What are Toners?

Hi My Lovelies,
It appears toners are one of those skin care/beauty items you either love, hate or just skip altogether. I used to be in the last category and I never used to bother with it until I read quite a few articles on how beneficial they were for the skin so I decided to give toners a try and almost 5 different toners later, I think it's perfect time to let you know what I think of them.


What are Toners?
Skin care toners (yeah, I had to differentiate as there are toners for ink cartridges for printing) refers to a lotion or wash designed to cleanse the skin (after your cleanser) and shrink pores. They also help restore and repair the skin surface in addition to being really refreshing. There are different types of toners which include astringents (which are alcohol based), water and glycerin based and the water based toners. Most people tend to avoid the ones containing alcohol as it can be irritating to sensitive skin and dries out the skin.


How do Toners work?
*Disclaimer: I am no beauty expert so this is just my basic knowledge of how I understand that toners work* The skin has an acid mantle made up of oil and sweat which is maintained in a way to prevent bacteria growth and all sorts of nasties by altering the natural PH of the skin. After you cleanse your skin, that acid mantle is temporarily removed and this can alter the PH of the skin. What a toner does in addition to all its other benefits listed above is ensuring the PH is restored so the skin is all dandy and happy and no nasties gets in the way. Toners are usually applied with a cotton pad or as a spray across the face with your eyes closed of course. I have tried a few of them so I thought it would be nice to give you a low down of how we fared.





The Gentle One-Olay Essentials Refreshing Toner (Contains Alcohol)
I think this must have been one of the first toners I tried out and I actually love it. It says it is suitable for normal, dry and combination skin and I have combination-oily skin so I can't really say how it fares with other skin types. Its second ingredient is alcohol and you would expect it to be harsh but it is indeed the opposite. It is actually very gentle on the skin. It has a fragrance which I don't mind but if you hate fragrance in skin care then this may be a little problematic. I won't say it is very effective for acne but it is really refreshing and it own't exacerbate any acne. It is also really affordable and I think it's a good way to get into the Toner game if you are unsure.


The Refreshing One-Simple Kind to Skin Facial Toner
I have already featured this a little while ago here on its own blog post but it is also one of my favourite toners from Drug Store. It''s no secret that Simple Skin Care make very good skin care products which are very affordable and good quality. It contains refreshing ingredients which include Cucumber, Chamomile, Witch Hazel, Allantoin and Vitamin B which are sources from as simple sources as possible. It does not contain alcohol so if you have sensitive skin, you can get away with using this. It helped slightly with my acne which I think is closely linked to its witch hazel content. It's affordable, good quality and it is easily available so it is a top choice.


The Acne-Blasting One- Clinique Anti-Blemish Clarifying Lotion (Alcohol based)
Again, this has already been featured on here with its own blog post and it's one that I had a love-hate relationship with at first but I eventually grew to love it. First things first, it contains alcohol and you can literally smell it because it really has a strong smell which can be off putting. Although, it contains alcohol, I don't find it drying or irritating on my skin. I feel it may be for other people but personally, I was quite surprised that it did not irritate or dry my skin out. It contains salicylic acid which goes to say it is effective in clearing acne which was the reason i bought it in the first place. It's not an overnight worker but it will get the job done in good time. I also like this toner because it is also an exfoliant so it gets rid of dead skin cells which gives way to fresh skin. The trick is to use it the right way which is wiping across the face in one direction rather than in a circular motion. It is quite pricey but it lasts for a long time.
The Hydrating One-Lancome Tonique Douceur
For me, this is best toner for me. Maybe, it's because I am very partial to Lancome; you all know i really love that brand. Jokes aside, this is the gentlest toner I have ever tried. It just makes your skin feel really soft, hydrated and refreshed which is what you need after a long day at work or just outside. It also has a slight fragrance which I know is a no-no for some but I really like the scent. This does not contain alcohol. I have nothing bad to say about this except that it is really pricey but you get a good amount and you also get some samples as you know they are my top beauty brand who make the best samples.

I am currently trying the Lush Tea Tree Toner which I would be reviewing soon but I really like it so far and I just need some more time to draw all my conclusions ready for a review so watch this space. I hope you have enjoyed this post and if you know of any good toners out there, leave me a comment below and I would try them..see you in my next post...x

Simple Skincare Range- Brand Focus

Hi My Lovelies,

I hope your week has been fab so far. So, i thought i should start a little series on Beauty Brand Focus. Whether i would keep up with the series, time will tell but i guess it's best to start and see how it goes. I would also love to hear your feedback to know if it's something you would like to see more often. I really want to be more interactive with you all this year so i would welcome any comments in the comments section or you can drop me a line on my email liv@fashstyleliv.com. Now to the review...

Simple Skincare Brand

Simple Skincare is one brand i have been fascinated with a little while ago because they seem to be very simple (no pun intended) and effective. There was a time Simple Skincare was all over the Blogging world and YouTube and i think it's still popular although there are other newer brands in the market. One thing that makes Simple Skincare stand out, according to their website, is their belief that simple, healthy looking skin is something all women, even those with sensitive skin, should enjoy consistently. Their philosophy is stems from using only the purest skin-loving ingredients with no added perfume or colour and they have remained steadfast since 1960. Check out their website for their story. For me, I have tried a few products from their range and I would be sharing insights (and mini reviews) of how i got on with these products...let's get started...



Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes
This is one of the Holy Grail (HG) products among many bloggers far and wide. The Simple Cleansing Wipes upped the game for many beauty and skincare brands in the sector because they do the job and really well. There are different variations of the Cleansing Wipes but i prefer the Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes. It feels so refreshing against my skin and it has the right consistency of moisture for my face. It is not too wet and not too dry-it's just right. It removes all my visible makeup really well. i say visible because i know after wearing a full face of makeup for a couple of hours, some may be entrapped beneath the skin which is not visible to the eye which is why we do the second cleansing. It is a little more pricey than other wipes but it is worth it and more. Most times, it's actually on offer which is the best time to stock up.





Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Antiperspirant
After being impressed with some other Simple products i had tried, I decided to try the Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Antiperspirant. I am not impressed with it. I am not saying it's bad or anything but it's not my favourite. It does its job pretty well and it has no scent whatsoever as the philosophy means they do not use any added scents. To be honest, I would have preferred that. I am a sweet scents girl and where many people prefer not to have fragrance, i very much welcome it. It has not irritated my skin or anything but it's just too basic for me.





Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner
I really like this toner because it is as simple and effective as can be. It does not contain alcohol but rather it contains Pro Vitamin B5, Chamomile, Witch Hazel and Allantoin which are all very soothing to the skin and keeps it refreshed. I am not sure what other effects for the skin but it does help the skin feel very refreshed. To the best of my knowledge, i don't think it falls into the category of exfoliating toners but it is suitable for sensitive skin and I use it when my skin is at its best. Due to its lack of Salicylic Acid, i don't think it has any fast acting effect on my acne but its Witch Hazel content helps with inflammation and redness. What's not to love about it plus it falls under the really cheap and cheerful price range.



Verdict
I really do like the Simple Skin Care Range especially the cleansing wipes which i think are the best for first stage makeup removal. I love how it does not irritate the skin but does its job well. I have not tried all their other products but i hear their moisturisers are really good. It's a brand i like and I would always be happy to pick up their products because they are good quality, widely available and affordable. I hope you have enjoyed this post and let me know in the comments section " what is your favourite Simple Skin Care product?  toodles..xx

My Go-To Makeup Essentials

                    

Hey Lovelies,

The weekend is here already and I have been waiting for it for like forever. I hope everyone has had a nice week. Mine has been super busy and I am not even going to talk about it. Let's talk about lovely things that make us feel elated.

I love makeup which you may know by now but I don't have the time to make up to my heart's content because I am always dashing off to work which is why i have my Go-To Makeup Essentials.  My routine includes:

                 

Moisturizing: I have oily/combination so i prefer a moisturizer that will hydrate my skin without leaving it oily. I find Nivea Express Hydrating Primer perfect for that. It feels really light when applied (I can't stand heavy duty moisturizers) and it gets absorbed within seconds leaving my skin really soft. I originally bought this solely as primer even though I had doubts about its "priming" qualities. My instincts were right; it does no priming for my makeup/skin whatsoever but i think it's an excellent moisturizer.


                  
Concealer: My MAC NC50 Studio Finish concealer is definitely my best concealer. It is full coverage and it hides all my dark spots and blemishes. I actually think this magic tiny mini deserves its own blog post. It is very easy to apply with a brush or you can tap it gently into your skin with your fingers.

                  

Toner: My current toner is from Lush and its called a Breath of Fresh Air. It really feels very refreshing but i do not apply it directly on my face rather i spray it lightly on my concealer and foundation brush which also makes application of my concealer and foundation very easy.

                  



Foundation: I have already raved about this product a lot so I won't bore you. My current and favorite foundation is the YSL Teint Eclat Foundation in B70. It is a light to medium coverage but thankfully my concealer does most of the work. This basically illuminates and gives my face a natural finish. If you want more details about this foundation, click Link to the blog post for it.

                    

Brows: I have been flipping back and forth from Brow Kits to just using Brow pencils to outline my brows. At the minute, i just use a Brow pencil. My current one is the Sleek Eye Brow Pencil in 191 Brown. It is my exact shade of my brows so i just outline and fill it in and voila, I am out of the door. I must say using just a pencil was made easier by getting my brows threaded so I just basically fill it in.
                     


Lips: First product that goes on my lips is my Lip Balm just to moisturize my lips because it has been a bit chapped by the horrid weather. My current favorite is one from H and M and its called the Vanilla and Ginger lip balm. It smells really good and works well which is excellent for a £1 product.

                    

Next on my lips is my Lip liner which is a really random brand i got from Pak Cosmetics and it was 3 for £1 which is surprisingly really good. Its a brownish pink color which is perfect for my nude lipsticks. My all time favorite lipstick is MAC's Hug Me which is a nude/brownish flesh pink color (thumbs up for weird descriptions). I have a blog post on this lipstick; so click the Link if you want more details about this Lippie.
                       

Face Powder: The Only powder that works for me to keep my skin matte with an oil and shine free appearance is the MAC Studio Fix Powder and I am in a shade NC50. I love this powder to bits because it properly takes care of my oily skin. I apply this with a huge powder brush all over my face.

And, I am good to go. These steps only take me about 15 minutes because I do the same steps everyday and it's a routine I have stuck to for a long while which works for me. I grab my bag, my lunch and I am out of the door ready for a busy fulfilling day.

What are your Go-To Face Makeup Essentials?