by John Robbins (of Baskin Robbins). there was so many interesting facts in this book, i couldn't put it down...seriously life changing.

i've always eaten healthy because i have to as i am diabetic. but, there are some interesting things that i have picked up along the way. check out my food blog, not just apples for more about what i eat on a day to day basis.

my diet follows these rules (mostly, but i am not strict strict strict, i will 95% of the time follow these rules):
- i don't eat after 7pm
- i don't eat 'white' carbs, just wholegrains
- i don't drink cows milk
- i don't keep cheese in our fridge, except for goats/sheeps cheese or super low fat cheese (like feta, etc)
- i always eat breakfast
- i eat at least one apple and one banana every day
- i don't drink coffee or tea, i only drink herbal tea (nettle, green with lemon and peppermint are our favorites)
- i don't cook with real sugar, i use fructose, or sweeten with honey/maple syrup
- there's always a million different kinds of frozen vegetables in our freezer

here's a sneak peek into our fridge...what can you spot?:

ps. i am NOT a fussy eater, i eat everything i am given!! i think variety is the spice of life. i'll eat anything...

90s style

I went round to a friend's house last night, and we played with our old makeup and some crimpers which are relics of the 80s from her auntie!

I was the green glitter, crimped hair beauty! It looked kinda rock chick. Do any of you remember crimpers? So much fun :)

top favorite youtubers

here is a list of my top 15 favorite beauty Youtubers, i couldn't figure out an order, so here they are:

allthatglitters21
emilynoel83
filthygorgeousmakeup
ginabinawina99
kissonthechic
lollipop26
magicgrl111
michele1218
morripopp
omgginalol
raychxelle
roamy83
rosefunk88
thesilverlining80
xxalliecosmeticsxx

go, check them out and subscribe, and don't forget to hop by my channel and check it out at: alissaevelyn

woah, so thats a lot of info all in one. i really did try to narrow it down. promise. i can't help but be inspired by all these girls :)

which hair extensions?

I have been thinking about getting some clip in extensions for a while now, just to make a change to what my hair always looks like! But, there are so many different brands its difficult to decide which to have.

I have narrowed it down to two different brands...both made of human hair, with clips attached.

The 1st is American Dream Hair Extensions. I think I'll head to Sally's on Tuesday and see if I can get a good colour match, every other time I've gone to have a look I just get overwhelmed with the millions of different colors! There's a good review/tutorial by lollipop26 on YT.

The 2nd is Head Kandy Hair Extensions. They come in a full set, check out the picture below. But, its so difficult to tell what colour hair I would be just by looking at the pictures on the net. There's an excellent review by kissonthechic on Youtube, go check it out if you want more info.

maybelline lash stiletto mascara

Lash Stiletto my Maybelline is the new mascara that everyone is talking about. And I can see why. It claims to lengthen your lashes, and it does!

Pros:

- it does actually visibly lengthen your lashes

- it isn't clumpy

- it separates and defines your lashes

- its easy to use

- its got an excellent drying time

- it looks like a strip of fake lashes when its on

Cons:

- it smells a little bit weird

- the packaging is a bit bulky

- i always get annoyed when they spend so much on advertising that i am paying for that advertising when i pay for the product....how much of my almost £8 went into marketing?

Check out my new Youtube video for an in depth review of Maybelline's Lash Stiletto Mascara.

what MAC?

Ok, I have a question. As a MAC cosmetics virgin, what is the one product I should buy? What is the one MAC product that you use all the time, that I should definitely have in my makeup bag?

It can be anything at all from their collection. Here's some ideas from http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/:

Please leave me a comment, to let me know. The most popular answer wins, and I will go out and get my first MAC product!

How To Do An At Home Facial

This is a little something from my YT channel, I hope you find it helpful. Please feel free to ask me questions :)

how much is too much? how little is not enough?

Do you sometimes feel like that? I know I do. Frequently. That sort of why did I bother thing?

I often get the I should have tried harder thing too. I am obviously still not getting it right, its sometimes tricky to know exactly what I am doing in the day, and my day is often more formal than I was ready for, with far more hot guys that I was prepared for too.

In the future, I must remember to wear more makeup so then I don't go out without feeling 100%. Confidence is key, and makeup is a huge part of how confident us ladies feel.

But we don't want to appear too fake either do we ?! Where's the line? I love having a fake tan, but is it too much.

I reckon I keep applying more and more makeup on a day to day basis. But certainly not nearly as much as some people. But I feel like this isn't so bad for me. Maybe I wouldn't feel so awful if I used a mineral product like Lily Lolo or Bare Escentuals. I could pile it on and still think I looked natural :)

What do you reckon?

Sorry for the rant. I have been watching too much 'snog, marry, avoid' again.

summer gold...

gold makeup by alissaevelyn featuring Alex Monroe jewelry

Korres & Apivita : A Greek Pharmacy

I came back from Greece yesterday, and I still can't believe just how amazing it was!

My skin reacts really badly to drastic changes in temperature, and so I broke out a bit, as well as getting bitten. Not a pretty face at the end of the week. I really need to invest in some SP4 mineral foundation...maybe Jane Iredale...?!

Anyways, I spent about 1 hour choosing products in a pharmacy in Parikia, Paros. I wanted to get something from Korres, as I haven't tried their stuff yet, though I have heard about it a lot in the past year or so.

Apivita was the other range that caught my eye, which being a natural therapy brand I totally clicked with. Plus they were the only two Greek brands available in the Pharmacy, most everything else was French.

Check out my vlog about my time in the Greek Islands, and a bit of a demo of the products.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zySeRcVvs



So, I chose products that I actually needed, and had totally forgot to bring with me, as well as some treats:
- Korres Fig Body Lotion
- Apivita Propoline Lip Aid with Cocoa Butter and Olive Oil SPF15
- Korres 3in1 Milk Proteins Cleanser, Toner, Make-Up Remover
- Apivita Aqua Plus Cucumber Face Mask
- Apivita Everyday Face Scrub with Apricot
- Apivita Propoline Hair Mask

I will review these soon, and let you know what I think about all of them. The nice thing is that they are all fairly natural products, so smell delicious!

without moisturiser.

it sounds ridiculous to say that i haven't worn moisturiser religiously over the past week. but since i came back from holiday, my skin hasn't been needing it really. i have only put it on when my skin feels dry or tight, which is about twice.

its not that i don't love my moisturiser, but i reckon my skin maybe needs a break. plus my skin is intelligent and it doesn't really need creams or anything to keep itself in check.

basically the skin is very clever, it does so many different jobs, and i truly believe that if you nourish yourself from the inside, your skin will glow and function correctly.

after all its only about 1% of ingredients from moisturisers that actually enter your skin, isn't it?

sorry this is such a short post. but, if you want to give the no regular moisturiser thing a go, please let me know how it goes!

Favorite Hair Products

Here's a list of the products I use:
- Aveda Brilliant Damage Control
- Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother
- Pantene Pro-V Time Renewal Night Renewal Nourishing Mist
- bnatural Glossing Serum
- Frizz Ease Hair Serum Original Formula
- Pantene Pro-V 2in1 Smooth and Sleek Shampoo & Conditioner
- Head & Shoulders Damage Rescue Shampoo + Conditioner
- Batiste Dry Shampoo Tropical
- Osmo Essencce Intensive Deep Repair Mask
- KMS Hair Play Paste Up Spray

Supplements...

I don't know about you, but I seem to read everywhere, and be told by so many people that I should take some sort of supplement or other.

But with like EVERYONE telling me that I should take a different kind, its soo difficult to know which ones to take. Here's a list of the different ones I found and the different claims they made:

- Fish Oils - Essential fats to keep skin looking plump
- Zinc - to do with collagen and hormones, good for acne
- Primrose Oil - soothing, anti-inflammatory, good for women
- Co-Enzyme Q10 - increase moisture levels, help tissue repair
- Kelp/Seaweed - detoxifier/anti-oxidant (way too many risks with this one though...)
- Vitamins - different vitamins have different functions, but that would take way too long.

If it wasn't enough just to be looking out for certain ingredients, there are some particular brands and products that are recommended too:

- Perfectil = Supposedly boosts skin, hair and nails. Celebrity endorsed!
- Neals Yard Beauty Oil = Drizzle over salads for a super boost of Omega's 3,6 and 9


What I take?
Well I only reckon on taking a combination supplement rather than loads of different ones. So at the moment I take two: a fish oil one and a multivitamin.

They are both from Holland & Barrett, whose wide range of supplements usually terrify me. The Radiance one has the following ingredients (with %RDA:
Vit A (100%), Vit D (50%), Vit E (33%), Vit C (100%), Thiamin (71%), Riboflavin (75%), Niacin (67%), Pantothenic Acid (67%), Vitamin B6 (100%), Vitamin B12 (100%), Folic Acid (100%), Iron (100%)

I reckon on eating this in the evening if I haven't eaten a varied diet throughout the day, and my evening meal isn't so vegetabley.


I have the fish oil tablet every morning with breakfast, its ingredients are pure fish oils which have Omega's in them already.


I don't know how much this helps my skin really. But maybe without it I would notice a difference.


I used to take Primrose Oil but that seemed to break me out.

There is no substitute for a varied and balanced diet though. The vitamins are a million times better for you if they actually come from the vegetable/fruit, don't you think?

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Italy & 2 Nature Daisy Face Cream

I have just come back from holiday, literally landed yesterday! Italy was gorgeous, the sun was shining and the pool was warm :)

So glad I brought the most amazing sun protector along with me, L'Oreal Solar Expertise in SPF25. Perfecto! I only had to apply once or twice each day, and I was completely protected whereever I put it.

As always on holiday, I had a complete makeup detox, using next to nothing every day, and keeping my hair curly too, not heat styling. I think my face probably had enough with my being in the pool each day...I don't know how well it would have coped with anything else.

The other product that I took with me that I have recently reviewed is 2 Nature Daisy Face Cream. I bought it on ebay, but you can get it directly from the company. Its such a nice moisturiser. It soothed my face after being in chlorinated water for ages, and kept it nice and smooth.

I decanted it into a small blue glass jar to take with me, as I need only the tiniest amount on my face.

I have got used to the smell, and would even go so far as to say that I actually like it now! I hardly used up any either...I think my 160ml's will last me some time.

Styling Hair with GHDs

Check out my new hair tutorial video, where I style my hair with my GHDs, both curly and straight.

Here are the photos of before and after...

My actual hair:

Curled with GHD's:

Straightened with my GHD:

Makeover on my Mum

I have recently done a makeover on my Mum. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out...

Vaseline Overnight Face Mask

Ok. So I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but last night I put Vaseline on my cheeks. I actually did.

Throughout most of yesterday I was getting frustrated with my skin. The t-zone was looking bumpy again; serves me right for changing my routine, after I had found the perfect one! But I just had to try out this new facial wash that I made, after which my skin was dramatically dried out, bad bad plan to use anything with the word saponified in it.

And, as you may well know, when my skin dries out, it acts out. So, I had my first spot in two weeks appearing on my chin, and a whole bunch of bumps on my forehead, and significantly dried out cheeks. So,my first thought was Sudocream, which I popped on my t-zone.

Yet, I felt a bit funny about leaving out my cheeks, especially as they were so dry. Vaseline came to mind, because one of my good friends is addicted to the stuff, she puts it everywhere. So, I thought, why not give it a try. So I spread it all over my cheeks.

Just to be sure that it didn't just go all over my pillow, but actually went into my face, I promptly tied my hair up as high as I could and as securely as poss.

I managed to fall asleep laying on my back, rather than sideways...I must have been super tired, as that hasn't happened in forever.

And this morning, I woke up to more even looking skin. Actually. Truly.

Petroleum jelly is my knew favorite find for an overnight face mask. It is a barrier like Sudocrem, so it will enable the skin to work its own magic. Hey well, I am going to try this again sometime. Why don't you have a go, and tell me what you think!

I reckon its about time I stopped trying new products, then my face my settle down, and RELAX.

Updated Skin Care Routine

Hi everyone!

I love finding a routine that really works for me, and its been absolutely ages since I have found one that I love!

Dr Hauschka, Rio Rosa Mosqueta Oil and a bit of Tea Tree are my current best friends. We'll see how the relationship pans out...

Dr Bronner's Castile Soap and a bit of Rio...

Just got in the post yesterday my new product to sample...Dr Bronner's Unscented Baby Mild Soap. And so far, I love it!

The packaging is super sweet, with loads of writing all over it, with little quotes from Shakespeare, as well as a brief (very) history of the company. This product looks really nice next to my other ones on the bathroom shelf.

The ingredients are suprisingly mild: Water, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Glycerin, Hemp Oil, Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid and Vitamin E. Mostly organic of course, and the entire thing is fairtrade too. I used this last night as a cleanser, mixed with a little bit of water, this stuff is gonna last for ages. I might try mixing it with some essential oils and water to see what its like....Potentially the best cleanser ever!?!

I also got some Rio Rosa Mosqueta oil in the post from ebay too! I dotted this on my face, then massaged it in. I only needed a tiny amount. Its such a gorgeous oil, so so so light, which makes a nice change. But it was really expensive, you certainly get what you pay for though...I woke up this morning with really soft skin.

I have also ordered some different, cheaper oils and essential oils from Naturally Thinking. I will tell you what they are like once I get back from holiday. Yes, thats right, I am taking a break! Cornwall with the family should be so much fun!

Fake Tan vs Pale Skin

So, I recently purchased a whole bunch of Fake Bake products, that were for my course but I have started off by trying them on myself (totally wise, huh?)

I have found the Fake Bake products fairly easy to use, in comparison to other self tanners. The prep products are excellent; thats the Passion Fruit Body Polish and the Oil Free Moisturiser.

I tried both the Fair and the Original products, and have had much better results from the Fair than I expected. Have a look at these photos and see what you reckon...I used the Fair on my face and the Original on my legs:

I think they both give a pretty natural looking tan, but it was still tricky to get it even in a lot of places, and there were so many places it was difficult to get to.

Fake Bake is good, but I think that a spray tan is far better, and easier. Unless of course you want a golden glow all year round, and not for a one off. In which case, Fake Bake might be the way forward. Oh, and you can buy it from http://www.feelunique.com/ for a really good price, with free delivery to most parts of the world!

Olive Oil Eye Makeup Remover

I always thought that this was a joke, a stupid thing that only strange people did. But I could not be more wrong.

Not only have I discovered that some stylish celebrities, beautiful bloggers and popular Youtubers do this. But I have discovered that it actually works. If you haven't tried it yet, then have a go, there's no harm in it!

So, if you are still wondering what I am talking about that is so fantastic, you will be pleased to hear that its an idea for saving money....on eye make-up remover.

All you need to remove all your eye makeup, and I mean ALL, is some cotton wool and some olive oil (it doesn't matter which kind, as long as its not infused with anything).

Simply, take a small amount of olive oil and put it on the cotton wool, so its half saturated. Then wipe over your lids, and magically your eye make up will disappear!

Don't be scared if your eyes get a bit blurry or your lids get heavy, its just because your lids are laid-down with oil. So, either pop yourself straight into bed and give in to the fact that your eyes want to shut, or use a lighter olive oil, or take excess oil off with some rose water.

The great things about taking makeup off this way:
- its cheap, seriously cheap
- its natural, no bad stuff in there, purity all the way!
- its conditioning and moisturising for your eyes, i swear in the long run your lashes will be longer, thicker and your eyes brighter
- you don't need to waste your time finding your HG eye makeup remover, when we all know its sitting on your kitchen shelf

My Skincare Routine

Yes, this is me! These are the products I love to use in my skin care routine. If you want to see more of my Youtube videos check out my channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/alissaevelyn

Deep Cleansing Facials

Having a facial is one of the most delicious treatments you can ever have at a spa or a salon. Its so relaxing, as well as stimulating.

The massage is my favourite part. Its relaxing as well as being the most important part of the facial. It encourages the skin to heal, and smooth out.

It's of huge importance to try to incorporate some massage in your daily skin care routine, as this encourages the lymphatic system (the dustbin men for your skin, they remove toxins and waste) as well as blood circulation. The more active you keep your skin, the better toned it will become and the healthier it will look.

Make sure you only ever massage your skin after cleansing and toning, otherwise you would be massaging in dirt and grime, which is not going to help at all! Use some gorgeous oil, or just smooth in your regular moisturiser. You will be astonished at the difference it will make to your skin.

The other gorgeous part about facials, is the masks. Make sure your skin is warm before applying any mask, just after a hot shower or steamy bath will be perfect as the pores are open.
Use a clay mask to draw out impurities. You can make your own by mixing powdered clay with some rose water and essential oils.

Spread it on, leave it for about 10 minutes, aand then remove with some clean damp facial sponges. Depending on the mask you use, it may be appropriate to use some toner, or just put moisturiser on top.

The one huge benefit of going to a beauty therapist for a facial is to relax. There is nothing that will take away tension like a facial, as you are massaged from your shoulders to your face. And its nice to have to not worry about your skin for a change.

Plus, its fab to use some different products on your face, that have been specifically chosen for you. Ones that you wouldn't normally buy. And its great to have some advice on what you should be using and pick up some tips from your esthetician/facialist.

So go and book yourself a facial and relax...

Marie Claire and Neals Yard

This months copy of Marie Claire has the most gorgeous freebie...a tube of Neals Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream. Its 25ml which is loads, and it retails for just under £10, so a total bargain.

I tried it out last night and this morning, and its so smoothing and hydrating, totally gorgeous. Its important for skin at this time of year to have a moisturiser that is hydrating, as skin is often drier because of cold winds and central heating.

Skin that is dehydrated can look rough and bumpy, as well as being slightly oily on the t-zone and dry on the cheeks. But, with morning and night moisturising, as well as making sure that skin is completely clean by cleansing and toning before popping on the gorgeous cream.

Its 91% organic too, full off essential oil extracts and skin plumping ingredients. I love this product so much!

The Body Shop's Blackhead Remover

This is a little bit gross, but for those of you who don't mind a little hands-on treatment and are on the search for flawless skin, this kinda brings you a step closer. I have used this for years, after having worked at Body Shop. Its cheap and effective...but don't get carried away with it.

This is a great option for people with enlarged, blocked pores. You can use it after a long, steamy bath, or after popping your face over a bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. Its a simple and hygienic way of extracting blackheads.

It has two ends as well which means it can extract other larger blemishes as well as small blackheads. This is a quick way of unclogging your pores, but could cause scarring if you are too harsh with it.

Beware: the area around the blackhead should never stay red, this is a sign that you are putting too much pressure on your skin. This could force the dirt in further and cause permanent damage to the tissue of your skin.

Sudocrem!

I just had to share with you all my new skincare find as it's so amazing! Best find ever!



Sudocrem is actually a barrier cream for babies, but it works really well as an overnight mask facial treatment too. Its antiseptic as well as being a moisturiser, but it sits on top of your skin rather than clogging it, so its good for oily skin. It actually says on the packaging that it is suitable for treating acne...awesome!


So, what I now do each week is to cleanse my face completely, with skincare wipes and then rose water on some cotton wool. Then I put on the Sudocrem, which takes a bit of massaging to actually work it into the skin, and still leaves you with a ghostly white face at night. Then I tie my long hair back, and head for bed. I wake up the next morning, when its disappeared, and cleanse and tone to remove any traces of the product.


Its good for sensitive skin, as its for babies, and therefore doesn't contain anything that the company seems unsuitable for little ones, which is comforting. Plus its a really well established company, who have been around for years, so they stand the test of time.

Its a brilliant anti-inflammatory too, healing the skin from redness, which is great if your face is breaking out, or has just broken out and feels irritated.

You can buy it in loads of places, its pretty commonly found in the baby section of superstores, next to baby wipes (which are also good makeup removers).


Plus, the best thing is that its super cheap too!

But, I wouldn't recommend using it all the time, as skin seems to build up a tolerance to some ingredients, and stop working effectively. Perhaps once or twice a week is perfect, but it will depend on you and your skin type.

Have fun trying this product!

Natural Skincare Routine

Its amazing how good Lauren's skin looks in the video, its certainly worth trying out some of her tips and homemade cosmetic recipes.

I tried out her almond meal scrub and it totally made my skin soft and dewy. It was a little bit tricky to apply, but if you make sure to do it over a sink or something, it will be fine. I added a little bit of neroli water to make a paste, which was gorgeous.

Homemade Sugar Scrub

A great way to save money, time and keep your skin exfoliated and moisturised at the same time.

Simply mix a tablespoonful of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar.

Apply it on each part of your body whilst in the shower, it leaves your skin sooo smooth. Take your time massaging it into your skin, until your hand tingles.

You'll soon work out if you need more or less of it per shower/bath to properly exfoliate your whole body.

At the end of the shower, whilst your pores are open, use the final small amount on your face, remove with a warm wet flannel, and then rinse your face with cold water. Finish by moisturising your face with your favourite moisturiser, then your knees and elbows with a super moisturiser (I love Skin Food by Weleda for this! It smells divine!)