MIAM

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Tuesday 11 February 2014

Hey Good Lookin'

In my last post I made a tongue in cheek remark about giving myself a facelift with Picmonkey,  even if I could afford plastic surgery I deffo would not go down that route, no siree. I have seen enough dodgy looking middle-aged faces coming through Gatwick to know that I'd rather look old, than strange. 

 
source

We've all seen those ageing celebs with stretched faces and wrinkly hands and necks... of course each to their own and all that but I do wonder who they think they are fooling? 



Anyways this got me thinking about how we attempt to hold back the years in less invasive ways... ie the beauty regime.
Not sure I have a regime as such,  I'm quite low maintenance when it comes to beauty products, but here are a few that I swear by at the moment.

 

My fine thin hair has been highlighted for at least ten years and this together with heat damage made it feel quite straw-like at the ends before I discovered these Argan Oil products.  The hair mask leaves it feeling soft and silky and if I don't have time for the mask, the leave-in oil treatment does the same job.  I always stock up on Avon products when they are on offer, (which is fairly often) as I've been using this brand for donkeys years and never been disappointed with the quality.



Next up is another Avon product, recently discovered - Avon Magix, a face primer.  I'd never used one of these before, it's a bit like Polyfiller - fills in all the cracks before you apply your foundation. I've found by using this, foundation doesn't sit in and emphasize my lines so much. Also a bonus was the price, about £6, a few quid cheaper than others I've seen in the shops. 
 


It has crossed my mind once or twice that I might be considered 'too old' for false eyelashes, but what the heck, if they're good enough for Mary Berry they're good enough for me! For special occasions I'll buy a pair of natural looking lashes(not those hairy spider ones)for around a fiver. They are tricky little buggers to apply but I found this helpful tutorial and with practise it does get easier.


Over the years I've removed my make up with all sorts. As a teenager I started off with Anne French cleansing milk (remember that?) and continued with various, always inexpensive, lotions and potions.  Now my skin is drier it can take something richer and I have found this Boots cold cream to be an excellent cleanser. If I've had a skinful and I can't be arsed to do this, I use a wash off cleanser instead.  Eye make-up is always removed with baby oil, been using it for decades and never found anything to touch it.



I'd heard about this next product for years but never tried it as it's a bit on the pricey side. However last year at xmas my company gave us all a £25 voucher to spend in Duty Free so I treated myself. I love the ever so slightly medicated fragrance and it's a great moisturiser for hands, I also use it as a lip balm.  The only drawback is it's quite sticky so don't apply it  just before dressing or going out.  Will definitely be buying this one again though. 




Lastly another moisturiser. I've recently been using Olive Oil and have to give the credit for this to Janet who mentioned it in her blog post here. For several reasons I really like this, it's very cost effective, it moisturises my face really well and I can use it on my body too, it absorbs quite quickly and unless you use a palm full doesn't leave you with a shiny mush.  The odour is only noticeable for a couple of minutes and for me this isn't an issue.  I challenge you to try it, my oil of choice is Lidl's finest and at £1.99 for half a litre it's a no brainer. 

So, these are my current beauty staples, I'd love to hear about yours.


12 comments:

  1. I DO remember Anne French, that's where my skin care regime started too!
    God, those face lift photos are horrendous. I wonder if that nice Alan who was kind enough to leave me the facelift clinic comment was responsible for any of these? It is truly bizarre that in the pursuit of looking better, some people look so much worse than if they had just let themselves age naturally.
    Ah well. You've got some good recommendations there, Fiona, and since I have seen you in person, I can vouch for the fact you look pretty damn fantastic on them! Of course you're not too old for falsies, get some!
    I wondered about trying a primer, but I am such a skinflint, I don't want to shell out for something that might make no bloody difference! I didn't like that Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, despite all the rave reviews, it's too greasy for my already greasy skin, and I disliked the smell too. I am very low maintenance, cheap and cheerful all the way, might investigate Avon products since you like them.
    PS. How was your do at the weekend? xxxx

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  2. Hiya fi.
    My Sister is three years younger than me at 49, and she has had two lots of Botox already!
    On the other hand I am not very wrinkly at all I think i am really lucky.
    I do have an expensive full skin regime tho'.
    I love my French Gatineau, and use it daily. Do a wash off cleaner by them, a moisturiser and throat gel.
    I swear by their leave on over night mask (can get it on ebay too) and you go to bed in it, it's amazing, costs alot tho (but not as much as my Sisters false stuff!!
    Debbiex

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  3. Loved reading this.
    Those women! Can you imagine spending all that money, dealing with the pain and ending up with a face like that? Bloody awful!
    I must try that Avon hair stuff, I always forget about Avon and you're right, it's often so cheap.
    I'm a fan of Lidl olive oil, too. Its a great body moisturiser and smells lovely.
    The Eyelure Naturalite eyelashes are on offer in Superdrug at the mo, they're lovely for a more natural look.
    I swear by Superdrug's Vitamin E skincare range and Lush's shampoo bars and conditioners. xxx

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  4. We used to use Olive oil to treat cradle cap but it turned the cot sheets greeny yellow where the babys head lay. So perhaps don't wear it to bed.
    I splashed out on my first bottle of Oil of Ulay this winter as I'm nearly 44. Thought it was about time to act. I broke out in acne. That didn't bloody happen to Caroline Penry did it?
    I like anything that's fragrance free and is 99p. xx

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  5. Fascinating, Fiona. I'm extremely low maintenance. I don't wear make-up at all (I know!) and I use Boots cucumber cleansing lotion and toner. I was, until yesterday, using an expensive Boots moisturiser that I foolishly splashed out on recently, only my darling daughter managed to lose it coming home from swimming last night because she was carrying my bag upside down as you do (I'm not a happy bunny). Jim (my partner) uses olive oil on his feet sometimes and on his sunburn when he gets any (which he does because he refuses to wear sun block fool that he is). I won't be using olive oil as a body moisturiser anytime soon as I managed to get a shed load of body butters and cream (Body Shop, Ted Baker, Soap & Glory etc) from the jumble sale at the weekend completely unused and sealed! xx

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  6. Those faces are so scary! Can't believe they had to pay to look like that. I love your beauty tips. I might have to check some avon stuff out. Now, the bit that intrigues me most is the olive oil. I had heard of it as a beauty thing but never knew anyone who had tried it, but if you use it, that's good enough for me. Thanks for sharing all your secrets Fiona. Xxxx

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  7. I also remember Anne French though I never used it, I was a Nivea girl! Funnily enough after various other products over the years I have now gone back to Nivea to cleanse with.

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  8. Ew, what ARE those women thinking?! Ghastly, they look horrific, not younger!
    I reckon falsies take years off me when I wear them! And I feel stupidly glamorous to boot. Olive oil is brilliant, I also use it with some regualr salt as an exfoliant. I used to use wheatgerm oil on my face, but G complained about the stains it left on pillowcases, so I just use some in a cream I make using aqueous cream as a base, amongst other things. I won't buy expensive crap, I'm far too cheap and don;t believe the bullshit!
    XXX

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  9. Great post, Fiona - really enjoyed it. And had a little trip back down memory lane when you mentioned Anne French cleansing milk - whatever happened to that stuff, eh? Am definitely going the try the Avon primer, it sounds great. Olive oil as a moisturiser, though, I'm not sure I'd like ....

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  10. Agreed! No face lifts for me!

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  11. Blimey Fiona when I first saw these I thought they were photos of the Caledonian girls from your reunion. I thought crikey they look a bit rough lol.
    Eunice
    xx

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  12. I'll definitely have a go with olive oil, can never settle on a moisturiser - always flitting from expensive to cheap. Mainly cheap. My regime is pretty non-existent to be honest, and I don't wear make up, only because I wouldn't know where to start. But for the times I do, I'm going to try your tip about baby oil to remove mascara etc because the stuff I've got makes my eyes water. Think I'd like to try falsies too.
    Those scary pics have got to be the best ad ever to leave well alone! xx

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