#SkinLove

Hello everyone! 

Now this is going to be very different from the kind of thing I usually post, but it's something that I feel is very important and needs to be talked about. It's also something that is very personal to me and plays such a big part in my life; living with a skin disorder. 

You see a lot of posts online about body confidence. How you should feel good no matter what shape or size you are, or whether you have an illness or disability, and believe me I think this is super important. Every single person out there deserves to love themselves and feel good about the way they look, but what I'm trying to say is there isn't a lot out there (that I've seen anyway) about loving your body with a skin disorder. 

I've suffered with a lot of health problems and illnesses throughout my life, and I know that it can take its toll on you. You start to lose faith in your body and feel unmotivated about a lot of things, but when you have a condition that is so visible, it can also make you feel like you have to hide away.

I suffer with severe eczema over most of my body. It comes and goes, is unpredictable, and can also be extremely painful. The pain and irritation is hard to deal with in itself. I also feel like I live at the doctors, hospital and pharmacy (I've tried some experimental treatment too - unsuccessfully I might add) and there are days where no matter how well my makeup goes and no matter how exciting my plans are, I feel self conscious, unattractive and like I need to hide away. 

Behind all the carefully edited Instagram pictures, the Snapchat selfies and makeup look photos are a lot of people who are hiding the real way their skin looks. Eczema, Acne, Psoriasis and Dermatitis just to name a few, so many people like me have spent days wearing long sleeved tops in 30 degree heat to hide the rashes on their arms; have been too embarrassed to wear the pretty short dress because of the skin on their legs; have been too self conscious to take part in the group photo because today is a bad acne day. 

I know I'm rambling on, and for those of you still reading thank you for your dedication, I just feel like I've spent the last 25 years of my life hiding this part of me away from the eyes of strangers (and even the eyes of family and friends) and I don't want to anymore. It is a part of my identity and something that will be there for the rest of my life. I can either keep hiding, or I can embrace it and show those rashes, sores and blisters who's boss. 

Over the next few weeks I'm planing to start a blog series focusing on those of you out there with skin disorders - beauty products that don't irritate, make up appropriate for sensitive skin, ways to deal with the anxiety it causes and how we can start loving our skin, no matter what. If any of you are interested, please feel free to message me on twitter (@AmyBarden) or email me (faceitamy@gmail.com) and we can arrange collaborations and maybe even a twitter chat to raise awareness and spread the love :)  #skinlove

Thank you all for taking the time to read this, it is something very important to me and I'd love to hear from you! 

Love to you all x 

 

Skintifique Cleanser P Review *

Hello guys!

Today I have a little review for you of a gorgeous facial cleanser that was kindly sent to me from the Brand Skintifique. They make a variety of products that are perfect for anyone with sensitive skin, or for those like me who suffer from eczema.

The cleaner itself is completely fragrance free, ideal for anyone with delicate skin, and it removes all traces of makeup as well as protecting from any nickle or metal irritants. Perfect. 

The fact that it is completely fragrance free does take some getting used to, and was something I noticed straight away the first few times I used it, but once I got used to it, I loved the product. It has a very thin and lightweight consistency, but works incredibly well. After using it three or four times a week for a couple of weeks, I noticed a big improvement in my skin. I wasn't getting dry patches around my nose and forehead which tends to happen with some other cleansers, and even during the day with my makeup on I noticed my skin felt softer and smoother. 

You can read more about the brand here and view the products they have to offer. I strongly urge all of you with sensitive or damaged skin to have a look, as for me personally, it has worked wonders. Of course you can also use the product if you have a normal skin type as well, as I'm sure you will still notice an improvement in the condition of your skin. 

I will definitely be trying the other products from the range! 

Thank you Skintifique for sending me this to try, it really has worked wonders. 

Thank you guys for reading, and if you have any questions or have tried any products from Skintifique that you think I should try then please leave a comment below :) 

Love to you all x 

Lush Rosy Cheeks Face Mask

Hello :)

I know it's been a very long time since my last post, but to be honest that seems to be the norm for me lately. Going on a break for a while and renewing my love for blogging before coming back to write more posts. I want this blog to be some thing I love not something I feel like I have to do, but thank you all for your patience.

Today I have a quick review post for you on a gorgeous little product from our good friends over at Lush. I did a bit of a Lush haul a few weeks ago actually for my birthday, and this is one of the products I picked up that I'd never tried before.

They have a pretty good selection of different face masks to suit all kinds of skin types, but I opted for this one as I have very sensitive skin on my face and suffer from redness on my cheeks. This mask containing rose petal and calamine powder claimed to sooth skin and calm redness, so it seemed like the perfect choice. 

I've tried it 4 times now over the last few weeks, and I love it! If I'm honest I haven't noticed that much change in the redness of my skin, but I have noticed that my face feels a lot more soothed. My skin is softer and doesn't have that dry tightness that I used to get. Plus it smells absolutely amazing - a soft, sweet floral scent. 

I will definitely be trying more of their face masks once I have finished this one. Another winner from one of my favorite brands. 

Once again, thank you for being patient with me and for popping by to check out my post. 

Love to you all x 

The Skin System Micellar Cleansing Water

Hello guys!

Now those who know me will know that I LOVE a bargain, and am constantly on the look out for well priced beauty products that actually work. Today I have a great little product for you - The Skin System is a brand designed for ASDA, and is one that I had never heard of before. I was casually browsing the moisturisers a couple of weeks ago when this micellar cleansing water caught my attention, and this 200ml bottle was just £1.50. I think it was on offer and is normally £2 but still!

This particular one caught my attention not only because of the bright pink packaging (which I love) but also because of the writing highlighting that it is for dry/sensitive skin, and with my eczema I am always looking for new products that will calm as well as cleanse my skin, and I'm happy to say that this works. It also has added chamomile extracts to avoid that tight feeling that you can sometimes get after cleansing. 

I have been using this nightly for around 2 weeks now and I genuinely notice a difference, not so much in the look of my skin, but more in the overall feel of it. It takes my makeup off beautifully, and leaves my skin feeling clean, fresh and soft. All for only £1.50! 

I will definitely be buying this again! 

Let me know any other bargain skin care products you have found lovelies, and thank you for popping by to check out my blog. 

Love to you all x

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Review

Hello :) 

Now I know I said I wanted to branch out and do some more varied posts, but I love that my first beauty review of the year is on a product by my all time favorite brand... Clinique. 

Now I know that this isn't anything new to the market, but a couple of months ago I tried this little beauty and fell in love with it. Now the photo is of a sample sized bottle of the product (selling on depop by the way as it was the full sized bottle that I actually used) but the full sized bottle looks well used and I couldn't for the life of me get an acceptable photo of it! 

For £16.50 you can pick up the 200ml bottle of the product, and I know that might seem a little steep, but its worth it. I have eczema and therefore often struggle to find products that are gentle enough for my sensitive skin, but this mild version (you can also buy this in extra mild) not only cleansed beautifully, but it didn't irritate or dry out my skin either. 

You don't need a massive amount per use so the bottle lasts a long time - 2 months of use 3 times a week and I have around two thirds - and it cleanses the skin so well that it doesn't need to be used every day. On the days in between I just used a standard make up remover followed by moisturiser. 

Overall I would rate this a solid 4/5. Another hit from Clinique! 

Thank you for reading guys :) 

Love to you all x

Aveeno Mousturising Cream

As any sufferer of dry skin knows, finding a good nourishing moisturiser is one of the best things in the world. As a sufferer of both dry AND sensitive skin, finding a cream that feels good and does good is almost impossible.

The skin on my face is fine, and I've tried and tested all manor of face creams with no problems what-so-ever, but when it comes to my hands and my arms, i used to have to rely on prescription medications to keep my skin at bay. Around 3 months ago I decided I needed to take a break from the constant use of steroid creams and so consulted a dermatologist. The first thing they recommended was that I started using Aveeno cream twice a day.

I'd seen it several times on the shelf in Boots and Superdrug, but just passed it off as yet another thing I couldn't try, but once I did, I was hooked. Its around £7 for a 300ml bottle, and using it twice a day I get around a months use out of it.

It's oatmeal based, deeply nourishing but not too sticky, and is formulated for people with dry eczema prone skin. That fits the bill for me completely. The change in my skin is massive. It's soft and smooth, as doesn't get as irritated by the day to day things that used to drive my skin crazy; rain, central heating, pet fur, cleaning products at work. I'm not saying that's its cured my allergies, but it seems to give my skin a better barrier against them, so I have cut in half the amount of medicated steroid creams I need to stop flare ups. I would never try anything else as a full body moisturiser. It wouldn't be worth the risk for me now.

Has any one else found a wonder product for dealing with dry eczema prone skin?

As always, thank you for reading, and all comments are appreciated :)