Currently Loving: Facial SPFs

I've been using SPFs on my face for as long as I can remember. I have a very pale skin and tend to burn really easily when exposed to the sun for longer than 20 minutes.

I've been searching for a good facial SPF for a long time. Most of which usually irritate my skin or stings quite a lot (I have sensitive skin and am eczema prone) or leave my face really white (casper like).

As you may be aware I live in Malta and the summer here is really hot and the UV indexes are quite high, thus daily use of SPF is required.

This year I have added 2 additional SPFs face cream/fluid to my collection and I think I've nailed it this time as these 2 products seem to be protecting my face really well without it feeling really oily, no white patches and no irritation.

These 2 products are the Alpha H Daily Essential Moisturizer SPF 50+ and the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL 50+ (for sun allergies and sensitive skin).

These two products are quite different, the Alpha H is an excellent moisturizing cream as well as a sun protect-ant, thus I consider it as a 2 in 1 process. I don't use any moisturizer underneath this product as it is a moisturizer in itself and it stays well under make up. I usually use this on daily basis on top of my serum and underneath my makeup (although in this heat, my makeup is currently quite basic and rarely using any foundation), nonetheless when foundation is applied it blends well into this great moisturizing cream.

On the other hand the La Roche Posay is quite liquidy, it has more of a serum texture and it sinks quite well in the skin without leaving any traces. I usually use this on top of my moisturizer and I found this to be an excellent choice when my skin is more onto the oily phase (my skin tends to be really oily in hot weather especially in the T-Zone Area). This is my top pick when going to the beach or will be exposed to heat for prolonged periods of time as it is less creamy and more fluid based, thus leaving my skin feeling refreshed without the feeling of too much product put on.

Both these products have been an excellent choice for my skin type and generally fills all the requirements I look for in a good SPF!

Simple Hair Care Routine

At the moment I have a very simple hair care routine, but I am looking to invest in a better one, so I am open to all suggestions :)

If you've read my June Favourites here,  you know I've been loving my hair doughnut and with the current temperature being 32 degrees celcius (and that is taken in the shade) I am not too keen on blow drying my hair, so I 've been turning to my trusty doughnut a lot, which is making my hair care routine pretty simple.

For Shampoo, Conditioner and Treatment I am currently using the Schwarzkopf  Gliss, Hair Repair Color Protect Range, being Shampoo and Conditioner and Treatment all from the same range. I really like this range and it makes my hair really smooth and silky. But sometimes I feel like my hair need a proper detox cleanse, so I am currently looking for a good cleansing / detoxifying shampoo. Do you have any good Cleansing shampoo suggestions? :)

After shampooing and conditioning my hair, I always try to use a leave in conditioner for which I am currently using the Milkshake Conditioning Whipped Cream leave in mousse, which I find is really good and smells amazing, but I have been using it for around 5 years now and although it is a trusty leave in mousse, I and am currently looking for a change, so any suggestions are highly appreciated :)

When I don't blow dry my hair:

I use the Redken Extreme Anti Snap Treatment, which is claimed to give strength to your hair and prevent breakage, which I think is really helping but I will do a full review later on once I've fully tested the product. 

When I do blow dry my hair:

I use the Kerastase Ciment Thermique, which is claimed to be activated by heat. I haven't used it for long so I cannot really comment on it, but I've read a lot of good reviews and after a couple more uses I will post a full review of such product.

I tend to use my GHD Hair Straightener every time I blow dry my hair so I use a heat protecting spray to protect my hair from too much heat. At the moment I am using; Catwalk by Tigi Straight Collection Sleek Mystique, which I found to be really good, it smells amazing and it feels like it is really protecting my hair. I've been using this product for over a year now and I really love it, but my current bottle is coming to an end and I am looking for a change. so again please let me know of any suggestions for a good heat protecting spray.

Always:

After every wash and style and sometimes even in between, I use a serum. At the moment I am using the Redken All Soft Argan 6 oil, which I believe is really amazing, it smells lovely and it leaves my hair really smooth and silky and shiny but in a very good way. I use this product before and after a blowdry, before styling and in between uses to tame away any frizzy hair sticking out. I've been using this product for around 4 months now and I honestly cannot find any bad thing about this product. 

***

As you may have notices I am on the lookout for a revamp of my current hair care routine, so any comments and suggestions are all highly appreciated.

***

I would love to see your current hair care routine, so please leave any links for such routines in the comments below :)

***

Until Next Time ...

PS: All my comments are my sincere honest opinions. I have not been paid to recommend any of these products 

Current Favourite Magazines

I used to go magazine crazy every time I went into a bookshop, which was at least once a month, I used to buy all sorts of magazines and they always varied from time to time. Since I've started following blogs, which I follow quite a lot because I'm interested in all sorts of things, I've been buying less magazines, but I still have 3 current favourite magazines which I am subscribed to (avoiding unnecessary trips to book shops) also making sure I won't miss out on my favourite issues.

The first one is Essentials Magazine, which is quite an all rounder, this is a monthly magazine varying from beauty, and health to various articles, recipes and simple DIY ideas for homes and gardens. This magazine emphasizes real women, and the cover star is not some famous person, like most magazines, but real people whose stories are in the inside pages. The recipes and DIY ideas are carefully located and grouped together in the magazine which makes them easy to cut out and keep. The recipes are usually pretty simple and easy to try out, varied from time to time and carefully selected according to season.


Another Magazine I really Style at Home which as its name implies is a home styling magazine. This includes features and articles of real homes and is excellent for ideas for various rooms, various styles and are mostly on a medium to low budget. Most issues include 100 style tips on various items such as carpets, organizing, wallpaper, kitchen ideas etc.The center section consist of a small booklet full or recipes and each recipe is assigned a cost per person to give an idea how much a certain meal would cost. The recipes vary from starters, main course as well as desserts and sweet ideas.


Lastly, 1 more magazine I adore is Feel Good You. This magazine is a subsidiary of the Women and Home magazine and is only issued 4 times a year; Spring, Summer, Autumn and New Year. This magazine is divided into 7 main categories; Your Wellbeing, Beautiful You, Lose Weight-Eat Well, Get Fit -Tone up, Your Health, Inner You, and The Rest. Each section is full of useful and interesting information, tips and ideas related to the title of the section and all with the current season in mind so they all vary from one issue to another. After each section, there is a short thought page related to the section which is full of small tips related to the topic.

I would love to know what your favourite magazine are,  let me know in the comments down below :)

Gonna go continue reading my current issues, until next time :)


Follow me on twitter on: https://twitter.com/cherci

Healthy Foods: Eggs

EGGS

If you are not sure what these posts are, read this

A little bit of History:
Eggs have been viewed as symbols of fertility for millennia. Chickens naturally lay less eggs over winter, but new farming techniques make them available throughout the year

Benefits:
Eggs are an excellent source of protein, choline, vitamin B and folic acid levels. The nutrients in eggs also serve to boost your brain function and keep your nervous system in good condition. The lutein protects your eyes against age-related vision loss and cataracts and the niacin content will protect against Alzheimer's and other forms of cognitive deterioration.

Tips:

• Store your eggs in the carton to avoid them absorbing other smells in your fridge
• If you are in need of some homey comfort food, then try making a quiche with leek and onion
• Make a tasty omelette by cooking your eggs with chopped parsley, diced red onion and green peppers 
• Eggs don't have to be boring, just poach them in lemon juice or saute with potatoes and salsa

June Favourites

Most of this month's favorites have been popular choices for the past couple of months. Most of the products are beauty products, but one is a miscellaneous item that I have recently tried and really loved.

On to the favourites;

My first favourite is a lip balm which is the burts bees honey lipbalm. I really love this product and have been using it for a couple of months now. This is also good in hotter especially when staying in artificial air most of the time due to the heat. This product leaves my lips smooth and hydrated all the time. It is also hygenic due to being in a tube instead of having to dig in your finger in a jar.

Another favourite is a blush, which is the body shop all in one cheek blush in colour bubblegum. I've been liking the colour of this product for the last couple of months. It has the excellent colour of pink for my skin tone which is very pale and it gives me a really healthy look without going overboard.

Staying on the pink tone, I really like the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Cherish Devotion 015. Its bright pink colour makes it an excellent choice for hot days when all you put on your face is mascara, blush and lip balm.


As for nail polishes I couldn't just pick one colour, but I am really liking the nails inc spring summer 2013 collection, it has amazing pastel / bright colours. I also love the Sally Hansen Insta Dry top coat, which makes your nail polish touch dry in 60seconds! I've been using this product for a couple of months now and I am on to my 4th or 5th bottle. Since I discovered this product, I haven't used any other topcoat, the Sally Hansen Insta Dry is amazing.


One more favourite this month is not really beauty related, it is a Hair Doghnut. I've bought one last year but never used it. Recently I've been seeing a lot of people with nice updo's and I've decided to try it. I really like it, it gives a smart look and it is also a great way of keeping your hair off your shoulders in this hot weather.


These are all of my most used, favourite products during the month of June, looking forward to try new products this month :)

Until next time :)