Caudalie Experiment

I went into Space NK yesterday to return an eye cream that I was sceptical about using. I only wanted to get my money back but ended up getting sucked into spending a bit more and buying a 'Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting'. 


I was so close to going back for a refund next week (and resist the any form of eye contact with the sales people), but when I read a bunch of review online, the majority were very positive so I thought I'd try it out and keep a log on the progress.


It costs a whopping £43.50 for 30ml. It comes in a glass jar with a dropper - I reckon thats where most of my money was spent on (the packaging). I am not comfortable about it being in a light coloured glass jar because I heard that formulas are ruined by sun exposure the moment air gets into it. So i'll keep it in the box, in my wardrobe where the sun does not hit it. The product is a far more runny consistency than your average serum and the smell is quite nice - almost like the smell of the Origin skincare products.
Product Description: In four weeks, it claims to:

• Correct existing dark spots, prevent the appearance of dark spots, and boosts the complexion`s radiance.
• Provide anti-oxidant protection and offers your skin unique anti-ageing action 
• Make your complexion look even and radiant

For maximum results, you use it morning and evening before your moisturiser. It also claims to be ideal for smokers, scar marks, sun-derived or age-related dark spots, pregnancy marks.

So lets do an experiment and see if it works! I have red scarring from a row of old spots, and and the dark spots have been there for over five years. The use of sun cream on my face has helped any new ones from appearing, but I really want to get rid of these uglys. So these are the two areas on my face that I will base on whether or not the products have worked for me. Plus its supposed to help even out the skin tone. With typical indian skin, the area around my mouth and nose is darker than the rest of my face. Hopefully this serum do something combat this trouble as well.

The lady in the store says that the serum should last me about nine months... I'm not too sure about that. I'll also give the experiment longer than 4 weeks. I'll take pictures of the offended areas every week for eight weeks. At the end of that, I'll compare the pictures to see if it was money worth spent. 

The serum also came with two very small samples of their day and night cream in this range which they recommend using for optimal results. But I have a bunch of products and samples I need to finish off. So here will be my routine:

Morning

1. Serum

2. Moisturiser (I am finishing off the Olay 'Complete Care Multi-Radiance Daily Illuminating UV Fluid'. I am also going to use up samples of 'Creme Fraiche moisture emulsion', 'Jurlique day cream', Eve Lom 'TLC Radiance Cream' and the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion')

3. Clinique face cream spf 40

Night time

1. Boots Rose water & Glycerine or the Elemis Rehydrating Ginseng toner if my skin feels like it needs it

2. Serum

3. Home Health Goji Berry Facial Cream

I tried to take pictures of the two offending areas I want to concentrate on but they came out far too blurry, but I will try again in a different light.

My favourite face cream

I am devastated. I went to my local Holland & Barratt to buy a few of these to stock up in:

They informed me that this line was being discontinued. I refused to believe them, so emailed H&B and sadly they confirmed the disaster. I went into another store and they had taken the last few out so I swiped two of them and my friend took the other one.

I use this once a day (usually at night, but in the mornings if I forget/don't bother to wash my face). It has all the right words - goji berry, hyaluronic and retinal. It just blends so well into my dry skin, has kept my spots at bay and makes my face so soft and plump. I am gutted that it is discontinued. I've checked around the web, but the all the suppliers seem to be outside of the UK.

If anyone knows where I can get my hands on anymore these (UK based supplier), I would be eternally grateful. 
In the meantime, I will be desperately searching for another face cream that contains all three of these ingredients. I am just hoping this company is rebranding, so the cream will be around - just under a different name... the hunt is on!!!

It was Animale, freakin' Nitrate time last night!!

I just found out that Suede had played a one-off gig at the Royal Albert Hall last night. I AM GUTTED!! I never got to see them first time round and now again I missed out. I would have sung those songs with feeling and swayed my arms about! I cannot believe I didn't know they were playing. What did I do instead last night? Watch the diabolical 'Bounty Hunter'. It was so bad we walked out three quarters in. Have I really sold myself to commercialism? 10 years ago,  this would never have happened to me. I was actually just horrified when I discovered what I was doing the day Suede came back for a one-off gig.

Anyway I am digressing. I need to start using my brain again. I mean, I chose the freakin' bounty hunter over 'The Green Zone'. What the heck is wrong with me??!! (Quick side note: I love Jen A and I just wish she'd make something worth watching).

I'm going to book a bunch of live bands to see. Yes, thats what i'll do - that way I can start to feel part of my soul again.

Samaritans update - The branch I wanted to volunteer in only take a small number of people on three times a year - January, April and September. They finally got back to me with a text message to say I have to go in for the selection process in the middle of April. Unfortunately I won't be in the country then. So I called and left a message asking if I can come another time. They got back to me today to say yes I can, but it will be in September! I don't hold a grudge against the guys at Samaritans for not being flexible, or even taking so long to respond. Because its a hard job they do, and I can do understand that they are very busy, and they should only get the best in anyway. However I was talking to a friend about this and she said that she had to keep ringing to volunteer for a mentoring scheme she had heard of. Its just so resource intensive for the people who run these things. If anyone feels that they aren't getting through a particular charity or oganisation they would like to volunteer in the first time round, don't give up just yet. If you think you can be useful, then just persevere a little more - and think of all the good you'll be doing if you do just that!

Thing is, I think I'll be really good at it. I'll try some other branches but if I have no joy, I'll have a look for something else and try my luck again in September.

Current Eye Creams

I have severe, hereditary dark circles. I remember at my early years of secondary school, there was a girl working with Avon. My friends bought makeup and perfume ('Far and away' was the range back then, along with the original 'Charlie' perfume!)? Me? Well, I bought eye cream. Yep, I was obsessed with it even way back then. I am in denial that I am getting older and developing wrinkles. So I don't think about whether the eyecream helps reduce this. For me, its all about the dark circles.

Over the years, I have tried many, many products - cheap and expensive. Non of them made much difference. But I live in the hope that something will be a miracle cure for me. However, thought I'd mention the two I am currently using:
Daytime - Molton Brown 'Eye Rescue Ultracool' (£25)

I bought this one because i went to return a gift from their store that I didn't want. They offered an exchange so I thought I'd pick up this. It claims:
"This cooling cream-gel uses Algisium CTM marine extract and starflower to ease away fine lines and soothe the delicate eye area. Eyes look and feel refreshed and renewed. "

What is does is that that my eyes do feel cool when I apply it and keeps it moisterised. But that is literally all it does, I just don't think it is strong enough to combat my bruise-like eyes. But I think it comes in the most gorgeous packaging!
Nighttime - Origins 'High Potency Night-A-Mins eyecream (£29)

What it says:
"Formulated with extra vitamins (including B-complex, C, E and also A), extra minerals and an exfoliating extract to help skin repair while you sleep."
I think this is actually okay. However it is quite a creamy consistency and I wonder whether the heaviness of this is what is increasing the bags. But I do feel like something is happening when I apply it - I wouldn't mind repurchasing it if I haven't found anything else before my jar runs out.



Booster every few weeks - Talika Eye Therapy Patch (£34)

'An instant pick-me-up for reducing dark circles, puffiness and fine lines and wrinkles. Incorporating ceramide technology to instantly firm the eye area. Contains six pairs and one case, each patch is resuable three times'.
This is my most recent purchase, I've only used one pair of patches. When I put it on, I feel like i'm going through some surgical procedure - it feels so wierd! The convenient thing about it is that I can place these under my eyes and go about my day to day stuff around the house. I haven't noticed any results yet as its early days, will let you know how I get along.

One thing I do know is that these three products combined are not working for me. I'll have to change some around. Two products which showed any real, visible difference for me, have been the Aveda 'Tourmaline Charged Eye Creme' (£27) and Origins 'Eye Mask: No Puffery' (£19). I don't understand why I keep forgetting to repurchase them, once I've run out of the ones I already have, will make sure I stock up on these kids.

It will be quite a while though, as I just bought the Darphin 'Wrinkle Corrective Contour Cream' (£39) and have a HUGE, generous sample of the Natura Bisse 'Diamond Extreme Eye' to try out. Will keep you posted on how these go!
xx

Nails. Of. the. Week (1)....

I've only started doing patterns on my nails. Its still not as daring as the designs you get at the nail salons, and I am quite a novice at this. But I brought a few very funky coloured Barry M nail paints which makes my skin look grey. As you can't really return make up stuff in most shops, I thought I'd see how I can make use of them.
So I tried this....

with this...

Just realised I didn't include the No7 glittery nail varnish in 'spotlight', which i applied directly over the grey.

I've just bought a 15 piece nail art brush set from ebay, so looking forward to trying new things with those. Also at £2.30 (incl p&p!), lets hope they come in one piece and don't fall apart on the first use and I make use of them instead of getting bored and forgetting about them after a week's use!

Eyes for tea

I went for tea, toast and cakes with a friend's mother yesterday. This lady is just about to hit her retirement age, but she is always so impeccably dressed and her make up is never out of place. So of course I needed to make sure I looked presentable around her. I wore a dress from Warehouse which was multiple swirls of grey, black and brown. I combined this with a black belt, a long knitted grey grandad-style cardigan, leggings and flat black boots. I was planning to take a picture of the outfit but I was already running 45 minutes late so had to run out of the door.

For my eyes, I did my usual everyday routine, usually with the following products

This is how the look tends to come out (I have taken the pictures with and without flash, apologies for the quality of the photos, the lighting in my room is pants):

So.. here is how i use the products:

1. pout translucent pressed powder: over whole eyelid after applying a bit of concealer. As a powder it is far too light and chalky for me, so I make use of it as a ‘primer’
2. nyx jumbo eyeshadow pencil (in yoghurt):blended all over the lid as base
3. Stila eyeshadow (in ray) all over lid and just above crease
4. Bobbi brown nude on nude shimmer eye shadow palette: ‘wheat’ on crease,  ‘mahogany’ on the corner and blended thoroughly
5. Mac eyeshadow (in ‘bisque’): used all over the lid to blend everything throroughly. This is the only non-shimmer product I use, so it helps tone down the look for daytime
6. bobbi brown long-wear gel liner in ‘sepia ink 2’ to top and bottom of line, followed by ‘cement’ from the bobbi brown palette, to a third  of the way to the lower line.
7. Maceyeshadow  (in ‘vanilla’): under brow bone to highlight
8. e.l.f eyebrow kit dark
9. N0 7 Extravagent lashes (in 01black). I do also curl my eyelashes, but I seem to have misplaced them at the moment.

The nyx pencil is a recent addition to this routine, but in general, this is my usual routine, just the eyeshadows change depending on the occasion.

We went to 'Richoux'. The waitress serving us was a bit nutty, but the food was just delicious. An eccentric older couple sat next to us and mentioned that they have been coming here for over 20 years. The man pulled out his iphone and I ended up downloading some applications for him! It was my first time there, but I can see it turning into a regular haunt for me!

Trying to earn my living

A girl at work told me the other day that I can't save everybody. It was one of those statements that I will remember for life. But I do feel useless. I think I am incapable of being loved and loving rationally. I find that sooner or later, any man I am remotely interested in, finds me annoying and repulsive. The only person who loved me unconditionally was too overcome with sadness, so he left. I keep having this feeling of worthlessness and helplessness. I've been meaning to do something about it.


This year is a complete write-off about trying to make me happy. Instead, I am trying to occupy my mind with things so I don't have to think. Train journeys are the hardest because I am left with my own thoughts. I should take a book with me to rectify this problem. There's no point of me being happy, because I end up feeling terrible and guilty for days afterwards. Having said that, I love the of staying in my maxi the entire weekend, doing nothing but play silly computer games. He used to do that.


So... I've signed up to volunteer at the Samaritans. I gave my contact details online over the weekend and received a letter to say someone will be contacting me talk me through the process. I don't know if its for me yet, but I might as well see what it is about. There is no need for previous experience - they put you on a 6/8 training. If I decide to do it, I will make sure I keep a record of the journey. It might help some, it might not, I dunno. I will make me feel slightly worthwhile.


Anyway, let hope I stick this one out!


http://www.samaritans.org/


xx