Beauty Review: Mia 2 Clarisonic

So over the summer, well towards the end really, while I was in Palm Springs, I went on a nice, relaxng Spa day with my mum. Girls day out while the boys and my dad played golf in the punishing sun. During the treatment, the beautician used a Clarisonic on my T zone and therein was the beginning of a very special love affair. Lol.

You see I had always wanted to try out the Clarisonic and see what benefits it would bring to my naturally oily, sensitive and extremely break out prone skin but I was worried about it being too harsh for me. But with the reassurance of the beautician I tried it and my face felt like it had received new life! Haha. There are quite a few different types of clarisonics, and their uses range from the face to the feet and even the whole body. The one I bought is called the Mia 2 and I got it with a 15% discount right after my treatment, the original price for the Mia 2 is $99, minus VAT. So I definitely felt like I had struck a bargain.

The Mia2 and all it's accessories.

So now, on to some before and after shots. I started using the Clarisonic towards the end of August 2014 and my after picture was taken a couple of weeks ago towards the end of October and so that makes two full months of usage. I use it just once a day, every morning while I shower and one cycle lasts for exactly 1 minute. Most people spend much less than a minute washing their faces but I ready that you need to spend a minimum of one minute to really cleanse your pores so the Clarisonic is perfectly timed.

Surely I don't have to say which is before and which is after! The difference is so clear to me! But just incase... Before is on the left, after is on the right :)

I should state as well that this is NOT an exfoliating brush, it's a cleansing brush and not to be used with face washes that have abrasive micro particles like typical exfoliators do. I guess the combination of both could irritate the skin.

Also before I forget, let me add that you are intended to change the brush head every 3 - 4 months and this device is rechargeable but completely waterproof to allow for use in the shower. I adore my Clarisonic and face washing just has never been the same since... Now all I have to do is stop being lazy about washing my face at night and maybe those annoying spots will finally be gone forever.

Have you ever used the Clarisonic? What were your thoughts? Also does anyone have any beauty tips and tricks for clearer skin? Do share, I'm obsessed with making my face flawless now. Haha

Beauty Musings: BB Creme vs Bronzing Powder

So if the month of September was all about things that make me happy then this month of October is definitely dedicated to you my fabulous readers and things that I think you might find useful. What's the point of giving you all random facts about myself without even helping you out sometimes. Life is about giving and taking no?

This is also my very first "beauty" post. I don't really consider myself to be a beauty buff of any kind. I didn't really start wearing make-up till I was well into my university years and I was generally never really that into my appearance. That's not to say I went about looking like a wretch o, I just never really thought about it so much. However, one day I was on my way to work and I noticed my selfie game was particularly weak, yeah I take selfies on the way to work sometimes, don't judge me. I hastily sent the pictures to my friend and she informed me that it was because my make-up game was even weaker. I was distraught but resolved to find a solution to this! Hence this post.

I have naturally combination/oily and super sensitive skin and so the plan was to find out which product between Bobbi Brown's bronzing powder and BB cream would give me light to medium coverage and last longer in the day.

So I applied each product in the morning while getting ready for work arond 6.30/7 a.m. and then did no touch ups through-out the day till I took the "End of the Day" picture around 5pm.

The bronzing powder in 'Deep 4' which is a long term favourite of mine and the first ever powder I bought. It gives a nice coverage and I love how light it feels. It looks really good in the morning but by the afternoon my face was super shiny and I had to keep blotting my face throughout the day.

Bronzing Powder Morning Shot. Excuse the shower cap. Haha

Bronzing Powder afternoon shot. Check out that sheen yo!

The BB creme is in 'Dark', I got it a couple of months ago and I love it! It has really good coverage too, right in between a powder and foundation but didn't make me feel too 'made-up'. It lasted quite nicely through out the day and I definitely got a lot less shine than with the bronzing powder although it tends to have a very 'dewy' feel when first applied and needs to be given a few minutes to sink in.

BB Cream morning shot.

BB Cream afternoon shot.

If your skin is quite oily and like me you can't be bothered to reapply powder every few hours, then I think the BB Creme is a better option. If you have normal skin and are just looking for light coverage for day to day use then I'd go for the powder! I personally still use both and alternate depending on my mood and how late I am to work but I still instinctively reach for my powder most times!

What brand of BB creme/ tinted moisturisers/ powder do you use on an almost daily basis?