Biore Charcoal pore strips!

Biore Charcoal pore strips!

Now this one is pretty gross but I have to tell you about it! 

A friend told me about these Biore charcoal pore strips so I had to try them out! I got them from Boots for £7.99 which is quite steep I must say, you do get six in a box which is good as that makes them just over a pound for each one. 

They come in a black packet individually wrapped and you have to take it off and split the sides that have been pre cut to make it a nice fit around your nose. You have to leave it on for 10-15 minutes and the strip goes hard and you then peel it off. Warning! It does get petty stuck to your skin so peel it off carefully as it can hurt! 

I used one and my boyfriend used one too, mine was clean with only a few on but Jacob's was great ! These are so satisfying and they really do work. They leave your nose feeling really fresh and you can even see your blackheads on the strip ( nice!)  They are good to get those hard to reach ones that you just can't get! 

Would defo recommend these to anyone!! 

QUICK & EASY:Hair mask!

 EGG, YOGHURT & COCONUT OIL HAIR MASK

  Now Here's a post I have been meaning to do for awhile, now we are in the winter months its time to give your hair some TLC.  The cold weather really takes its toll on our hair and It's time to bite back! We swap our moisturisers so why not give your hair a treat. The ingredients I am going to use are easy to get hold of and some of you will have them in your cupboards anyway!

Eggs! Yes Eggs can be a great source of protein for your hair. The yolk is rich in fats and proteins which is extremely moisturising. The whites contain bacteria eating enzymes that cleanse hair and scalp from unwanted oils. For normal hair use whole egg to condition; use just yolks to moisturise dry, brittle hair; and use just whites to treat oily hair. For me, I have a super oily scalp so this is a must. 

Yoghurt! Yogurt can help reverse hair damage caused by product build up and air pollution. After a weekend in London my hair felt sooo brittle & dry, and with it being the party season and all I haven't been the kindest to my hair (I'm sorry i still love you) The lactic acid in yogurt gently strips away dirt while the milk fat moisturises. Double YAY! 

Coconut Oil! Now we all know how amazing coconut oil is for our hair and body, this is a vital ingredient in our hair mask as it moisthurises, prevents breakage and is PACKED with nutrients to keep our hair strong and healthy such as Vitamin E, Vitamin K and Iron. Each of these plays a key role in keeping your hair soft and supple, and Iron can even eradicate dandruff from the scalp. 

If your thinking of having a go, Mix all these kitchen essentials in one and apply from tip to root, leave for 20 mins and rinse with cool water.  I like to wear it up in a bun and keep it off my face and skin because lets face it... it's raw egg!! Let me know how you get on I guarantee you will love it! 

happy hair masking !

whats your favourite? let me know, Fran xxx

Glo mineral lash thickener and conditioner

Glo minerals lash thickener and conditioner

What it is:
Treat and nourish your way to thicker, longer and softer lashes.

What it's used for:
gloLash Thickener and Conditioner is a nutrient-rich base that wraps the lashes in a conditioning, vitamin-rich formulation. Botanical waxes, green tea leaf extract and vitamins nourish, protect and condition the lashes, helping them to grow longer, thicker and healthier.  Use prior to gloLach Lengthening Mascara for a defined finish.

This stuff is amazing!

 I saw my mum the other day and wondered how her lashes were so thick and full and this Is what she had been using. 

It does exactly what it says on the tin which is thicken's, seperates and lifts lashes. It goes on white and then you apply your mascara over the top, it's abit like a primer. It's full of vitamins to keep your lashes healthy. There is no itchiness or flaking, making it comfortable to wear. When applied under mascara, your mascara not only goes on smoother but comes off with one wipe. Even when you take off your mascara lashes look fuller and thicker, you feel like you haven't washed off all of your makeup! I've noticed a difference in my mascara also. I usually get one eye that behaves itself and one eye that they all just clump together and that's that. With this they are all seperated and lifted. 

I personally hate false eyelashes so finding something like this is a great alternative. I can't be dealing with them falling off all the time and I don't like to see the join line.

The price is not bad at all at just £9.90 and £3.73 delivery from Amazon! Get yours here!

This pic is one coat of thickener and one coat of mascara.

Savse smoothie!

Today I have this amazing Savse smoothie! It's delicious!😍

I popped to boots and saw them all lined up and thought they looked yummy so tried the super orange flavour. It counts as 2 of your 5 day so your on your way towards that and It's got mango, celery, Apple, lemon, orange, passion fruit and carrot in! Healthy or what!

 It's raw,delicious and cold pressed! There's also no added sugar so they're easy on your teeth and they're only 110 calories!! It's good news all round to be honest! I'm too excited to try the other flavours!! ❤️

Hair care this month!

My favourite hair care products this month!

So here is a quick post on my favourite hair products this month. The best part is neither of them break the bank! yay!

 I recently discovered this little gem. Umberto Giannini Massive hair mousse. It gives your roots a lift like never before! My hair is so flat on top as I have fine straight hair and It's really hard to get some root lift. Apply a generous amount to clean, damp hair and squeeze into roots and mid lengths of hair. Honestly try it, you won't be disappointed. You can buy it here. At the moment you can save a third on hair care so this little baby is only £4.00 at the moment ! http://www.boots.com/en/Umberto-Giannini-Glam-Hair-Massive-mousse_1104348/

My other favourite for this month is Boots Coconut and Almond Leave in conditioner. This is for Normal to dry hair. Firstly with extracts of coconut and almond, the smell of this product is divine! I love coconut and to have it on my hair is 

a bonus! apply again to clean damp hair and spray on the mid lengths and ends. This is great for fine hair to give it the soft feel but without weighing it down. You can buy this here for only £1.49! http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Ingredients-Coconut-Almond-Leave-In-Conditioner-150ml_863451/

have you tried any of these? what are your favs this month? comment and let me know! <3

Summer Abs

I don't know about you but my holiday is in 3 weeks, 3 weeks!? my body is defo not ready for that yet!!

It's time to work my socks off for a few weeks.

Here is a short blog of some of my favourite exercises for you.

Grab yourself a yoga mat, because doing these on the carpet really can burn your knees and palms! These exercises are for both your bum, ab's and legs, these are my main focus points. 

A few of my favourites are:

plank for 30 seconds,

15 sit ups,

15 crunches

50 squats.

15 leg raises (each leg),

15 burpees,

30 seconds of vertical toe touches,

30 donkey kicks on each leg.

These exercises really make you feel the burn the next morning and sometimes instantly. Personally I like to feel this as It means it's  really working, some people like to stretch it out after a workout so that It doesn't hurt as much in the morning.

There is a channel on Youtube called Fitness Blender which is amazing, it's all free workouts that you can do In the comfort of your own home and boy do they burn. Some you need equipment for and others you just need your body.

 Here is the link to the page :FitnessBlender

My favourites from their page are:

10 Min Abs Workout -- At Home Abdominal and Oblique Exercises : 
http://youtu.be/1919eTCoESo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1919eTCoESo

This one is really good for toning your ab's and feeling the burn.

5 minute Butt and thigh workout for a bigger butt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afghBre8NlI

boy does this one hurt! ouch! each time I finish this one i say 'never again' but It's so worth it, after all you know what they say 'no pain, no gain!'

Also, I've switched from fizzy drinks and plain water to fruit water. I fill bottles with fruit and leave them in the fridge overnight. I will be blogging about that soon.

Thanks for reading! 

whats your favourite? let me know!xxx

Top Hair tips!

1.  If possible,Try to wash your hair everyday, think how dirty your face gets each day and your hair goes wherever your face goes!
2.   Give your head a (mini massage) for two minutes daily, this increases the blood flow which = healthy hair.
3. rubbing your hair with a towel is the most damaging thing you can do! Try to pat it dry and squeeze the excess water out. Yep that's it girls, pat and squeeze!
4. On wet hair, ease out the knots with a wide toothed comb, starting from the bottom.
5. Use deep conditioning treatments at least once a week to keep your hair looking and feeling fresh.
6. To save time, blast your hair off to about 90% dry and then use a brush for the last 10% to smooth.
7. Tangle teezers are a great alternative to combs. They are 100% pain free! yay!take a look here. 
8. Scrunch hair with moose. I love Umberto Gianni's 'Massive Mousse'. Twist your hair up when it's still hot from drying, secure in a bobble and leave for as long as possible = Effortless waves!
9. Coconut oil is amazing for hair and face! Boots have a gorgeous 'Ingredients' range. I love they're  Leave in Conditioner & Intensive Hair Mask. They're usually on their fantastic 3 for 2 offer so you can save the pennies!

10.Only condition your ends and 3\4 of the way down, steer clear of the roots so that it doesn't look greasy.

instagram: @chescavenus

twitter: @chescavenus 

My Top 10 Hair Tips

MASTER YOUR CONTOURING

Here goes my attempt at a contouring tutorial!This is just my way, I'm not an expert myself. I can however spot a bad contour, some people look like they've been abroad and sunbathed with their glasses on for too long.

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What is contour?

so contour literally means to 'outline' a shape or a figure. In cosmetic terms it means to create shadows, so your shadowing your face. Shadows help to define certain areas, so any area you want to push back from your eye you need to contour.

What do you use? 
I use sleek's contour kit which retails at £6.49  grab yours here
You also need a couple of brushes to apply the dark colour correctly.


What is highlight?
highlighting is the opposite of shadowing, it means adding light to your face. Opposite again to contouring your pulling things towards your eye.Making it appear brighter.

What do you use?
MAC's highlighter in light boost grab yours here. This is abit pricey at £18.50 but there are cheaper ones, for example in the Sleek contour kit there is two colours and the lighter colour from that would do perfectly fine it's just personal preference. Sleek also do a highlighter just like this for more than half the price i have linked it here. This product comes in 3 different shades, Bright Forecast, Radiant rose and Light boost.





So i start by applying the darker colour, i pout to create the natural cheek bone lines and apply with a slanted brush. http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Limited-Edition-Duo-Fibre-Set_1333699/. I also put it along my forehead, down the sides of  nose and along the jaw line.

next is the white (pale colour) I apply this to the middle of my nose, below the dark line on my cheek bone, in triangular sections from the eye down onto my cheeks, a small amount on my cupids bow and a splash on my chin.That was a long sentence! The MAC highlighter is like a pen so application is super easy. If your using a white powder or similar product to do this step then  a blusher brush is fine to use or a fine fiber brush ( even an eyeshadow brush will do the trick)heres a cheap one.
Below are some photos of where you should be so far.

So by now your looking kinda creepy, its not the best look, You would 'nt want your crush to come to the door whilst you were contouring put it that way! My cousin will kill me when she sees this photo, but at least you have an idea what i mean.( love you Harriet!) :')

next step is to blend all this in and then apply your foundation. The other day i picked up some makeup sponges from the hairdressing warehouse so i have been using them to blend in. Any makeup sponges will do,  lots of people like the beauty blenders, but I can't bring myself to spend  £15 on a sponge.. heres one for you to see Im sure it's great but i just cant. You can buy them on E bay and they are just as good, there is a link here to one for £2.29! HERE. Take your sponge and wet it under the tap, it should double in size, squeeze out the excess water.  Next, apply some foundation to the back of your hand and dab your blender into the foundation, I'm using my normal MAC foundation. You don't want too much as you just want to blend in the colours and you already have a lot of makeup on your face. 

It's very important to set your face at this point,with powder. Use a powder brush I like Real Techniques powder brush. Any will do, this step is very important as you don't want the colours to run into each other.

It should all be coming together now and your face should be looking radiant and slim! 

I'd love to know how you lot all contour, as I said before this is just one way I'm not saying It's the right way It's just the way i like to do It. Thanks for reading, let me know how you get on! 

Happy Contouring!

SKINCARE

Great looking skin

starts before your make up

when was the last time you loved your skin?

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, therefore you must look after it, especially in places that it is on show. Yep, thats right I'm talking about your face!My mum has told me from a young age to look after my skin, it's the only one you get. 


Deep down we all know we should not be using makeup wipes to take our makeup off. Although they are quick, simple and cheap, they could be the route of your skincare problems. Sales of wipes have doubled in the last year with them being the cheapest, quickest way to remove your makeup. I must admit cleansing and toning is time consuming but is 100% worth it. If you imagine you're applying your £30 foundation, why take it off with a £2.20 pack of makeup wipes. You spend on your application, so why not spend on the removal. Tonight, when you girls take your makeup off with a makeup wipe,cleanse &  tone afterwards and wipe over your face  and neck after you have used your makeup wipes. Especially in hard to reach areas such as the curves of your nose top and bottom, your eyebrows(this is somewhere we often forget when removing makeup) and see how much makeup you would be going to sleep with still left on your face. Shocking hey!

      
Some of my favourite makeup wipes are listed below.

Simple Makeup wipes

MAC makeup wipes

Garnier Start Afresh

No.7 Quick thinking wipes

DID YOU KNOW?

People are judged more intelligent and attractive if their eyes wrinkle round the corners when they smile

First of all you need to identify you skin type, to buy the products that suit you.

If you have normal skin, your skin has the right balance of moisture, oil and durability.

• If you have oily skin you face might appear shiny, greasy or oily only a few hours after washing.
• If you have dry skin, it's often quite flaky.
• If you have sensitive skin, your skin is often tight or itchy and you experience allergic reactions when you come into contact with certain chemicals.
• A lot of people have combination skin, where part of your face is oily and another part is dry.

TOP SKIN TIPS

• Try to avoid touching your face too much during the day, if you're touching your face a lot you are moving dirt from your hands onto your face.
• Wash your face twice a day.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Use weekly facemasks.
• Balanced diet - eat your  fab fruit and  very nice veggies!:)
• Use blackhead clearing strips to clean the hard to reach parts of your nose!
• As tempting as it is, if you mess with a spot it will actually get worse, so leave it!! apply a cold compress twice a day to lessen the irritation. (cool piece of cotton wool or even a cold teabag!)
• exfoliate weekly, to give a rosy glow.
• If you skip every other tip, just be sure to moisturise, especially at night. Your skin renews at night so you can help it along the way!
• Tie your hair back- your hair has natural oils, so by braiding your hair or simply putting it in a bun,you will be keeping those oils off your face.
• Use eye cream- Yes even if you're only 20! When the morning rolls around your skin will be less puffy and more hydrated.
• 
  

so what should we all be using?

C,T,M - CLEANSE, TONE, MOISTURISE.


I like to use a cleanser, a toner and a moisturiser. Don't get me wrong when you've been out on the lash no one has time to cleanse and tone, once in a while makeup wipes are fine, just limit them if you can.

For me I have two favourites, They are both  high street brands! My first is the  'Simple' brand that i like to use.you can check them out here. and second is L'oreal. you can browse here 




The brand is mainly for people with sensitive skin and although i don't suffer from sensitive skin, they seem to work for me! 

Simple Purifiying Cleanser: £3.29 for 200ml from boots

• Vital Vitamins for your skins health
• Pro-Vitamin B5 actively restores, softens and smoothes.
• No Perfume
• No Colour
• No Harsh Chemicals so it won't upset your skin
• Simple skincare do not use animal derived ingredients

This toner has Active Benefits:
£2.19 from for 200ml from superdrug

• Chamomile: gently soothes
• Witch Hazel: helps tone and tighten pores
• 100% alcohol free: non drying, leaves skin soft
• pH balanced: works in harmony with your skin

my next favourite is:

 ---------------------------------------------------------



L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Cleansing & Perfecting Milk:£2.66 for 200ml from boots.

this also has many benefits

•  suitable for sensitive skin,
•   for use around the face and eye area. 
• It is proven to remove make-up and impurities and reveal a better skin texture. 
• The rich milk, infused with softening actives, removes make-up, even waterproof, from the face and eyes with a soothing texture.

Loreal's Skin Perfection Velvety Soft Toner: £3.99 for 200ml from boots.

This toner is great. I've been using this for a while and it really does remove all traces of your cleanser leaving you ready to moisturise.

• slight perfume, but nothing to harsh.
• long lasting 
• leaves skin smooth and feeling nourished.
• removes impuritites 
• helps to keep the skin supple.

hope you enjoyed my skincare post 

let me know if you have any products you want me to try, email me at: chescavenus@live.co.uk

next step- Moisturiser!

your going to laugh at this, I use ALDI's own brand face cream. Yep ALDI !

I use their  Expert Day & Night creams. At £3.99 each they are a steal. They do exactly what they say on the tin, which is what you want. I've tried many high end creams that I have not been happy with, so it's nice to find one, that's cheap too!

 The day cream :

• it's SPF 15,
• 5* star UVA to protect your skin from the sun,
• Has been proven to moisturise your skin for 24 hours.

The night cream:

• has wrinkle reducing properties
• Shea butter to improve suppleness

Hair ❤️

HAIR <3 
Healthy gorgeous hair is the best revenge!
here is a low down of my favourite hair products at the moment! enjoy! x 


SHAMPOOS&CONDITIONERS:

Firstly, I like a lot of shampoo and conditioners at the moment, I don't know about you but I have about 5 different types in my shower and I alternate between them all every time I shower! 
I am forever faithful to 'AUSSIE'. For me its the smell, its just beautiful. I sniff my hair all day when I've used it. I think its got to be one of the best high street brand shampoo's compared to some of the stuff they put on the shelves!(TRESEMME) cough cough. Another I like at the moment is BLEACH's purple shampoos and conditioners. These are brill for the likes of dip dyes and ombre's that can go slightly orange/dull. These also smell nice and leave the hair moisturised but are not too heavy! Another that I'm liking is L'OREAL ELVIVE THICKENING SHAMPOO. I used this for a week and I personally really did notice a difference! Crazy, as what I was taught at hairdressing college was that products don't help but it seems that they really can! Note - not permanent, results are only from wash to wash. I'm very fussy when it comes to shampoo as I don't like anything that leaves my hair feeling too heavy or limp. 

But the all time for me has to be the GARNIER ULTIMATE BLENDS (marvellous transformer) shampoo & conditioner. I often flit between do I want volume or nourishment, but this shampoo seems to manage both without a problem, leaving my hair full and not lank. The packaging isn't the best and you wouldn't be drawn to it on the shelf. This proves its not what it looks like its what's on the inside that counts! (cringe). You may be thinking that doesn't really matter but I know from personal experience i am drawn to the fancy packaging quite often.

you can buy/ search these products online at:http://www.boots.com/en/Garnier-Ultimate-Blends/
LEAVE IN TREATMENTS:

Revlon's UNIQUE 1 spray treatment:

This product is a leave in hair treatment that gives your hair a whole host of benefits. 
It promises 10 benefits for all hair types. Firstly it smells like a holiday in a bottle. Its got a really summery scent and is not too overpowering like some products. These are the promised benefits listed below:

• repair for dry and damaged hair 
• shine & frizz control
• heat protection
• silkiness and smoothness
• hair colour protection contains UVA & UVB filters
• Easier brushing and straightening 
• incredible detangling
• long lasting hairstyle 
• split end prevention
• adds body    

Now I know what your thinking.. yeah right, but it is actually a miracle product. I've been using it for years now and I've really noticed the difference. So yeah, try it! I apply it after washing, before drying. I use about a 2 pence piece sized amount and my hair is mid-length so if shorter/ longer  use less/ more etc... Try it! let me know what you think.

 you can buy this also online at :http://www.amazon.co.uk/treatment-Trattamento-intensivo-riparatore-protettore/dp/B006OKAKC8

Another one I'm into at the moment is the Schwarzkopf (BONACURE COLOURED ENDS) treatment. Use after washing same as the Unique 1 treatment. About 5 pumps as it's only for the ends. I feel that it just helps banish those dry, crispy ends you get especially if your ends of your hair are bleached/ lightened. Now, we sell this in the salon and i think the RRP is about £12. But if your lucky (a secret tip for you!). You can sometimes find it in the POUNDSHOP! Can you believe it! Which means you can buy that MAC lipstick you wanted AND your hair treatment in one day! :). I've just looked and its actually on sale on amazon! :http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schwarzkopf-Bonacure-Colour-Freeze-Coloured/dp/B007C84UO0

Let me know if you guys use the same products or have any others that you love!

add me on instagram : chescavenus

Happy hair day my lovely's! :) 

 xoxo