Eye Cream | Dermalogica Intensive Eye Repair

Hola Munchkins!

I am prone to a little bit of eczema on and around my eyelids, especially in times of stress and illness, and I have been a little of both lately, so the eczema has been kind of bubbling under the surface, not quite there, but not quite not.  

Enter Dermalogica Intensive Eye Repair.  I got this in a little Dermalogica Hydration Kit, and oh-em-gee it has quite literally saved my life.  

It is a thick, non-greasy cream that immediately feels hydrating on the skin.  It takes a few moments to sink in properly, but when it does sink in the immediate area on and around the eye is soft and smooth.  This eye cream has meant that for once I haven't had to resort to steroid creams to take down the eczema, for which I am very grateful!

Beautiful cream that I think could work on most skin types!

Love A.x

Coconut | Oil

Hola Munchkins!

Once upon a time I bought a tub of coconut oil.  

I then promptly forgot about it, but the good thing about coconut oil and it's pureness is that it tends to never go off.  So I have rediscovered it.  And I must say, I'm bloody loving the stuff.  I actually bought it first and foremost as a deep conditioning treatment for my hair: melt a load of it in my hands, rake fingers through hair, massage and leave (overnight if possible) and hey presto, beautiful, soft, soft hair.  

Now, these days, I am lazy when it comes to my hair, and if truth be told, I prefer it to not be soft and silky, I love body, guts and texture.  So what am I using my rediscovery for?  Well, I'll tell you - it is my newest cleansing balm.  I had a little thought a few days ago, about parabens and the like - I am not adverse to a paraben or two, but I figure if you can avoid, then do.  And coconut oil avoids, so all the better!  

What I love about using this as a cleansing balm is that a teeny tiny bit of coconut oil melts down to a lot of cleanser, and is lovely and slippy on the skin, meaning a lovely massage.  When flannelled off it leaves the skin soft, cleansed and ever so slightly glowy.

The other thing I love about it?  It's super duper cheap for a tub, and it last forrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Have you ever used coconut oil for anything?

Love A.x

Clarins Instant Eye Make Up Remover | L'oreal Absolute Make Up Remover Eye and Lip

Hola Munchkins!

Today for you I have a very exciting dupe - a wonderful eye make up remover.  I do love a good eye make up remover, especially on my heavier than heavy eye make up days, which are quite a regular occurrence.  For a good 3 years I used the Simple Eye Make Up Remover, and was more than happy with it, until one day it just wasn't working so well anymore.  At the Professional Beauty Show this year I happened to score a little bit of a bargain deal (actually a few) at the Clarins stand, and in amongst my goodies was a little mini Instant Eye Make Up Remover.  

Now, I love a little bit of oil for cleansing, for hydrating, on my face etc etc, but I was a little hesitant about oil on my eyes, mostly because I wear contact lenses, and it could cause my sight to go a little blurry.  But I needn't have feared - this was such a joy to use, shake it up so the two phases can mix, splash a little onto a cotton pad, then press onto the eye for a few secs before wiping away, and miracle of all miracles, even the heaviest made up eye comes away with ease.  

Now, I adore this eye make up remover, but at £17 for 125ml, I was intrigued when I spotted the L'oreal Absolute Make Up Remover Lip and Eye.  Normally retailing at £4.99 for the same 125ml, I actually got it on a ridiculously good Superdrug deal - buy 2 of the new L'oreal skincare range for £4!  Right, so how does this compare?  

It is the same colour, slightly thicker if you will, in texture, applies the same way, and does the same job.  It take a tad more elbow grease and a little longer soaking on the eye, but amazingly, the products are incredibly, incredibly similar.  I am more than happy with both products, and just on the price, and the similar performance, would definitely buy the L'oreal again!

Love A.x

Face Mask Files | Elemis Tri Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask

Hola Munchkins!

Today is a straight up review of a mask I've been using since the end of February, and feel like I can really and truly comment on both it's instant and cumulative results.  Like it says, this is a gel consistency, easy to spread on the skin, and brilliantly, you hardly need any of it to cover the face well.  

Once on the face, it feels slightly cooling, and I generally forget it's on until about 5 minutes into the treatment, at which point it feels, I imagine, how toothpaste smeared all over one's face would feel - cold and minty fressh! 

This mask contains (as the name suggests) three types of enzymes, which act in the same way a peel would on the face, albeit slightly less strongly.  With regular usage, this mask is said to help with hyper-pigmentation and blemishes, as well as ridding the skin of excess oil.

So, what have I found after regular use over around 3 months?  Well, firstly, this mask really feels like its working - even after I've flannelled it off I can still feel it hanging around, doing good under my skin: immediately after I've taken it off my skin is sooooo, soooo, soooo soft that I can't stop touching it, which is somewhat of a revelation.  Continuous use seems to have evened out my pigmentation slightly, and just generally gives a glow and a healthy-looking look to the face.  Basically I'm a little in love with it.  I am fairly liberal with my application and my little teeny tiny 15ml tube has lasted me 2 and half months, with at least one usage a week!  Definitely, definitely one to repurchase. 

I hope you found this useful, I will be doing a few more reviews of Elemis bits and pieces soon!

Love A.x

UPDATED Blog Sale | MAC, Nars, Jemma Kidd, Versace, Origins

Hola Munchkins!

Blog Sale today!

P+P is £2.50 plus 30p for each extra item

All items are sold as seen, and therefooooore I shan't be accepting any returns.

If you would like anything, please drop me an email at misfocusing@gmail.com and I will get back to you on the ASAP!

Ok, here goes!

MAC Viva Glam Gaga, more than half left, £7

NYC Chroma Face Glow in Moonstone (very rare, dupe for MAC Petticoat) £5

H&M Versace Earrings, never used, backs are lost! £20

Nars Loose Powder in Eden, used a handful of times RRP £26.50, selling for £15

Topshop Cream Blush in Head Over Heels (used a handful of times, looks dirty from my bronzer brush!) £4

Vichy Mattifying Face Fluid Dry Touch SPF 30 RRP Used a handful of times £5

Origins Zero Oil Skincare Kit - Cleansing Gel, Toner, Mattifier and Moisturiser: mattifier and toner used handful of times, cleanser and moisturiser at least half full £10

Origins Super Spot Remover, 1/3 left £5

Clarins Toning Lotion for Combination or Oily Skin, used three or four times £10

Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser used twice £5

PPQ A/W12 Limited edition palette Fashionista - all swatched once £5

Maybelline Fit Me Powder in 220 Natural Beige, used a handful of times £4

Jemma Kidd Signature Shadows Palette, tried once, £5

Sleek Brow Kit in Dark, used twice £4

L'oreal Rouge Caresse in Dating Coral, used a handful of time £3

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Pink Gold, used a few times £3

Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in 002 Radiant Rose and 004 Shimmering Sand Brand New £3 each or both for £5

Collection Cover and Go Foundation and Concealer in medium, swatched, £3

Sleek Lipstick in Peaches & Cream, tried a few times £3

Eylure Pre-Glued Lashes (Corner lashes) £3

MUA Concealer and Brighten Kit in Beige - Golden, used once £2

Une Top 3 Eye Palette in P01 Used twice £6

Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in 01 Bare Nudes £5

Ms Makeup Retractable Kabuki Brush £4

Any questions please ask!

Hope you find something you liked!

Love A.x

Face of the | (going nowhere to-) Day

Hola Munchkins!

I thought it was about time that I put some make up on - kidney stones or no kidney stones, sometimes a little bit of make up is just what a girl needs!

I started with a new base - the beautiful EX1 in F200, which is just lovely, reminding me a little of the raved about YSL foundation (too oily for my skin) applied with my Sigma F82 of course.  The foundation itself is just lovely, I will do a separate review, but at the moment it seems to tick all my boxes!

I then proceeded to shove all of this lot on top:

The Wild About Beauty Mattifying Balm was used as a primer - this stuff is just beautiful pressed onto the skin with the sponge that is included, plus you can touch up using it too!  I then applied the EX1 foundation in F200 as seen before, and powdered with the MUA Loose Powder, which is pretty much my go-to loose powder these days: a lovely yellow tone, and a verrrrrrrry finely-milled texture.  Cheekbones were sculpted with the dream that is Kevyn Aucoin's Sculpting Powder in Medium and the Real Techniques Setting Brush, and Sleek's Pixie Pink Blush was applied to the top of cheekbones for the Barbie-toned flush that I love!  L'oreal's Infallible Shadow in Endless chocolate was blended all over the lid of my eye, with the Sculpting Powder in the crease, lined with Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Black, and underneath the lower lash line I blended the UNE Sfumato Eyes Pencil in S26 (a soft grey), and finally lashes curled and doused in Maybelline the Colossal Volume Express.  Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd last of all, all was set with my Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder, and looked something like this:

Tah-dah!

Love A.x