WISHLIST

Hello my loves,

So today I thought it would be fun to do a wishlist of some of my beauty picks. This year has been incredible with some of the biggest launches and the beauty industry has grown so much.

There have been so many collaborations and new releases, so I thought i would pick 5 products to go into my wishlist, hoping to soon get my mitts on.

1.  FENTY BEAUTY Pro Filt'r Hydrating Longwear Foundation in 330

Fenty beauty... omg can we take a minute to appreciate the queen Rihanna. She has smashed it with all products that have been released for Fenty and I'm so excited about this one. A lot of people loved the pre filt'r foundation that was initially released, however, its matte formula was not suitable for dryer skin tones, so Rih actually listened and released a hydrating formula. I am obsessed with anything that will give my skin a healthy glow look. I have heard nothing but great news on this foundation so I'm hoping to try this out soon.

2. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS- JACKIE AINA PALETTE

Jackie, Jakie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie! Jackie, Jakie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie! This palette retails for £46 and wow this is the most iconic collaborations I have ever seen. Jackie Aina is one of the funniest, down to earth YouTubers I know and I know that every colour in this palette will be brown girl friendly. Anastasia Beverly hills formulas never fail to smash it out of the pond so I am so eager to try this out.

3.  FARSALI - Liquid glass

Ok, so this product is not makeup, but is essential before applying makeup! It is a radiant skin serum and is perfect si you are wanting to achieve the perfect glass skin. It contains Hyaluronic Acid to replenish moisture and plump the skin. Farsali always kill their releases, and their products are magical! I really want this product as I am such a fan of the glass skin trend.

4. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS- LOOSE SETTING

Powder

Anastasia knows their products inside out so I know they have made a killer product with heir new loose setting powders. I am always on the hunt for a good powder, it is a sale in your makeup kit! They have released a couple of shades, however, the banana shade is something that I'm eyeing up as its a brightening powder especially fro under the eyes.

5.  HUDA BEAUTY Life Liner

HUDA is releasing product after product. seriously Huda, take all my money please. I was so surprised with this latest release. Huda Beauty’s dual-ended eyeliner has you covered whether you’re nailing the cat-eye flick or a dramatic smoked-out look. There is a liquid tip and a creamy pencil end – both of which are intensely black, matte and can be trusted to stay put without smudging! I mean everyone needs a good eyeliner, and this is supposed to be super black and super long-lasting, which is what I need as I always feel my eyeliner smudges off after a few hours. For £22 you can't go wrong.

That's all for my wishlist folks.

Davina

x

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Hello my sweethearts,

Just wanted to come on here and talk about my laser hair removal journey. Is tarted this journey around last year where I went to one of my local beauty salons for a consultation. I had been contemplating for laser hair removal for more than a year at this point and have done a lot of research on it. When I went to this salon, I received a full consultation where my facial hair was examined on the thickness and colour as well as the growth. I received information packs on hat type of technology was used, the pros and cons, aftercare and essentially how to prepare yourself for the laser sessions. Soon after that I paid a £10 deposit and came back the week after for my first ever session.

My experience...

As you would expect, I was very nervous as different people react differently to the lase, and I was also scared about the pain levels. My first session was absolutely amazing. My beauty therapist knew how to talk me through what she was doing which was very relaxing. They gave me some protective eyewear and then a gel was applied to the areas that were going to be lasered. The initial ain was around 4/10 for me. After this session I waited 4 weeks in between for the next. It is recommended between 4-6 weeks, but I noticed that I had very rapid regrowth so I decided to go in after 4 weeks. All together I had 10 sessions for my face and neck. I would say that is started noticing a difference in my hair growth in my 5th or 6th session, as there were only patches of hair were still growing. After my 10th session, I noticed a full stop to my hair growth however after a month or two I had stubble regrowing. I went back into my salon and they spoke to me about why regrowth can happen, sometimes it's just the hormones in the body which sadly nothing can be done. I am now going in for top-up sessions so hopefully with a few more sessions, I will be completely hairless.

How does it work?

Specific salons have different technologies that they use so best to read up on this and or research before you commit int it. I used the  Elysion laser machine which delivers square pulse technology which ensures evenly distributed pulses, eliminating any loss of energy during the shot. The integrated crystal freeze system ensures the skins surface is kept cool and protected always.

How much did it cost?

It cost me £80.00 per session however this was a seasonal offer but it is worth talking to your clinic in order to negotiate the best price plan for you. It is a long term investment and considering the amount of waxing and threading I would pay for every 2 weeks, I thought that this was a reasonable price point.

Preparing the skin for laser?

preparing the skin was easy. Before any session, the night before I would take a face razor, I buy mine on amazon and they are super cheap for packs of 3. I would have my face and neck completely so that I am completely hairless for the sessions. In between sessions I was not allowed to bleach, wax or thread the hair as the laser is trying to kill the follicles at the root. Therefore the only hair removal method I used throughout the laser hair journey is shaving which sounds scary but it did not affect the thickness of my hair at all!

Pain thresholds?

Like I said when I first strated it was around 4/10, however as each session is carried out, the intensity of the laser is increased, this is so that the hairs become shocked causing the hair follicles to die. As each intensity was increased, my pain threshold also increased. When it reached my max intensity, the pain was around 7/10. It was more f a pinching sensation than pain, and this only occurred when the laser hit tough hairs.

What's next?

For some people, they require fewer sessions, usually around 6-8 sessions, for me as I have much thicker and darker hair I needed 10 sessions and top-ups. I am glad that I went for it as it has helped my self-confidence and reduced the amount of times that I needed to visit the salon for threading or waxing.

That's all or today's post folks, let me know what topics you want me to discuss.

Davina

xo

ARA LONDON 24K GOLD BEAUTY OIL

Hello my loves,

Hope you all are keeping well! So today I have something so exciting to share with you all. I tried ou the Sativa beauty oil (24k gold) by ARA London and my oh my has it changed my skin game. Before we get into that, I just want to share some background info you guys might be interested in.

So what is ARA London? 

ARA London is a luxury skincare brand that uses ancient remedies with modern science to bring the best ingredients into one bottle. They have 3 products currently out, but the one that I have tried and tested is the Sativa oil.

Why is it so good and what are the benefits?

So this bottle is packed with all the goodness you can think off. This includes amino acids, minerals, vitamin A, B, C and E as well as antioxidants and fibre. As well as treating the skin long term with these ingredients, there is also added omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which help to defend your skin from everyday pollutants and infections. Who doesn't love an all in one product? The product is finished off with flakes of pure 24k gold which not only looks stunning but also is known to get rid of fine lines and prevent the effects of ageing. 

The product is packaged in a beautiful glass bottle (again, getting your monies worth) and is very travel-friendly. It fits into any bag, I love to keep this in my makeup bag when I'm travelling cause I love to apply this as a base before my makeup and can I just say, my foundation applies seamlessly with this oil! You get 15ml in each bottle, but trust me, a little goes a long way so you will only need the tiniest amount to cover your face and neck.

What has your journey been like?

So I started using this oil more than a month ago, and I can see a noticeable difference. Everyone has been complimenting on how natural and glowy my skin looks. I would class my skin type as combination and this oil works really well for me. The great thing about this oil is that any skin type can use this, even if you have oily or dry as the oil absorbs quickly into the skin leaving just a dewy finish. This oil is more aimed at problematic skin (acne and scarring), and for me, it has worked wonders. I have been breaking out less and my skin texture has improved (very smooth and fewer pimples). Some of my old scarring from previous breakouts have gone and has left an even skin tone all over. I use this product day and night, every time I wash my face, I apply this all over my face as the last step to my skincare routine. I have honestly just replaced my daily moisturiser with this oil and I can never go back to anything else. 

Cost?

The Sativa oil retails at £29.99 and every penny is worth it. The oil lasts you ages, up to 2-3 months as a little goes a long way. 

Ingredients: 24K gold, papaya oil, black cumin seed oil, sweet almond oil, sunflower seed oil, tea tree leaf oil and limonene. 

*It is also important that I mention, as the website advises, that you do a skin patch test 48 hours before use as it does contain fine organic ingredients*

I promise you, you won't be disappointed, if you have problematic/ pigmented skin then look no further. This product will work for you! 

The (Extra)Ordinary Skincare Review

The not so ordinary, The Ordinary Skincare is a line that I have recently discovered and it has been a game-changer for my skin. So a little background about this brand is that it is owned by Deciem, which is an umbrella for many brands where Ordinary is one of them. I discovered this brand a month ago and I have cooperated some of their products into my skincare regime and my skin looks AMAZING! I knew that the changes I was seeing were down to these products by Ordinary and I couldn't believe the drastic changes I was seeing for such an affordable price. I was genuinely surprised that I didn't need to break the bank to get really good skincare so I can assure you that your skin will be revolutionised! All of their products contain no nasty chemicals so if you want more information on what they don't contain then check out their website linked here.

Each of these products is under a tenner, YES under a tenner!

All I'm saying is that if you want more bang for your buck (literally) head to their new store in Spitalfields market in London and try it out for yourself. Or, you can order it from their website or from ASOS.

This brand covers all skin concerns you may be having; ageing, hyper-pigmentation or dehydration, or even if you get the odd break-out now and then. I knew that I wanted to target dark pigmentation and prevent spots from appearing so I chose these products below. If you are unsure which products to try then there are example regimens on their website.



                                     (Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA spheres 2%)

I knew I wanted a product for hyper-pigmentation and brightening my skin and this...WORKS! I'm so happy to have finally found a product which I have visibly seen my skin get brighter. Most products with Vitamin C do not get absorbed into the skin due to the silicone present, which entraps it from entering into the skin. This contains no silicone which allows the Vitamin C to fully absorb into the skin, with the additional hydration from hyaluronic acid in the formula. The consistency is runny and the texture is powdery (from the 23% L-Ascorbic Acid powder) which means that your skin is getting the maximum deliverance of Vitamin C. Due to the high potency, your skin will feel tingly (not irritating) after applying, this is completely normal due to the high exposure. I apply this at night (this is recommended) after applying the hyaluronic acid and the next day my skin is so much brighter which is unbelievable!

                                                          (Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5)

Products with hyaluronic acid have made a wave in the beauty industry but I never knew what it actually did for your skin. This formula contains three different sizes of hyaluronic acid so that any product you place on top is absorbed to deeper layers of the skin without making your skin feel dry; with additional B5 for surface hydration. I love the simple packaging of all their products and especially this dropper bottle which makes it easy to apply onto the skin. I apply this before any other serum or moisturiser so that I get the maximum absorption and they don't just sit on top of my skin.

                                                        (Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%)

This product works to brighten skin and improve the texture of your skin as well as reducing blemishes. Again the consistency is light-weight however it feels like a gel/cream on the skin. I use the Vitamin C suspension and this on alternating days so that I can get the maximum benefit from each product. This product reduces blemishes and my skin is so much smoother and brighter!

Winter Skincare

Hydrating Thirsty Skin in Winter

During winter our skin can dry out more easily and the weather can have a greater toll on our skin. To prevent dry cracking skin (which is painful!) it is important to ensure that your skincare basics keep your skin hydrated. It is vital to add products which keep my skin hydrated and supple for a longer period of time and to protect it from the chilly weather.

Nip+Fab Dragons Blood Fix Plumping Serum (50ml) £19.95-This serum is super hydrating as well as giving a plumping effect with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and dragon's blood. This product has seriously been a game-changer this past month and I am very impressed by it!

Garnier Micellar Oil-infused Cleansing Water (400ml) £5.99- Micellar water have been very popular in the beauty world and with it containing micelles (cleansing agents), dirt and impurities from the skin is removed as well as waterproof makeup (life-saviour!). With infused oil means that makeup is easily dissolved and gives us less work to do when removing makeup, what more could you ask for?

Superdrug Vitamin E Eye Cream (15ml) £2.99 (bargain!)-  Now this is a product that has seriously impressed me from its first use. I've been applying this eye cream before I apply makeup as well as before going to bed and its non-greasy formula allows it to sink in faster. It also protects the eye area which is great from environmental damage and keeps the under eye area hydrated.

Simple Kind to Skin+ Protecting Moisture Cream SPF 30 (50ml) £6.99- I've always been a massive supporter of simple products as it's great for those with sensitive skin. This product has again proved why I love simple product with its ability to keep my face moisturised for up to 24 hours! It transforms my dehydrated skin instantly as well as the bonus of it having SPF which protects your skin (everyone should be applying SPF even if it's winter!)

Tea Tree Face Mask (100ml) £10.00- This clay mask is amazing for those who suffer from blemishes or even if you want to remove impurities deep within your skin. Even though this product doesn't claim to moisturise, after using it, my face feels moisturised afterwards and doesn't leave that tight/over-drying feeling after applying a mask (which I hate!). I highly recommend this mask for those with blemish-prone skin or even if you get an occasional zit this is perfect for banishing them to leave clearer skin.


*This post is not sponsored by Superdrug or Body Shop and all opinions are my own