Prevention is better than cure....

Being in my early thirties I decided it was time I started to think about the dreaded W...yes folks wrinkles.  Now I have to say I don't have a huge amount of them but I had noticed recently that I was beginning to get some fine lines and one or two pretty deep ones under my eyes and along my forehead which I chalked down to not enough sleep and to having a pretty mean looking bitchy resting face.  I also had never really used a day cream with SPF in it and had deluded myself that because I'm not a sunworshipper I was probably not getting any sun damage.  I had heard on the grapevine about a new skincare range from Bootscalled Early Defence that acted more as prevention than cure for wrinkels so being a slave to my Boots card I popped into the lovely folks in Boots in Douglas to have a consultation.

I had my consultation with Vicki who told me all about the new range which is aimed at the 20 - 35 age bracket and I of course felt secretly delighted to be in this young category.

I started by using the day cream which has a five star UVA rating and an SPF of 15 and smelled delightfully of mulberry but wasn't overpowering.  What I also loved that it acts as a primer and reacts to the oil levels in your skin so for someone with oily patches like myself it proved to be non pore clogging.  It's priced at 24.95 which is pretty good for a decent moisturiser.

I also started using the night cream which again was priced at 24.95 and also had a light texture so I didn't go to bed with that horrible oily face feeling that you can get from some night creams.  As my under eyes are my main wrinkly area (damn my wonderfully expressive eyes) I also used the eye cream which is 17.50.  It contains Vitamin A and is meant to be great for preventing those fine lines.

I've been using these three products for the last month and I have to say obviously my lines haven't disappeared, lets be realistic here but I have noticed a definite softening of the lines and I haven't gotten any new ones to add to the collection.  My under eyes are looking less puffy and I feel like the dark shadows under my eyes have lessened.  Mainly I feel like my skin over all looks fresher and on a good day I can definitely fake that I've gotten a good eight hours sleep.
As the # for the product goes #slowmoyourskin and I definitely feel this product can help you do that.  If you're in your 20's or early 30's I would give this a go, it's never too late to slow mo your skin!!

My Beauty Overhaul in Space NK

My skin and I have been locked in a mighty battle for more years than I care to remember,  While most people suffered with the odd spot and blemish in their teens which then promptly turned to dewy youthful skin my problems really only began when I hit my 20's.  While living in London in my mid twenties I suddenly developed adult acne which was particularly bad around my chin and lower face.  And so began years of flare ups combined with periods of my skin looking relatively clear.  If this wasn't bad enough in my late twenties I suddenly out of nowhere started to get huge patches of  painful Psoriasis all over my face.  I mean really how much can one small face take!?  I've tried every possible pill and potion to get all of these problems under control but as you can imagine it's quite difficult to manage two such different conditions on a small area of skin.  Nowadays my skin is somewhat manageable with some dry patches combined with the odd breakout on my chin but having turned 32 recently I decided it was time to really make the effort and find a  grown up skin care routine that was specifically tailored to my needs.  Enter Rodial at the amazing Space NK on Grafton Street in Dublin.  

I first became familiar with Space NK when I lived in London so I was delighted when I heard they had opened a store in Dublin.  For those of you who have never been it's like a mecca for all things luxury in hair and beauty with a huge range of amazing products.  What I love about it is that the staff are not tied to one brand like in some beauty halls so they can advise you on the best products for you over all the brands available.  I had been interested in trying the Rodial skincare range for quite some time and as luck would have it Joanna who works for the brand was instore that day training the staff on the Rodial products so I was able to have a little chat with her about my skincare needs.  Joanna listened to all my skin issues and created a skincare routine tailored to my skincare needs.  She went through absolutely everything including how and when to apply each of the products.  Here's a low down on each of the products suggested for my combination skin which is both dry and prone to breakouts.

Step 1: Glamtox Cleansing Balm E52.00
This is a wonder cleanser from the Rodial range which Joanna said is great for cleansing, toning, eye make up remover and has anti aging properties and is suitable for all skin types.  It's great for removing eye make up and for clearing up acne prone and blemished skin.

Step 2: Glamoxy 15% Fruit Acid Exfoliating Pads E52.00

These exfoliating pads use gentle fruit acids and can be used morning and evening after you cleanse.  Joanna suggested that judging my own skin would be key and that these could be used every second day.

Step 3: Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Moisturiser E54.00

Again this is a great multi-purpose product for all skin types which locks in moisture, is great for fine lines and can be used as a primer and as an eye cream.  It also contains SPF 15 and the Vitamin B3 treats uneven skintone.

Step 4: Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream E64.00
I have never been one for using a night cream as I find a lot of them can feel really caked on and heavy but I have to say that having started to use this cream specifically for night time I have noticed such a difference in my skin.  This one goes on so lightly that you don't go to bed with a face that feels sticky which is a big plus for me.


























Step 5: Super Acids X-Treme Acid Rush Peel E82.00
To tackle my problem breakout areas Joanna suggested using this wonder cream around once a week for twenty minutes after cleansing my face.  I've just started using it and already I'm noticing a huge difference around my chin, now it's not cheap by any means but you only need a small amount on the affected areas so this will last you absolutely ages.

I highly recommend popping into the gang at Space NK if you have any skin woes as they offer really helpful impartial advice on some of the best products the industry has to offer.  I've been using the Rodial products for the last few days and already I'm noticing an improvement in my skins texture and appearance.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes.  

Natasha.x