settoglow

[settoglow]

Natural Lip Balms: Manuka Honey Benefits

I am eager to get behind as many natural Australian brands as I can. So when I was given the full range of Clean & Pure Lip Balms to try that feature Olive Oil, I jumped at the chance. My favourite Clean & Pure Lip Balm is the Manuka Honey variant. This got me interested in Manuka Honey and Manuka Honey benefits.

Lip Balms and Unicorn Toast

I am pretty obsessed with lip balm. I mentioned in my last post Lip Prep for the Perfect Lipstick Base: Sugar Lip Scrub that I have far too many to count. I feel like I can never have enough though, because I love that I can reach into any jacket, coat or bag and find the perfect lip balm. I am not alone in my lip balm obsession, when Lip Smacker announced that a fan could submit their dream lip balm flavour including the hashtag #LStastemaker and become the #1 Tastemaker, there were a number of suggestions. My favourite flavour suggested so far is unicorn flavour - and the lip balm would look like one of those marshmallow swirl lollies. Like the unicorn toast that has been on Instagram lately!!

Natural Lip Balm; Clean & Pure

Now this is a really cool idea, however as far as I know Lip Smacker lip balm is not natural. I had a whole tin full when I was young, but now my tastes are more refined. I also try to stick to natural lip balm. I found the Clean & Pure Instagram account when I was searching through lip balm and natural hashtags. I checked out their account and saw they did a Manuka Honey lip balm. So I followed their account and started a dialogue, hence the offer to try their product. (In the interest of full transparency - I was gifted six Clean & Pure Lip Balms).

Why Use Natural Products?

I try to use as many natural products around the house as I can. I have Thankyou products in the kitchen and bathrooms, as well as a natural bathroom cleaner called Organic Choice. I often use just vinegar and organic dish liquid to mop the floors with. My personal care is more advanced in the natural department than my cosmetics. I use natural deodorant, natural shampoo, natural conditioner, natural hand cream, natural body scrub, natural toothpaste and I just bought a recycled wood toothbrush! Why am I trying to use all these natural products? Up to 60% of what we put on our skin ends up being absorbed in the body and when the products we use are made from harmful artificial ingredients these place an unnecessary burden on the body's detoxification processes and on the entire immune system, including the skin.

I have mentioned before though, that my face is very different. I use free from products for sensitive skin on my face and lots of serums and glycolic for exfoliation!! 

Clean & Pure Lip Balm Review

All Clean & Pure Lip Balms are formulated with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Manuka Beeswax, Vitamin E Oil and other quality Australian ingredients. I was intrigued after I read the ingredients on each of my gifted lip balms since I had never used any personal care products that include olive oil. I sometimes used to make my own hair mask when I was younger with olive oil and raw egg. The Clean & Pure Lip Balm range includes Cocoa Butter Lip Balm, Manuka Honey Lip Balm, PawPaw Lip Balm, Peppermint Lip Balm, Tinted Rose Lip Balm and Vanilla Lip Balm. When you use each of them you can really smell the main ingredients (Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Manuka Beeswax and Vitamin E Oil) however this is not unpleasant. The Extra Virgin Olive Oil means that the lip balms are all long-lasting - they moisturise for a good time. My favourites are the Peppermint, Vanilla and Manuka Honey - however the stand out for me is definitely the manuka honey. The Peppermint is fresh and I feel like it would be perfect to use in the morning or after a big night out. The Vanilla is subtle and this would be perfect to use during a long lunch or dinner. You wouldn't want anything to overpower your meal. As I mentioned, the Manuka Honey was my favourite, and as such I went and did some research on the benefits of Manuka Honey. I bought some Manuka Honey from Priceline and read the label. Manuka Honey has well proven anti-bacterial properties which can assist in wound healing as well as nutritional and immune stimulatory properties. Now that is what we all want right?! 

Using Manuka Honey & Manuka Honey Benefits

Manuka Honey is made by bees that feed on the flowers of the manuka bush, also known as the tea tree, in New Zealand. In Australia, the tree used to make manuka honey is called the jellybush. The honey is distinctively flavoured, darker and richer than other honey. Here are the nitty gritty Manuka Honey facts

• Manuka honey has an antibacterial component that sets it apart from other honeys. This activity is stable and doesn't lose its potency when exposed to dilution, heat or light.

• Manuka honey has been found to be effective against a range of bacteria including Helicobacter pylori (which causes most stomach ulcers); Escherichia coli (the most common cause of infected wounds) and Streptococcus pyogenes (which causes sore throats).

• Manuka honey is antimicrobial and antiviral. It is also an antioxidant that can help to increase vitality and immunity.

• Trials have indicated that manuka honey can heal wounds and skin ulcers that haven't responded to standard treatments.

You can apply Manuka honey topically to the skin as a balm for skin infections, bites and cuts. Eat a spoonful orally to help soothe the throat and digestive tract. You can also eat Manuka Honey like any other honey product to maintain general health.

Have you tried any natural lip balms? Which is your favourite natural lip product and what ingredients does it have in it? Are you a fan of Manuka Honey? Comment at the end of the post!

.code-block { text-align: center; } .bloglovin-widget-follow-btn { padding-left: 35px; } Follow(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))

[settoglow]

Beauty Review: Top Mascaras for 2017

When it Comes to Beauty Products, What Makes One Product Shine over the Other?

When I mentioned that I was a bit bored with my mascara on Instagram, lots of my followers suggested their favourite cosmetic products.

There are so many cosmetic products out there; from the well known luxury brands, to the best drug store buys, to the natural cosmetics brands and brands you have never heard of. I will be reviewing L'Oréal False Lash Architect 4D ($15.36AUD) and L'Oréal Manga Mega Volume Mascara ($15.36AUD) that I bought in Priceline in Sydney. Two of my followers suggested these. I will also be reviewing Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara ($47.50AUD), Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara ($43.50AUD) and Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara ($42.50AUD) in the luxury cosmetics brand area. I bought there from StrawberryNet because they are discounted but I also get a loyalty discount. Plus I will also be talking about Dejavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara ($21AUD) which is a Japanese mascara. Another Instagram follower suggested Benefit They're Real! mascara, which I will hopefully have my hands on soon.

I will talk about packaging, they way they feel in my hand, their brush applicators, how they went on my lashes, we'll compare photos of each product when they are on my eyelashes and then rate them out of 5. Hopefully, after that we can work out which product is the Top Mascara for 2017 and finish the Set to Glow Beauty Review on a high note!

Mascara Packaging

A lot of my regular income comes from the design industry, specifically packaging so I know a lot about it. Obviously, the type of packaging a company uses depends on their position instore and whether they have their own pop up within a department store or not. For example, Dior always has their own booth in Myer. Another reason packaging is different is down to the brand and how they want their product to be perceived. Is it a luxury brand? Are there foil finishes on the packaging?

Both the L'Oréal False Lash Architect 4D and the L'Oréal Manga Mega Volume Mascara were hanging in Priceline, so their secondary packaging include a hangsell. Both have pretty impressive close-up pictures of an eye with mascara on it while the L'Oréal False Lash Architect 4D has a close-up of the brush applicator. The close-ups of the eyes look like they have false eyelashes on, which is false advertising really if we are honest. However, I will find out when I use the product.

The Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara and the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara all come in cardboard boxes, which is better for the environment I think. The Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara and the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara come in metallic board boxes so they have a premium feel. The Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara is in a high gloss black box with silver foiling on it. Only the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara has a illustration of an eye and the brush. Not a photo though, so I am not sure what I think about that. Less of a hard sell... These brands let their products and reviews do the talking.

I don't know very much about Japanese packaging other that they seem to like a lot of it and their products always seem to be in clamshell packaging. Dejavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara is no exception. It is in a plastic clamshell which a paper insert. It has two illustrations, one of the brush head, and the other explaining how the product coats the lashes.

So How Do They Feel in My Hand?

The L'Oréal False Lash Architect 4D packaging was super easy to open, you just pulled the top of the box open and you could slide the product straight out. It is light to hold and you have a good grip to open the product because of the contours on the mascara. The super bling silver mascara opens easily but it is a bit hard to close again. Maybe that will loosen with application.

The L'Oréal Manga Mega Volume Mascara has a card backing and a plastic top. This type of packaging is called a blister pack. It is pretty easy to open, but I never like that the card doesn't come away from the plastic properly, and you always have to pierce the leftover card to access the product. In this case, I damaged the L'Oréal Manga Mega Volume Mascara with scissors. I put a scratch in the pink metallic paint on the lid. The Manga Mascara is smaller and nicer to hold than the Architect 4D Mascara I think. I feel like the lid twists on and off more easily too. 

Now we come to the first of the more expensive premium products. The Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara packaging is really easy to open and the product slides right out. I find the lid a little tight but the product sits nicely in my hand since it is a rounded tube. Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara is heavier than the two drug store bought L'Oréal products which is good. Both the L'Oréal products are 9mLs each and the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara is 10mL. So that is good. It is more expensive but you get more product.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara is also easy to open. However it is only 8.5mL. I have never actually paid attention to the amount of mascara I am getting as a consumer, I must admit. It is a smaller, rounded tube with pleasant contours. And at this stage in my review it is the nicest to hold. It opens and closes really well and the tube is super black and glossy with a really nice little Giorgio Armani logo seal near the lid. It is not as expensive as the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara but has a nicer feel in my opinion.

The last premium mascara is the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara. It is also easy to open this box and the product slides right out. Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara also has a similar rounded, contoured tube to the Giorgio Armani mascara, however it is slightly longer. This product doesn't open and close as well as the Giorgio Armani, however I like the Shocking brush script on the gold metallic tube. This is not as light as the two L'Oréal Priceline bought products but it is lighter than the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara. This is the smallest amount of mascara of all the products at 6.4mLs!!

And now to the only Japanese mascara I have ever tried. Dejavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara comes in a clamshell and I have to ruin the packaging by going at it with a pair of scissors. The Dejavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara is small like the L'Oréal Manga Mega Volume Mascara but far lighter. Dejavu Lash Knockout is 8g and I really like the pink coloured packaging. It is easy to open and close.

Beauty Review: Mascara Brush Applicators

When I opened the L'Oréal False Lash Architect 4D the brush applicator was already bent. The picture on the box was in no way representative of the brush as well. It was the right shape though, long and thinning at the end like the bottom of an ice cream cone. The product seemed to clump at the smallest end of the brush. The L'Oréal Manga Mega Volume Mascara was the same, the picture on the box is not representative of the brush. However it has the same brush shape as the L'Oréal False Lash Architect 4D but you can bend the brush head it seems as there are lines in the arm about a cm away from the brush head. I will see how that goes when I apply it. When you look at the brush applicator for the Manga Mega Volume Mascara, the product clumps at both the smallest end of the brush as well as right at the start of the arm. There was quite a bit of product stuck there when you first open the Manga Mega Volume Mascara...

The Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara has a curved brush applicator a bit like how a pair of false eyelashes curve. It is thinner at the very end of the brush. The product only clumps right at the end of the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara brush. So far the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara brush comes out the most cleanly from its tube. It has I really like the share of the Giorgio Armani brush, it is long and thick and tapers to and end really quickly. The Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara has the same shaped brush as the Giorgio Armani brush applicator but it is thinner. The Yves Saint Laurent product immediately smells like flowers. It's very strong!! I think it smells like roses. I am not the best on fragrances because I don't often wear them. I also avoid skincare with fragrances. The product gets stuck at the end of the brush and at the start of the wand on the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara. 

The Dejavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara has the same shaped brush as the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara however it has less of a deep curve. It also seems thicker to me. This brush is the cleanest of all the mascaras when it first comes out of its tube, however there is still some product at the tip of the brush applicator.

Beauty Product Review: Mascara Application

Firstly, let me just say that I have applied my mascara with no other makeup on so you can see each product in its natural state, but also so no other makeup ingredients affect the way each mascara performs. I have also done no retouching to any of the above photos.

There was a CLEAR winner half way through the process and whilst I was applying each mascara it became obvious as to why millions of women part with lots of money for mascara... Drug store/cheaper brands are just not as nice to use and the end results are not nearly as good... So there you go! You can all justify spending a bit of money on mascara!!

L'Oréal False Lash Architect 4D wasn't very easy to apply and you can see in the top left photo that my end lashes aren't coated. When I tried to use the end of the wand to coat my smaller end top lashes it ended up being a hot mess. This was because the product clumped on the end of the brush. I felt that my lashes were separated a bit better than when I used the L'Oréal Manga Mega Volume Mascara however. The Manga Mascara brush was really great to use. It sort of bent and sprung when I touched my lashes. I LOVE this brush, pity the formula wasn't great... It seemed to make my lashes stick together at the ends and therefore wasn't my favourite AT ALL (see the middle top photo above). I was a bit disappointed with Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara... Have a look in the top right photo above. The shape of the brush meant that it was easier to coat more of my lashes from left to right. It did open my eyes and they seemed more dramatic when my eyes were open... BUT if you look in the photo above, they actually appear shorter?? I give Lash Architect 4D a 3 out of 5 and the Manga Mascara a 3.5 out of 5 because of the brush.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara is my favourite of the more expensive brands. The simple brush is easy to use and formula glides right on. It didn't make my lashes clump at all - it seemed to coat each one individually and opened my eyes right up. Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara separates you lashes really well and if you have a look in the bottom left photo above it seems to make them a bit more full. Even though it is waterproof, it was pretty easy to get off. It sort of flaked off in little pieces if that makes sense? Usually your cotton pad comes away with a big black smear on it when you take your makeup off. Giorgio Armani gets a 5 out of 5.

This brings me to Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara. I have never used a more horrible mascara. The smell was too much, it got everywhere, the formula was too gluggy and made my eyelashes clump together and seemed to coat them like wet paint. My lashes were webbed together by wet formula. It was horrible to get off and irritated my eyes. This is not worth the money AT ALL. Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara gets a 0 from me since it is so expensive, smelly and horrible to use.

Dejavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara ($21AUD) is actually a really great buy. It was similar to the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara in ease of use. And doesn't seem to clump at all. It wasn't as good as the Giorgio Armani because it didn't make my eyelashes seem as full. However, for the money it is better than both the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara and the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara. I give it a 4.5 out of 5 only because of the price. If it was more expensive it would have been a 4 out of five.

Set to Glow's Top Mascara for 2017 is the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Length & Volume Waterproof Mascara with a 5 out of 5!

Followed closely by the Japanese Dejavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara with a 4.5 out of 5!

Set to Glow's WORST Mascara for 2017 is the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Shocking) Mascara with a 0 out of 5!

Which mascara do you use and what do you rate it? Comment at the end of the post!

[settoglow]

Are You Guilty of Using too Much Product?

Using too much of any product leaves active ingredients sitting on your skin; and you'll go through your product way too quickly.

Saving money is good for you and using less product is good for the environment too.  In theory, I agree, however what happens if you have really dry skin like me? And surely we are talking about product for your face only? Because I know I use a heap more moisturiser on my body too?!! Check out the recommended products in the image below. Do you use more than this? Read on...

When you buy new product do you a) read the product packaging usage amount that is recommended or b) do you go with your gut feeling? I use a combination of both. If I am using products with harsh active ingredients like glycolic acid, I start with less than the recommended amount and work up to using the recommended product amount. However once my skin has gotten used to a product I throw caution to the wind and use as much as I think my skin needs.

At the moment I have a pretty basic skincare routine and I like to keep it that way. In my introduction post Hello! Set to Glow? I mentioned that when I was a teenager I had pimples, I have also struggled with perioral dermatitis and now that I am older my skin needs different things. Currently I use a cleanser, moisturiser, serums & pigment blocker in the morning and a cleanser & glycolic lotion in the evening on my face. I obviously use shampoo and conditioner as well as hair dye on my head and my body needs copious amounts of plain moisturiser. You may notice I don't wear sunscreen. When I go outdoors, which is hardly ever, I wear a sunscreen for sensitive skin. However I don't wear one every day because they break me out, my skin doesn't like them. I work indoors. When I have to go outside I wear a hat and use an umbrella. If I am going on a picnic I always wear sunscreen, sit in the shade and wear a hat.

When I posted the recommended product amounts image on instagram, nearly everyone said they use more than the recommended amounts. In fact, a lot of people on instagram including me, double cleanse. Which means we automatically use more than the recommended amount of cleanser. Why do I double cleanse? First I use sorbelene cream to remove my makeup and wash in the shower ( I have sensitive skin) and then I cleanse again to treat. I can't tell you what I use because I use a number of things. My skincare regime changes when I have outbreaks of pimples, dermatitis and dryness as well as during summer and winter. Your skin needs different things at different times of the year. (Sounds like another blog post to me)... So apparently you should use one pump of cleanser or a mentos sized amount. I use more than that.

I don't tone, and apparently less people in Australia use a toner than in some other countries. I don't need a toner because I don't have really really oily skin and I use cleansers that I wash totally off. (Do you use one? Comment at the end of the post). Even the above photo doesn't include toner...

Moisturiser. Well this is where I fall down completely. And probably why I don't use expensive moisturisers. The above image suggests a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup sized amount or a Malteser amount. I know I use way more than that on my face. I sometimes have to double moisturise too. Dry skin here people!

I use a couple of serums on my eyes and I use a finger tip amount of those and have to wait for them to sink in. I feel like my eye areas are moisturised and ready for makeup when I do that. The pigment blocker I use suggests one pump so I only use that amount otherwise I can't apply makeup over the top of it... I wait about 45mins before I put my makeup on too so everything has a chance to soak on.

In the evening I double cleanse again and wait about 30mins before I put copious amounts of glycolic lotion on. I do this for a week on and a few days off. I do have sensitive skin but it tolerates laser, glycolic acid and tretinoin very well which is handy for me! I KNOW I put a lot more glycolic lotion on than it recommends on the bottle because I use it down my neck too and on my hands.

This then brings me to shampoo and conditioner. I wash my hair upside down in the shower, so the product doesn't go on my skin. This started when I had acne and my dermatologist recommended it. I do use lots of natural products because of my perioral dermatitis, however the less chance you give your pores to block up, the better right? I only use conditioner when I think my hair needs it, because my hair feels heavy otherwise. My hair dye is a whole new blog post I think...

And finally my body moisturiser. I use TONNES of sorbelene cream and another light moisturiser. I have to apply quite a bit straight after the shower otherwise I get tight and flaky during the day.

This is my summertime skincare routine. Since we are about to go into the winter here in Australia I can share my winter skincare routine soon. It involves stepping up my laser and changing my products to target my pigmentation. I can't do that in winter because it is far too hot here and the sun is way to strong.

So how about you? Do you use more than the recommended product amount? And why do you use more? Comment at the end of the post!

[settoglow]

The Link Between Diet and Skin Health

It seems pretty obvious - what you put in your body has a direct effect on your skin health and your general wellbeing. However, unless you have been really sick, you can't measure the changes easily that can occur when you stick to a healthy routine. You need to stick to it in order to get better. We make healthy choices every day. From not having that third cup of coffee to eating chicken and vegetables instead of takeaway food. All these things contribute to how we feel physically and emotionally. Plus the way you look can directly effect your mental health as well.

In previous posts I mentioned that I have had trouble with my skin. As a teenager, then when I was sick and later on when I had a bout of dermatitis. I wish I knew what I know now about diet when I was a teenager struggling with my skin. The simple solution then was to go on antibiotics. There are a time and a place for antibiotics; however your skin can greatly benefit from healthy eating all year round.

I used diet to help cure my pustular acne from medication and stress when I was sick and I also used diet to help my recent bouts of dermatitis. My diet greatly improved my skin in both instances. However, it wasn't quick or easy. Exercise also helped both times. We all know sweating helps your skin and exercise can also help you to sleep better!

When I was sick I went to see a GP and he suggested I could have Leaky Gut Syndrome. I had never heard about it before. The "leaky gut syndrome" theory suggests that undigested food particles, bacterial toxins and germs can pass through the "leaky" gut wall and into the bloodstream, triggering the immune system and causing persistent inflammation throughout the body. Well I was certainly inflamed so I read up on it. Stress, drugs, toxins, food particles, pathogens and organ malfunction all contribute to an immune reaction causing you to feel bloated, tired, get headaches, have digestive issues and weight fluctuation as well as skin issues like rosacea and acne. The GP suggested I take probiotics, a liver support tablet and go on an anti-inflammatory diet. An anti-inflammatory diet includes antioxidant foods, minerals and essential fatty acids. Foods that heal your body and satisfy your palate, you can remove the inflammation-causing offenders without feeling deprived. Examples of anti-inflammatory foods are:

1. Green Leafy Vegetables 2. Bok Choy 3. Celery 4. Beetroot 5. Broccoli 6. Blueberries 7. Pineapple 8. Salmon 9. Bone Broth 10. Walnuts 11. Coconut Oil 12. Chia Seeds 13. Flaxseeds 14. Turmeric and 15. Ginger.

There is also a long list of things to avoid which include alcohol, saturated and trans fatty acids. Simple, refined sugars and carbohydrates are more inflammation-causing culprits. Limiting refined grains is an important factor in an anti-inflammatory diet as well. Whole grains should replace the refined carbohydrates, as truly whole grains are important sources of nutrition. I started on this diet, as well as making sure I had a simple, effective skin care routine and I slowly saw an improvement in my health and skin.

I read a book called The Healthy Skin Diet: Your Complete Guide To Beautiful Skin In Only 8 Weeks! by Karen Fischer which was a lot of help. Fischer seemed to have good advice for each skin disorder she covered, though some of the recipes she included were a bit far out for me. I didn't drink water with chlorophyll, for example, like she suggested. I just took on the suggestions that I could easily sustain. If you go on a diet that is too difficult to stick to, chances are you won't stay on it long enough to see an improvement!

I used the same principles when I started to develop a thing called perioral dermatitis. This condition is pretty common amongst females ages 15-45 years. It is characterised by groups of itchy or tender small red papules around your mouth, nose and eyes and it often gets wrongly diagnosed. Luckily I only had it around my chin. Perioral Dermatitis is pretty stubborn and I have learnt lots of tricks to deal with it which I would love to share with you in the coming articles on Set to Glow.

Karen Fischer has another book called The Eczema Diet which was very helpful too. I went to a dermatologist and did lots of research to work out what I could do to help my condition. I gave up coffee. Yes! I did. My hip pocket isn't missing it and it has helped my skin no end. Another tip that I have for any perioral dermatitis sufferers is to avoid fluoride toothpaste as well as making sure you wash your face AFTER you have cleaned your teeth. But more on that later!

[settoglow]

Eyebrow Feathering; Is it Worth It?

What Really Happens When You Get Eyebrow Feathering? Does it Hurt?

First thing first. Does it hurt? Yes. Yes it does. But is it worth it? One gigantic YES!

Obviously I like to look as natural as possible, however I am no stranger to small cosmetic procedures. Plus I think I have been dying my hair black for over 15 years now. Let me give you a little bit of background information first. I am half Ukrainian and my hair is actually brown with red through it that goes blonde at the front in summer. I tan REALLY easily. So it is not easy staying this pale. I take my sunscreen, hat and umbrella usage VERY seriously. If you read my introduction blog post Hello! Set to Glow? you would know that when I was a teenager I had acne. I also mentioned that I was pretty sick and as a result of taking medication my body didn't like, I got pretty severe pustular acne... This was the start of my obsession with laser. At first I wanted to treat my acne, then once that was dormant I treated my scars and then I moved on to treating my pigmentation. Now I use laser as a regular facial - I have sensitive skin that likes being burnt off instead of lots of product. Go figure.

So I dye my hair black, I paint my nails red, I get regular laser facials and (who knows since I am pushing the end of my 30s) I might decide I need more help eventually.

Since I regularly dye my hair back I also need to tint and shape my eyebrows to match. I remember when my eyebrow tinting obsession started. It is the one cheap thing that you can do that can totally change the way you look. I even persuaded my mum to start tinting and shaping hers. I can't remember when I started; I just know that every three or four weeks I had an automatic appointment. Yes had. Now I have my eyebrows feathered.

I had been thinking about getting eyebrow feathering ages ago, but I was worried about choosing the right person to feather mine. I was also worried it might hurt. Plus when I was looking at doing it years ago, it wasn't as popular and the inks weren't as advanced. There were just too many nightmare stories.

It was actually an offer from another business when I was running Fashion Blender that got me thinking about it again. No I didn't want free or cheap feathering. I wanted it done right first time around by a business that has ONLY 5 star reviews. This is your face we are talking about people!

I ended up choosing Kristin Fisher as I had seen some of the bloggers I knew using her. I went and had an initial consult and I felt comfortable with Kristin.

The initial consult was a brow tint and shape. We also discussed what sort of look I wanted. Kristin noted that my left eyebrow was my problem brow. It has always been holy. I just wanted to enhance my natural brow and reduce the amount of time that I spent on filling in my eyebrows every morning. We settled on deep brown ink; because even though I dye my hair black, black ink would be too dark for my fair skin. I paid my deposit and went away with a check list that I needed to follow for at least two weeks before. No Vitamin E tablets and no tretinoin application. Plus I wasn't allowed to spray tan 72 hours before the procedure. Don't worry Kristin, no fear of spray tan with me. Kristin is booked out for months, so I think I managed to secure an appointment with a two month wait only because they had a cancellation.

When the day arrived I was pretty nervous. I don't often drink alcohol but I made sure I hadn't had any all week. Kristin didn't tint my brows, however she mentioned she sometimes tints before feathering. She used a ruler, pencil and a clear sticky template to mark up my brows before we started. I didn't want thick thick brows - but it was a shock to see the outline so large. Kristin assured me she would be feathering within the outline so they wouldn't be as thick as I thought.

After I was lying down Kristin used a tool to prick my eyebrows all over within her guide. This didn't really hurt, it was less painful than an injection. Then she wiped numbing cream all over my brows and let it sit for a while. When we was ready to start, my brows weren't very numb. However they became more numb as she worked. Kristin did one brow after the other and followed up with touch ups on both. She used a tool with a row of needles to create tiny incisions in my skin and then wiped the dye over the area. By the second pass on the first eyebrow my brow area was numb enough for it not to hurt. However I did still hear the scraping of the needles. Which is kind of off-putting I must admit. Check out the left photo below - this was after the first initial feathering appointment. You can see the tiny strokes in my brow; they are most obvious towards my nose.

I really liked the look of them initially. However all I could think about was getting home and relaxing because I was sweating and sore! I bled a little bit apparently. And fair skinned people who bleed tend to make the dye change colour. So I would probably need a tint colour adjustment during my touch up appointment...

For the next 10 days I wasn't allowed to have any facial procedures done, I had to avoid washing my face for a whole week and I couldn't go swimming. For the first couple of days you need to avoid wearing makeup so that you don't change the colour of the dye. I spent the period washing my hair upside down in the bath. Which wasn't comfortable let me tell you. I also couldn't use AHAs nor have laser or peels for two weeks afterwards. I also needed to apply Bepanthen cream three or four times daily. I cracked with the face washing on the 6th day... I needed to have a shower and wash my face properly.

My brows went really dark on the third day and I actually wondered whether I had made a mistake. But after about a week I started flaking and then by the week and a half mark my brows were settled and looked great. It's amazing how quickly you get used to something new.

When I went back for my touch up appointment last week, Kristin said my brows had healed really well however they weren't the right colour. We spoke about adjusting the colour. She tinted my brows first this time and it was amazing how much of a difference this made. I didn't tint them in between because I wanted her to see them naturally so she could do her best work!

The fill in appointment went exactly the same as the initial appointment however since I knew what was coming it hurt a lot less. Kristin only did one pass and a few touch ups. We didn't go any thicker we just refined. You can see me during the touch up appointment in the above photo on the right. Your eyes water quite a bit - so my mascara has migrated in this one. Plus I am red and blotchy as I my veins are close to the surface of my skin. Hence the bleeding. Check out the video below which was taken right after the fill in appointment. Do you like my hair net mark?

Eyebrow feathering hurts initially and the fact that you can't wash your face nor wear makeup at the start is a big turn off for me. But is it worth it? It totally is. I have had so many compliments since I got my brows done. Plus I don't need to apply any products to my brows at all now if I don't want to. They are truely minimal fuss now. The price tag is another turn off - the initial consult was $100 and the feathering cost $1000AUD. Which included the touch up appointment. However you really can't put a price tag on something that when done correctly makes you feel better about yourself now can you?

I am told eyebrow feathering is dead and now freckle tattooing is in. This is totally weird to me since I spend money to get rid of my freckles...

Have you had eyebrow feathering? Where did you get yours done? Comment at the end of the post!

[settoglow]

Drunk Elephants?! What can they do for me?

A favourite past time of mine is window shopping for new and interesting things, especially if they are fashion and skincare related. Recently I was in MECCA in Myer, Sydney looking at the curated section and saw this Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel. I had seen a write up on the Paula's Choice review website Beautypedia and was interested in trying it out for myself. The list of what this is formulated without was pretty impressive...

Animal Fats/Oils/Musks, Benzalkonium Chloride, Benzophenone, Bisphenol A (BPA), Butoxyethanol, BHA, BHT, Chemical Sunscreens, Coal Tar Dyes, 1,4-Dioxane, -Cones, Detergent, Essential Oils, EDTA, Ethanolamines (MEA/DEA/TEA), Formaldehyde, Fragrance, Hydroquinone, Liquid Paraffin, Liquid Petrolatum, Methyl Cellosolve, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Mercury, Mercury Compounds, Mineral Oil, Oxybenzone, Parabens, Paraffin Oil, Phthalates, Polyethylene Glycol (PEGs), Resorcinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinol, Siloxanes, Sulfates, Thimerosal, Toluene, Triclosan, Triclocarban...

So I forked out a whopping $75AUD of my hard earned cash and decided to give it a go. (Yes $75... You can't put a price on comfortable skin I thought...) Vogue Australia recommended it a month prior as well. I am also a sucker for really interesting packaging (more on that later).

There aren't many gel moisturisers out there I have to say. I have combination skin. It is sensitive and dry but also pretty oily and I find that thick moisturisers just leave me feeling like I have a layer of oil on my face. Although that said, it is very hard for me to actually feel like my face in fully quenched all over. Especially around the eyes. The curse of getting older... I have actually never tried a gel, again I thought a gel formulation seems obvious...

B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel contains a range of beneficial antioxidants and replenishing ingredients and it has no added chemical fragrances. Since I have a sensitive nose I can still smell the key listed ingredients which are pineapple ceramide, lentil, apple and watermelon... What in the world is pineapple ceramide? Apparently pineapple contains the highest content of ceramide. Pineapple ceramide is a glucose linked ceramide derivative, named as glucoceramide. Glucoceramide has unique biological activity, it reduces melanin contents, induces hyaluronic acid synthase-3 and aquaporin-3 expression. Therefore, glucoceramide treatment contributes skin lightening, moisturising and smoothing effect.

The packaging is pretty sweet too. The brand name Drunk Elephant™ is pretty cool and a bit of fun, although it doesn't feel very large on the pack. It is almost like the owner is letting the formulation do the talking. The format of the container itself is double walled and light & airtight which is great because it does a good job of keeping the formula stable. I am in LOVE with the closure though, and this is one of the reasons why I was happy to part with $75. This format wouldn't have been cheap to produce. Check out my first attempt at video EVER below showing how this bottle opens... (There is always room to improve on anything right???)

I won't lie, this product goes on light and doesn't seem oily on your skin or to the touch. It didn't break me out and it has a really lovely subtle smell. B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel has a great comedogenic rating too. Its long list of ingredients and truely water-based formulation is great. However, after testing it for two weeks, I wasn't sure it was actually doing anything for me. I didn't feel like my skin was truely moisturised... I also felt like I needed something else around my eyes.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel, $75.00AUD, MECCA Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Berberis Vulgaris Root Extract, Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Lactate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cyclodextrin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate,Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol. Free from gluten, parabens, sulfates, fragrance and mineral oil. Butylene Glycol is mildly comedogenic.

PROS - Lightweight, pleasant fragrance, great packaging. CONS - Expensive, not recommended for people with extremely dry skin.

[settoglow]

Hello! Set to Glow?

Welcome to my new blog Set to Glow. I hope you enjoy the articles I produce and keep returning to my little slice of skincare and skin health heaven.

You may have visited my blog Fashion Blender. Which I ran for nearly four years after starting my freelance life as a fashion and personal stylist amongst other things. For those of you that don't know me, you can visit the ABOUT page to find out a little more about me. I have worn many hats over the years and my skills keep on changing so I can keep a steady income flowing through my bank account.

I have over 15 years’ experience in the design industry in Sydney and I have run Yanchenko Designs for over 13 years. Fashion Blender was pretty popular and I created editorial & photography content for it including all the design, retouching and creative direction on photo shoots. During my Fashion Blender days I worked along large brands in Australia and Internationally (Burberry, Georg Jensen, Happy Socks, Sephora etc. etc.) to promote their products. I also studied User Experience and became a Social Media Teacher. Travelling for the blog was pretty awesome. But also really draining. I wouldn't have changed any moment of that period of my life. I have met some pretty amazing people and I still contact them today.

However after all of the above, I needed a little break. Plus, Fashion Blender became a second job and I really wasn't enjoying it any more. I also was a slave to my social media accounts. There have been a lot of articles lately about how much time we spend on our devices. How influential they can be in our lives. Social media is addictive. And I was addicted. So I put down my phone and limited myself to a few browsing hours a week.

Something else happened too. I was neglecting my health. And I got pretty sick. But also very tired. A few people noticed and they asked me how I was.

Set to Glow is going to be different. I suppose I write all this down as a little mission statement to myself. Over the years I have struggled with my skin. When I was a teenager I had pimples like any teenager. Now I am older, I do bless my oily skin because I look a lot younger than other people my age. That is also down to how much I care for it, as well as protecting myself from the sun. When I was 30 (yes, 30!), I was pretty sick and had a long stay in hospital. One of the side effects of the medication I was taking was pretty sore pustular acne. (Obviously I will elaborate on my skin concerns in Set to Glow articles). Lately my skin is pretty good. However I still struggle with skin concerns and I am really interested in my general health and wellbeing. I also want to look my best.

Just lately I have also had a few horrible looking outbreaks of Perioral Dermatitis. This condition is pretty common amongst females ages 15-45 years. It is characterised by groups of itchy or tender small red papules around your mouth, nose and eyes and it often gets wrongly diagnosed. Luckily I only had it around my chin. Perioral Dermatitis is pretty stubborn and I have learnt lots of tricks to deal with it which I would love to share with you in the coming articles on Set to Glow.

Set to Glow will be like a diary of my skin and health concerns with lots of tips and tricks. I also will be reviewing lots of skincare and cosmetic products from Australia and all over the world. I hope to produce videos to help you along the way too. However Set to Glow will be pretty organic content wise. Obviously I am not a specialist; I can only share my own experiences and what has and hasn't worked for me. Please stick around for the ride!