Skincare: bareMinerals Smoothness Collection Review

bareMinerals is a brand that I’ve admired for years. They have a good, responsible ethos and they truly revolutionised the make up industry with the launch of their mineral foundation back in the 90s. Their cruelty free make up and skincare products contain some absolute gems that I’ve purchased many times (Skin Longevity serum anyone?)…

One of their newest skincare launches is the Smoothness range which is formulated to hydrate, nourish and protect all skin types whilst working to improve the skin’s texture. I’ve been using the Smoothness Hydrating Cleansing Oil as well as the Smoothness Bare Haven Soft Moisturiser for over a month now and they’re honestly both a hit for me.

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Make Up Products That Have Stood the Test of Time

I recently read a post on the lovely Beautylymins blog about the make up products that she has loved over the years and whether they are still products that she reaches for (you can read it here). And I have to say, I enjoyed the post so much that I have taken inspiration from it for my own version!

It did get me thinking, there were products 10 to 15 years ago in my collection that I couldn’t be without. The products that if they ran out, I would immediately re-purchase without hesitation. Obviously over the years my style has changed, make up has evolved, new brands have hit the market, and sadly some of my holy grail original products have been discontinued. But some products really have stood the test of time and have remained in my collection and have been re-purchased countless times over the years, so what are they?

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Skincare: My Rated Cleansers, An Update

It’s been a long time since I wrote about my favourite cleansers on the blog and given the fact that I’m a bit of a cleanser junkie, I’m always trying out new ones so it’s inevitable that my favourites change/expand in length. That’s not to say that I don’t still love the cleansers that I have raved about previously, there are none that I have recommended previously that I have outright changed my opinion on, and some of them will even make another appearance in this post. But the skincare market and science are constantly evolving and new products are always coming my direction and it would be a shame not to share my new loves with you all.

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Life Update: October 2020

So hello! I hope you’re all well and 2020 hasn’t completely knocked ye down! It’s been a lil while since I shared what’s been going on in Lynsey Land but we’ve had some updates recently, well one big one.

I’ve eventually found and just completed on my VERY OWN HOUSE. Which just has me proud as punch if I’m really honest. This time last year I was at the lowest point of my life. I was drowning in grief missing my dad and really incapable of dealing with it, I was unexpectedly living back home with my mum and my life was generally upside down. I felt like I’d completely lost my way and had no idea how to get a handle back on it or process how I felt. I’ve subsequently been open about how low I felt back then and honestly if a few things hadn’t happened, I don’t think I’d have survived it and that’s scary. I was making stupid decisions and choices and completely forgetting my self worth. That was a complete deep, dark hole.

But a year down the line is a real peak. And I couldn’t be prouder of myself (if I say so). I completely started my life again from scratch and I did it entirely on my own. No big hand outs, no relying on anybody else to share the burden. Just my own hard fucking work and discipline. And y’know what, I’ll flex the fuck out of it and I’ll make zero apologies cause it felt like an insurmountable task a year ago.

Don’t get me wrong, It hasn’t been easy. There’s been many bumps and disappointments along the way. There have been several changes of plans. There have been tears (mostly mine). Sleepless nights. The lot. But I can tell you it’s been worth every single negative part for this feeling. Walking into my house on Friday and looking around felt really bloody good. And it reminded me that you have to take the rough with smooth in life and it always gets better.

So now I’m in a happy little bubble of making the house a home. There’s parcels arriving every hour at the minute and I’m flat out designing every inch of my wee home the way I want it. And I can’t wait to share the progress with you all! Most notably my bar area that’s gonna be the best spot in town once we’re all allowed to socialise again….

Thanks for reading!

Lynsey xox

Chapter 33….

Many of you might think that the title of this blog post gives away my age. I won’t comment. Instead I’ll continue to tell people I’m 25 and leave it at that.

Birthdays are funny old things. I tend to get a bit more reflective around my birthday as I get older and certainly more than I would at say New Year. Anybody else do this, or are you normal?

I’ve said it before but I’ve been on a very steep learning curve, particularly for the past year or two, and I’ve really tried to take lessons on board or grow on the back of any negatives that have reared their ugly heads. Sometimes I feel like it doesn’t look like I’ve got anywhere until I take a step back and look retrospectively and realise I’ve done alright.

So what nuggets of wisdom have I learnt over the past little while?

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Five New Beauty Discoveries

As a beauty blogger, one of my favourite things is trying new brands and products, let’s face it, I’m a bit of a product floozy in some respects. I love discovering all manner of beauty products and sharing my favourites with you all and also hearing what you have been loving too. We’re all one big group of enablers! Recently I’ve come across some great new gems that I’ve really been enjoying.

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Skincare Sunday: The Best Gel Based Moisturisers

*Ad- products marked * have been sent to me by the brands for review consideration*

The shift to the Spring and Summer months means that my skin enjoys something a bit lighter in terms of moisturisers as opposed to the thicker creams that I tend to reach for during the winter months. For my normal skin, a gel or water based moisturiser is perfect for this time of the year.

The perfect formulation is lightweight, feels refreshing on the skin and hydrates without leaving the skin feeling greasy or oily. I like the fact that most gel moisturisers layer really well with other products and leave the skin feeling juicy and plumped.

If you have oily or combination skin, a gel or water based moisturiser will be a great option for you to keep your skin moisturised without overloading the skin. However, if you have normal or even somewhat dehydrated skin, some of these picks might be perfect for you too!

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IT Cosmetics CC Cream – Which Formula is for you?

-This post contains gifted products.

The iT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream has been a cult favourite of beauty aficionados across the world for years garnering rave reviews far and wide. Early last year I was introduced to their oil free formula which you may remember, I adored and since then I have been fortunate enough to try the other formulations in the range to compare.

Everybody has heard about BB Creams or ‘beauty balms’ but the majority that I’ve tried generally don’t have enough coverage for my liking. CC Creams on the other hand are a staple in my make up routine. The ‘CC’ stands for colour correcting which makes creams like this perfect for my redness prone Irish skin.

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The Lockdown Diaries: Part 3 – Looking After Yourself

I’ve got to the point where I think lockdown feels relatively normal now! After the recent ease in restrictions there’s been more discussion for us about how returning to the office might look and as much as I’m looking forward to it, it kind of fills me with a touch of anxiety as I think navigating the outside world in the new “normal” is going to be difficult for a number of reasons.

Someone asked me recently how I’ve managed to remain positive throughout this crazy period. And truth be told, I haven’t always been able to. I, like everybody else, have difficult days where I feel like shit. But my inherent Lynsey trait is I won’t allow myself to “burden” people as I see it. Even though I never feel burdened listening to others! As is my life, there’s always a lot going on. Most of which I only share with those I’m extremely close to. That’s my way and it works for me for right now. Somebody called me an iceberg recently too and it’s perfectly accurate. A lot happens under the surface. But provided you aren’t bottling it up, take circumstances at your own pace and comfort level.

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Irish Brand Focus: We Are Paradoxx Haircare*

For a relatively small county, Ireland has some of the best beauty brands on the market and I really love finding and supporting, local brands. We Are Paradoxx aren’t your standard brand. They have a strong ethos regarding social and environmental responsibility and are committed to limiting their impact on the environment as a whole. The vegan friendly and cruelty free range uses a high percentage of natural and organic ingredients that are free from parabens, sulphates and mineral oils.

Although it is a local brand, We Are Paradoxx is a relatively new discovery to me. I got a sample of their Game Changer Hair Mask a little while back and was blown away by the effects on my hair. So when the brand reached out to me to ask if I wanted to explore some more products, I almost bit their hand off!

I couldn’t have been more surprised or excited when the package arrived to see they had sent over pretty much the entire range!!! I’ve been putting the products to the test over the lockdown period and can share my thoughts with you all.

The first thing that struck me about the products was that they all came in funky, aluminium packaging in order to reduce plastic use. I’ve no doubt that this costs the brand more than plastic packaging but the aluminium can be infinitely recycled making it a much better choice for the environment as a whole. Highly commendable. Personally I think the packaging gives the brand a luxe and modern feel too.

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