Matching up with Myface

It happened again.  I visited the Bobby Brown counter in House of Fraser, and was colour-matched an orange honey tone, which was simply too dark.  The lovely male consultant informed me that they always colour-match people to the darkest part of their face, which for most Asians, is their chin.  Despite my protestations, he proceeded, probably thinking ‘these Asians girls’, as I’m sure I wouldn’t have been the first to question his artistic licence to colour me darker.           

Anyway, as expected, the tone was less than flattering, though the consultant did his best to insist that the ‘warmness’ was nice.  I didn’t make a purchase that day.  

The lesson from this would be to use your own judgement and choose your own shade.  This is no more the case than with MyFace, a brand which caters for Asian skin and has the column inches in Asiana magazine to prove it.

I first tried their range when they had a beauty day in Manchester.   I was impressed by their incredibly reasonable price.  At £12.99 for their Mymix foundation, it was a fraction of the cost of other brands which also promised to cater for Asian skin.      

The colours fall into three different categories, light, medium and dark.  Within these categories there are three different shades.  Myface also has a matching lipstick and blusher for each of the three shades.  So far, so simple.  

I was told that the dark shade would be most appropriate for Asian skin, so I was matched up accordingly.  At first look, I was hit by a sense of Déjà vu.  Again the colour was too dark and simply didn’t flatter nor suit my skin. 

Despite this, the foundation itself was flawless and created a nice even base.  So I was determined not to give up on Myface, I figured if I got the shade right, it would be a low price saviour for desi girls.          

I then went for a medium shade, which actually produced a much better result.  Perhaps due to it being lighter, it didn’t seem to provide as much coverage, but I think applying a spot of concealer on any blemishes beforehand would do the trick.  Though I may opt for something more heavy-duty for a wedding or party, Myface felt like the perfect solution for everyday wear. 

Then I tried the lipstick and blusher from the medium range.  While the blusher, in R&B Rouge (which comes in a very handy compact with mirror and brush) was fine, I felt the lipstick, in Gigabyte Smooth was incredibly sheer and almost nude.  I queried this and was told that the medium range isn’t suitable for Asian skin, which is why the colour was virtually non-existent. 

    

In the simplest terms, the three shades on offer are based on three distinct skintones.  Kate Hudson is light, Kate Moss is medium, and Freida Pinto is Dark.  This explained a lot.  Frieda Pinto has fairly dark skin, and not every Asian girl has this colouring, which is why the dark foundation was wrong for me.  I found it funny that the medium was a good match, as last time I checked, I was not the same colour as Kate Moss.

Anyway, I tried the lipstick from the dark range, which was better though still a little sheer alone.  However, it is meant to be worn with a lip pencil in Rose, which helps cover pigmentation, i.e. darker colouring around the lips.  This set off the lipstick perfectly.  But to be honest, I liked the lip pencil so much that I use it to colour the whole mouth then finish with a sheen of Vaseline for a minimalist look.   

The acid test was when I wore the full face - foundation, lip colour and blusher – for a day’s shopping and sightseeing with a friend.  This was a particularly warm day, so I expected a full oil-slick mess by 5pm.  But my make-up actually stayed put all day, with only just a little shine which hinted that I’d had a busy day.       

So overall, it’s a thumbs up for Myface as it’s a good solution for daily, fuss free wear.  But do choose your shade yourself ladies.  I know I’ve bleated about this before, but I am going to have to keep posting my discontent about mismatching until there’s a revolution in the industry.   

What worked for me:

Myface Mymix foundation in medium 02 - £12.99   

Blusher in medium R&B Rouge - £9.00

Lip pencil in med/dark Rose - £6.49 

Lipstick in med/dark Gigabyte Ooh Baby Baby - £9.99     

     

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Body oils for your budget

Despite the various types of body moisturisers available – body butters, lotions, balms – I think nothing works better for your skin than good old fashioned oil.  Why?  It spreads so easily and softens your skin like nothing else.         

I find that most lotions tend to absorb into the skin too quickly and you soon feel dry again.  Or the few lotions that do leave you feeling soft and supple – such as Molten Brown require an industrial sized application to work.  The same is true of body butters.  Palmers Cocoa Butter is lovely, but it doesn’t spread too easily, you need to use lots for your whole body and on top of that, you’re left feeling a little greasy. 

Oil on the other hand, is an age-old solution for dry skin or after-shower moisturising.

  

So it’s agreed, body oil rocks.  And even better, whatever your budget, there’s a body oil that can work for you and your pocket.  I’ve reviewed one of the cheapest out there, as well as one of its more high-end contemporaries. 

Feeling the pinch…

Johnson’s baby oil  

£2-£3 for 500ml 

Available in all good toiletry stores, pharmacies  

The best thing about body oil is that it needn’t cost the earth.  While you tend to get what you paid for with moisturisers, a good body oil that does the job is within the means of us all.

Johnson’s baby oil really is as good for baby as it is for you.  It seems to suit every type of skin.  It’s light (as far as oils go), and you can be top-to-toe moisturised in no time.  The only downside is that it can take a while to absorb.  So it can be a little tricky in the morning when you’re dashing to work.  Oil streaks on a blouse is never a good look.     

  

Feeling flush…

Black Chicken Remedies Love Your Body oil

£45.50 for 100ml

Sold exclusively at Selfridges.com  

 This really is the Prada of body oils.  Black Chicken Remedies is an Australian beauty brand which created this luxury aromatherapy body oil.    


Despite its silly name, Love your Body oil contains 12 remedial oils which claim to provide deep long lasting moisture to nourish skin.  These include avocado oil, rosehip oil (good for wrinkles and stretch marks), hazelnut oil to help tone and tighten the skin, sandalwood essential oil which is great for stress, lavender oil for sunburn, and vitamin E to help maintain cell integrity (whatever that means).

Anyway, the proof is in the pudding as always.  I certainly noted one oil – lavender.  The smell was so pungent when I tried it that I thought that bees would swarm as soon as I stepped out of the door!  However, After second use, I was used to the smell, and it actually becomes quite pleasant.  One lady at the gym even complemented me after I’d used it, so it obviously suits a certain nose.

Smell aside, Love your Body oil is as luxurious as you’d expect.  You only need one squirt of the oil per limb, which means a little goes a long way, plus my skin was left feeling incredibly soft until the very next day – an impressive feat which even trumped the Johnson’s baby oil.  But then again, at £45.50 a pop, I should think so too!         

I don’t know about the effect on wrinkles and stretch marks (don’t have any) and despite its claims, I wouldn’t expect it to cure stress, but if you were looking to treat yourself, or buy a gift for someone who has everything, this wouldn’t be a bad way to go.      

http://www.selfridges.com/

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Freebie alert - Nelsons skincare goodies!

You might have read my review of Nelsons Pure and Clear facial wash. This was the first time I had ever tried one of their products (or heard of them, if I’m being honest) and I loved it.
   
However, unbeknown to me, Nelsons have provided blemish-fighting skincare solutions for the centuries and they want to spread the word about their homeopathic magic to you all. In fact, they are putting their money where their mouth is by offering you a chance to try their range absolutely free of charge!

Nelsons are offering a month’s supply of their Purifying Daily Facial Wash, Purifying Daily Facial Wipes, Balancing Moisturiser, and Blemish Gel to the first 100 people that send a head and shoulders shot of themselves.

The lucky few then use Nelsons Pure & Clear consistently for a month then send us another photo to share the results of the challenge.

What’s the catch?

Well, your photos may be used for promotional purposes, but not without your consent. If you agree for your photos to be used for promotional opportunities you will be offered you a financial reimbursement. So free skincare goodies and the chance for a few pounds – that’s win win!

Also, as a thank you for your efforts you will be sent a 200ml bottle of their newly-launched Nelsons ArnicareTM arnica bath & massage balm. All participants will furthermore be entered into a prize draw to win £100 worth of high street shopping vouchers. It just keeps giving.

Email your photos to pr@nelsons.net with the subject heading "Nelsons Pure & Clear Challenge" along with your name, age, address, email address and a contact telephone number.

Alternatively send photos to:
Nelsons Pure & Clear Challenge
A Nelsons and Co Ltd
Nelsons House
83 Parkside
Wimbledon
London
SW19 5LP

So go on, take the first step towards perfect skin.

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Tesco does beauty – but is it any good?

Like many people, I shop at Tesco’s for my fruit, vegetables and household basics.  But for skincare and beauty?  It wouldn’t be my first port of call. 

It’s not that I’m a brand snob, but I have greater confidence in a department store, skincare or beauty shop or even Avon, who are all about beauty.

I’ve always held the assumption that the Tesco’s own brand stuff would be poor quality, no frills fodder.      

But in the interests of fair reporting, I’ve decided to try out some of their new products to see whether my assumptions are correct, or if they can provide a relatively low-cost solution for Asian girls.            

So here’s my lowdown on the good and not-so-good in Tesco’s beauty.

Skincare 

I’ve been trying the new range of ayurvedic products – Skin Wisdom.  They caught my interest because they have been formulated with the help of Bharti Vyas, who is an Indian beauty guru.  So I figured if anyone knows what’s good for Asian skin, she does.                   

However, at first look of their cleanser, I didn’t see what was actually ayurvedic or Indian about it.  I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but perhaps a distinct greenness and aroma of herbs that you get from the green ayurvedic soaps available in the Asian grocers, such as Chandrika?

Tesco's Skin Wisdom range

The cleanser is instead white and has a nice smell – thought not ayurvedic, but in fact a little bit like baby wipes.  Which actually is more pleasant than it sounds. 

Anyway, despite my initial misgivings, I’m very impressed with the cleanser.  After gentle massaging, I felt like I had a really deep clean.  Plus its soap free formula didn’t dry out my skin, and it is gentle enough to use every day.    

Despite its gentle properties, it took off all my makeup and I even felt that my skin looked brighter after the first use.  Best of all, at £3.50, it great value for money.      

I then used the Skin Essentials toner (which also had the same baby wipes smell).  This is great for tightening pores, but be careful not to be too overzealous with the cotton wool, as I smoothed the toner onto my squeaky clean skin, it felt a bit harsh (I haven’t decided what’s the biggest culprit, the cotton wool, toner, or my trigger-happy hands).  If your skin is a little sensitive, but otherwise generally spot and problem-free, you could skip the toner full stop and get away with using good old-fashioned water instead.

I finished with Youth Protect Moisturiser, which was light and had a nice smell.  I found that it made my skin soft and smooth, though it’s too early to judge whether my youth has really been protected.  It worked well for me, as I have oily/combination skin, but if you’ve got very dry skin, it’s perhaps not for you.  My sister, who falls into the dry category used it and felt that it didn’t moisturise her skin enough (though to be fair, she is used to using Astral, which is pretty greasy).   

    

Beauty

Instant Benefits beauty balm

I tried Tesco’s Instant Benefits beauty balm, which promised instant beautifying benefits. 

         

I never quite understand these beauty balm products.  I mean, are they primers, moisturisers - what are there purpose?  The balm itself is an orangey cream consistency, which you smooth onto skin either alone or under makeup.  It contains Cherry, Vitamin C and papaya, to help promote radiance and moisturise.    

             

I have to say though, my skin didn’t feel any benefits.  In fact, I looked a little shiny, which is certainly something I don't need any help with.  It's perhaps better for those with dry, dull skin, but if you're already shiny, like me, the balm will only enhance that.  I’m not sure if it will look better with the help of makeup, but it certainly didn’t beautify on its own.

Megashine lipgloss

There’s a better verdict on its lip products, in fact, I think they’re the real find in the beauty collection.  I tried their Megashine lipgloss in cute, which is the kind of girly pop pink that I would never normally consider.  But strangely, it works.  It’s funny that I often end up going for safe colours such as rose or deep red, as I assume they will be most flattering, but in actual fact, the gloss left a subtle hint of pink, which is great for everyday use. 

In terms of quality, as far as lipglosses go, its fairly standard.  You would need to reapply during the day, and of course, you get a strong gust of wind and it’s stuck to your hair, but I’m yet to find a lipgloss that doesn’t have these flaws (if you know of one, let me know, I must try it!).  I liked the megashine gloss so much that its managed to find its way to into my daily makeup routine.

So, for me, the real winners in Tesco’s beauty and skincare range I tried are its cleanser and lipgloss, so next time your doing your weekly shop, check them out.

Cleansing Facial Wash – £3.50

Refreshing Toner - £3.50

Youth Protect Night Cream - £7.00   

Beauty Balm - £6

Megashine Lip-gloss - £4.57

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Want Kate Middleton’s shiny, glossy hair? Just slap on some coconut oil

With just weeks to go until the big event, the world has caught royal wedding fever.  We’ve been captivated by the romance between Prince William and Kate Middleton for years.  Will they, won’t they?  Will he finally get off his backside and propose already?     

Well, now he has, and we’re all sucked in to the finer details of the upcoming nuptials.  What will she wear?  What will they eat? Who’s invited? 

Also, the world has found a new muse in the shape of Ms Middleton.  We love her style, her English rose looks, but most of all, we’re green with envy because of her glossy, stepped-out-of-the-salon hair.

Just how does she get it so shiny?  That’s a question that’s got women hooked across the globe.  Well, there’s a simple way of emulating the royal bride-to-be’s shine, and it’s a lot cheaper than you think. 

Coconut oil: good food, great haircare

After trying literally everything, from expensive shampoos to serums, to give my hair a looking-glass sheen, I discovered a minor miracle.  Not in a salon, but on the shelf of a grocery store.  The key to glossy, healthy hair is the humble but fabulous coconut oil.

                  

Now you may associate coconut oil with cooking high-calorie food, but in fact it has been extolled for centuries in southern Asia, used by women who know how to maintain their mane.  It’s an ancient remedy for a dry scalp, itchy head and, of course, dull lifeless hair.  

  

From the first time I used it, I understood why it was the hair treatment of choice for my ancestors.  The results were amazing. 

Coconut oil is usually available in good Asian grocers and comes in either a glass bottle or tub and has a solid white form, like candlewax.  It costs around £1-£2, so won’t break the bank. 

Applying it is simple.  I placed the whole tub in a bowl of hot water to melt the oil.  Once it turned to clear liquid, I massaged it into my hair.

   

I left the oil in my hair overnight, but if you’re pushed for time, you can leave it in for just an hour.  The next day I rinsed it out with shampoo followed by conditioner.  There is one downside – coconut oil is notoriously difficult to wash out, you need at least two to three rinses.  Any less and your hair will be left looking greasy, so it’s perhaps best not to apply if you are in a rush and need a quick wash and go.    

 

The results were instantaneous.  I had a smooth, shiny mane.  I now try to apply coconut oil in my hair once a week, and love the sleek look my hair has.  It’s also softer to touch and more manageable.   

Also, legend has it that regular application can keep the greys at bay, but I think this may be an old wives’ tale. 

So, in conclusion, if you want to make like Kate and rock shiny, gorgeous hair, grab a tub or bottle of coconut oil and get massaging.                      

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