I always say there's so much to do in London but then have a hard time deciding what to actually do. Spoilt for choice I guess.
I love discovering bits of London that I'm unfamiliar with, parts that I see on bus rides but never have time to stop off and explore because I'm too preoccupied with something else.
So this weekend, I decided to go explore somewhere I've been before but never really got to know.
Hampstead.
I love discovering bits of London that I'm unfamiliar with, parts that I see on bus rides but never have time to stop off and explore because I'm too preoccupied with something else.
So this weekend, I decided to go explore somewhere I've been before but never really got to know.
Hampstead.
Still so dreamy on such a gloomy day.
Maybe it's the contrast between old and new, or the continuous presence of greenery, with Hampstead Heath nearby. I don't know, but it's perfect and I'd like to announce that I will live here one day.
I feel like there is always something so stunning around each corner - a pub with a great facade, a fantastic property, a colorful door or even the ivy covered walls.
It was a happy accident to come across a book shop that I can only describe as heaven. Neatly laid out to just about satiate my OCD appetite but not overwhelmingly so.
Hampstead is honestly just so picturesque and really embodies a charming village vibe without feeling too far removed from all the excitement London has to offer.
Exploring Hampstead: A Photo Diary
I always say there's so much to do in London but then have a hard time deciding what to actually do. Spoilt for choice I guess.
I love discovering bits of London that I'm unfamiliar with, parts that I see on bus rides but never have time to stop off and explore because I'm too preoccupied with something else.
So this weekend, I decided to go explore somewhere I've been before but never really got to know.
Hampstead.
I love discovering bits of London that I'm unfamiliar with, parts that I see on bus rides but never have time to stop off and explore because I'm too preoccupied with something else.
So this weekend, I decided to go explore somewhere I've been before but never really got to know.
Hampstead.
Still so dreamy on such a gloomy day.
Maybe it's the contrast between old and new, or the continuous presence of greenery, with Hampstead Heath nearby. I don't know, but it's perfect and I'd like to announce that I will live here one day.
I feel like there is always something so stunning around each corner - a pub with a great facade, a fantastic property, a colorful door or even the ivy covered walls.
It was a happy accident to come across a book shop that I can only describe as heaven. Neatly laid out to just about satiate my OCD appetite but not overwhelmingly so.
Hampstead is honestly just so picturesque and really embodies a charming village vibe without feeling too far removed from all the excitement London has to offer.
Hello Hello!
Today I have a skincare post for you guys!
This is a topic I love to talk about as I'm deeply passionate about taking super good care of my skin. Grab a cuppa, it's a thorough one! I really hope you enjoy this post as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
So, coming from Trinidad where the water isn't hard, humidity is the norm and beach life (permanent, glowy, healthy, tanned complexion) is a thing, my skin was in a pretty healthy state. Until I moved to London.
Cue dry, dehydrated skin. *rolls eyes*
I have combination skin - oily in my T-zone and relatively normal to dry on the cheeks and in Trinidad I had a fairly decent skincare regimen that worked for my skin type and that was that.
I don't know if it's the shock of the different weather in conjunction with the hard water over here in London but I found that my skin felt terribly dry so much so that I was no longer oily in my T-zone and my skin was just left feeling dry and tight throughout. Before I had a full blown panic attack, I decided to try my hand at some products to see if maybe changing up formulas and altering my regimen would help with my skin's tantrum.
Below are the products that I have carefully curated to combat my dry skin.
Cleansing:
I have 3 different things that I strictly use for the morning and evening. Glossier's Milk Jelly Cleanser is my go to in the morning. On days where I feel like I need an extra boost to wake up, I use a tiny amount of Neutrogena's visibly clear spot proofing smoothing scrub, mostly because of the smell, but I limit my use of this, which I will explain why later on. At night, I use L'Occitane's cleansing milk as it is gentle and does a great job at taking off my makeup without being too harsh. It also smells like a spa and I honestly can't find a fault in that.
If I feel like I need a deep clean, like if I wear a full face, then I go in with my Clinique take the day off cleansing balm, which is pretty much a miracle in a jar. I remove it with a hot flannel.
Toning:
I can't remember a time I used anything else besides micellar water or rose water to tone my skin. I stick with drugstore brands because I find that they work well for me. When I'm out of Bioderma/rose water (my preferred babies) I use Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water. I know it's not a toner per se but I do love to do this after cleansing just to make sure there's no muck left and one of the main ingredients is glycerin which is great for keeping the skin supple and hydrated.
Thanks for reading!
Today I have a skincare post for you guys!
This is a topic I love to talk about as I'm deeply passionate about taking super good care of my skin. Grab a cuppa, it's a thorough one! I really hope you enjoy this post as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
So, coming from Trinidad where the water isn't hard, humidity is the norm and beach life (permanent, glowy, healthy, tanned complexion) is a thing, my skin was in a pretty healthy state. Until I moved to London.
Cue dry, dehydrated skin. *rolls eyes*
I have combination skin - oily in my T-zone and relatively normal to dry on the cheeks and in Trinidad I had a fairly decent skincare regimen that worked for my skin type and that was that.
I don't know if it's the shock of the different weather in conjunction with the hard water over here in London but I found that my skin felt terribly dry so much so that I was no longer oily in my T-zone and my skin was just left feeling dry and tight throughout. Before I had a full blown panic attack, I decided to try my hand at some products to see if maybe changing up formulas and altering my regimen would help with my skin's tantrum.
Below are the products that I have carefully curated to combat my dry skin.
Cleansing:
I have 3 different things that I strictly use for the morning and evening. Glossier's Milk Jelly Cleanser is my go to in the morning. On days where I feel like I need an extra boost to wake up, I use a tiny amount of Neutrogena's visibly clear spot proofing smoothing scrub, mostly because of the smell, but I limit my use of this, which I will explain why later on. At night, I use L'Occitane's cleansing milk as it is gentle and does a great job at taking off my makeup without being too harsh. It also smells like a spa and I honestly can't find a fault in that.
If I feel like I need a deep clean, like if I wear a full face, then I go in with my Clinique take the day off cleansing balm, which is pretty much a miracle in a jar. I remove it with a hot flannel.
I can't remember a time I used anything else besides micellar water or rose water to tone my skin. I stick with drugstore brands because I find that they work well for me. When I'm out of Bioderma/rose water (my preferred babies) I use Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water. I know it's not a toner per se but I do love to do this after cleansing just to make sure there's no muck left and one of the main ingredients is glycerin which is great for keeping the skin supple and hydrated.
Exfoliating:
Since reading about how bad physical exfoliants could be for your skin, I've been trying to swap those out (the Neutrogena scrub mentioned above) for a chemical exfoliant which only sounds harsh but actually isn't if used correctly. Just to clarify, physical exfoliants are those with micro-beads or tiny pieces of fruit seeds that are meant to scrub all impurities out of the skin. Chemical exfoliants do just that but without the microscopic abrasions that seeds leave on the skin, which can allow for the harboring of bacteria under the skins' surface which will eventually surface as pimples or black heads. (EW!) The only downfall with chemical exfoliants is that it can leave the skin susceptible to sun damage which is why I only use this exfoliant, The Ordinary Glycolic Toning Solution, at night. I do this max 3 times a week because it is quite a strong solution. FYI, it tingles.
Moisturizing:
So before I did a complete skincare regimen transformation, I religiously used Neutrogena's combination daily skin moisturizer, but as my skin got worse, it stopped working and I would put it on and my skin would still be dry. I decided to give Lush's Vanishing Cream a go. After about a month's use, I noticed that my skin feels so hydrated and supple every time I use it. It's quite thick but for this weather in London, it works just fine as a day time moisturizer and my makeup applies so well on top of it. For my night time skin moisturizer, I decided to stick with my tried and true Nivea Rich Regenerating night cream, which up to this day, despite my skin's tantrum, has not failed me.
Pampering:
The face mask that I have been using is Lush's FOMO Jelly Mask which is gentle enough to use everyday but I do not have the time for that so I usually leave that for my pamper sesh on Sunday. It leaves my skin feeling soft and clean which is always a plus. When I feel like I need a more heavy duty, deep cleaning mask, I use Lush's Mask of Magnaminty, which is equally as refreshing as it is effective.
For my body, I use & Other Stories Body Scrubs, Body Soufflé's and Body Lotions. I'm obsessed. My current favorite scent is Perle de Coco however if you do not like sickeningly sweet scents, avoid this like the plague. I interchange this one with a few others. I use the body lotion in the day and the body soufflé at night simply because of the difference in consistency. I like to feel quite pampered before I get into bed and the body soufflé is so luxurious. Their scrubs are my favorite as they do not leave an oily residue as most scrubs do but instead give off a really nice lather (like a proper body wash) so you feel like you're getting rid of all the dead skin AND cleansing your body properly. Win!
Lastly, I love the Trinidadian brand Immortelle Beauty's Sheer Moisture Spray oil for my feet, knees and elbows to keep unwanted ashiness at bay. I use it in and out of the shower. My favorite scene is Pomelo + Coco Crème.
These products are my personal favourites. They work for my skin and have really kept dryness and breakouts at bay, especially during this past week when we had the snowstorm in London. However, as a self-diagnosed skincare product junkie, I am always looking for amazing products, so if you guys have any recommendations or must haves that you'd like to share, please do!
Thanks for reading!
The Products That Saved My Skin: Winter Edition
Hello Hello!
Today I have a skincare post for you guys!
This is a topic I love to talk about as I'm deeply passionate about taking super good care of my skin. Grab a cuppa, it's a thorough one! I really hope you enjoy this post as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
So, coming from Trinidad where the water isn't hard, humidity is the norm and beach life (permanent, glowy, healthy, tanned complexion) is a thing, my skin was in a pretty healthy state. Until I moved to London.
Cue dry, dehydrated skin. *rolls eyes*
I have combination skin - oily in my T-zone and relatively normal to dry on the cheeks and in Trinidad I had a fairly decent skincare regimen that worked for my skin type and that was that.
I don't know if it's the shock of the different weather in conjunction with the hard water over here in London but I found that my skin felt terribly dry so much so that I was no longer oily in my T-zone and my skin was just left feeling dry and tight throughout. Before I had a full blown panic attack, I decided to try my hand at some products to see if maybe changing up formulas and altering my regimen would help with my skin's tantrum.
Below are the products that I have carefully curated to combat my dry skin.
Cleansing:
I have 3 different things that I strictly use for the morning and evening. Glossier's Milk Jelly Cleanser is my go to in the morning. On days where I feel like I need an extra boost to wake up, I use a tiny amount of Neutrogena's visibly clear spot proofing smoothing scrub, mostly because of the smell, but I limit my use of this, which I will explain why later on. At night, I use L'Occitane's cleansing milk as it is gentle and does a great job at taking off my makeup without being too harsh. It also smells like a spa and I honestly can't find a fault in that.
If I feel like I need a deep clean, like if I wear a full face, then I go in with my Clinique take the day off cleansing balm, which is pretty much a miracle in a jar. I remove it with a hot flannel.
Toning:
I can't remember a time I used anything else besides micellar water or rose water to tone my skin. I stick with drugstore brands because I find that they work well for me. When I'm out of Bioderma/rose water (my preferred babies) I use Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water. I know it's not a toner per se but I do love to do this after cleansing just to make sure there's no muck left and one of the main ingredients is glycerin which is great for keeping the skin supple and hydrated.
Thanks for reading!
Today I have a skincare post for you guys!
This is a topic I love to talk about as I'm deeply passionate about taking super good care of my skin. Grab a cuppa, it's a thorough one! I really hope you enjoy this post as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
So, coming from Trinidad where the water isn't hard, humidity is the norm and beach life (permanent, glowy, healthy, tanned complexion) is a thing, my skin was in a pretty healthy state. Until I moved to London.
Cue dry, dehydrated skin. *rolls eyes*
I have combination skin - oily in my T-zone and relatively normal to dry on the cheeks and in Trinidad I had a fairly decent skincare regimen that worked for my skin type and that was that.
I don't know if it's the shock of the different weather in conjunction with the hard water over here in London but I found that my skin felt terribly dry so much so that I was no longer oily in my T-zone and my skin was just left feeling dry and tight throughout. Before I had a full blown panic attack, I decided to try my hand at some products to see if maybe changing up formulas and altering my regimen would help with my skin's tantrum.
Below are the products that I have carefully curated to combat my dry skin.
Cleansing:
I have 3 different things that I strictly use for the morning and evening. Glossier's Milk Jelly Cleanser is my go to in the morning. On days where I feel like I need an extra boost to wake up, I use a tiny amount of Neutrogena's visibly clear spot proofing smoothing scrub, mostly because of the smell, but I limit my use of this, which I will explain why later on. At night, I use L'Occitane's cleansing milk as it is gentle and does a great job at taking off my makeup without being too harsh. It also smells like a spa and I honestly can't find a fault in that.
If I feel like I need a deep clean, like if I wear a full face, then I go in with my Clinique take the day off cleansing balm, which is pretty much a miracle in a jar. I remove it with a hot flannel.
I can't remember a time I used anything else besides micellar water or rose water to tone my skin. I stick with drugstore brands because I find that they work well for me. When I'm out of Bioderma/rose water (my preferred babies) I use Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water. I know it's not a toner per se but I do love to do this after cleansing just to make sure there's no muck left and one of the main ingredients is glycerin which is great for keeping the skin supple and hydrated.
Exfoliating:
Since reading about how bad physical exfoliants could be for your skin, I've been trying to swap those out (the Neutrogena scrub mentioned above) for a chemical exfoliant which only sounds harsh but actually isn't if used correctly. Just to clarify, physical exfoliants are those with micro-beads or tiny pieces of fruit seeds that are meant to scrub all impurities out of the skin. Chemical exfoliants do just that but without the microscopic abrasions that seeds leave on the skin, which can allow for the harboring of bacteria under the skins' surface which will eventually surface as pimples or black heads. (EW!) The only downfall with chemical exfoliants is that it can leave the skin susceptible to sun damage which is why I only use this exfoliant, The Ordinary Glycolic Toning Solution, at night. I do this max 3 times a week because it is quite a strong solution. FYI, it tingles.
Moisturizing:
So before I did a complete skincare regimen transformation, I religiously used Neutrogena's combination daily skin moisturizer, but as my skin got worse, it stopped working and I would put it on and my skin would still be dry. I decided to give Lush's Vanishing Cream a go. After about a month's use, I noticed that my skin feels so hydrated and supple every time I use it. It's quite thick but for this weather in London, it works just fine as a day time moisturizer and my makeup applies so well on top of it. For my night time skin moisturizer, I decided to stick with my tried and true Nivea Rich Regenerating night cream, which up to this day, despite my skin's tantrum, has not failed me.
Pampering:
The face mask that I have been using is Lush's FOMO Jelly Mask which is gentle enough to use everyday but I do not have the time for that so I usually leave that for my pamper sesh on Sunday. It leaves my skin feeling soft and clean which is always a plus. When I feel like I need a more heavy duty, deep cleaning mask, I use Lush's Mask of Magnaminty, which is equally as refreshing as it is effective.
For my body, I use & Other Stories Body Scrubs, Body Soufflé's and Body Lotions. I'm obsessed. My current favorite scent is Perle de Coco however if you do not like sickeningly sweet scents, avoid this like the plague. I interchange this one with a few others. I use the body lotion in the day and the body soufflé at night simply because of the difference in consistency. I like to feel quite pampered before I get into bed and the body soufflé is so luxurious. Their scrubs are my favorite as they do not leave an oily residue as most scrubs do but instead give off a really nice lather (like a proper body wash) so you feel like you're getting rid of all the dead skin AND cleansing your body properly. Win!
Lastly, I love the Trinidadian brand Immortelle Beauty's Sheer Moisture Spray oil for my feet, knees and elbows to keep unwanted ashiness at bay. I use it in and out of the shower. My favorite scene is Pomelo + Coco Crème.
These products are my personal favourites. They work for my skin and have really kept dryness and breakouts at bay, especially during this past week when we had the snowstorm in London. However, as a self-diagnosed skincare product junkie, I am always looking for amazing products, so if you guys have any recommendations or must haves that you'd like to share, please do!
Thanks for reading!
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