PMD Clean: The Ultimate Facial Cleanser - AD

When it comes to skincare, I like to know that I'm using the best products on my skin. I just want that glowing, radiant complexion but let's be honest, who doesn't? 

I'm very open about my skin struggles and I'm constantly trying out new skincare products (it's actually one of my biggest thrills in life). An essential item in my skincare routine is a cleansing brush but since being on Roaccutane, I've struggled to find something that is both exfoliating and gentle on my sensitive skin. 

Recently, I've been testing the PMD Clean; a handheld anti-ageing cleansing device promising to leave my skin dirt and make up free whilst also boosting collagen for a more youthful complexion. Not to be dramatic, but it's literally changed my skincare routine forever. 

DISCLAIMER AD - Product has been kindly gifted by PMD & SVPR. All opinions are my own. 

So, How Does It Work?

The PMD Clean utilises SonicGlow technology which uses over 7,000 vibrations per minute to completely remove all impurities. It breaks down all the dirt and oil from deep within the pores, helping to reduce the formation of spots and blackheads which leaves your skin looking brighter and clearer. 

It's comes in six vibrant colours and is made from ultra-hygienic silicone meaning it's not only odour-resistant but also antibacterial, waterproof AND hypoallergenic.  I've finally found a cleansing brush that isn't as high maintenance as my skin, it's an absolute miracle! 

The device has two sides; one side has a combination of bristles for cleansing and the other ridged side can be used to massage serums and moisturisers into the skin. The large bristles at the tip of the brush head are for those pesky areas prone to buildup like your chin and jawline, whilst the small bristles are for that general overall clean. The brush bristles are super gentle and they don't aggravate my skin in the slightest, even when I'm having a good exfoliation after a full day of wearing make up! 

The brush has four different settings so you can choose which intensity is right for your skin. The first two settings are perfect for when you're using the bristly side of the device; the first is a gentle, constant vibration whilst the second is more intense. Setting three is a gentle pulsation and setting four is a faster pulsation. These are amazing when using the ridged side of the device, but if you want a super gentle cleanse then you can use these settings with the bristly side too. I tend to use settings 3/4 for a gentle cleanse in the morning and then settings 1/2 for a more intense exfoliation in the evening.  

How Do I Use It?

So now you know a bit more about the product, let's talk about how to actually use it. It's all well and good listing the endless benefits, but does it really work? 

I don't think there's a correct way to use a cleansing brush but PMD recommend to remove all of your make up and wet your face with lukewarm water. Then you rinse the device, apply a cleanser of your choice, choose your perfect setting and run the PMD Clean across your face in gentle, circular motions.

I usually do quite a quick cleanse in the morning and then a longer, more intense cleanse in the evening. I don't know about you but I absolutely hate the thought of dirt clogging up my pores, especially if I've had a full day of wearing make up. 

When you've finished your cleanse and exfoliation, rinse your face as you usually would and gently pat dry with a towel. Then run some water over the device to get rid of any product and you can either use a towel to dry it or leave it to air dry - that's the beauty of it being made of silicone! 

When it comes to using the ridged side of the brush I use a very similar technique to massage moisturiser into my skin and I tend to do this in an evening. I also love to use a face mask after exfoliating with the device - my skin literally tingles it's that clean! 

My Thoughts 

As I said previously, I absolutely love trying out new skincare products but that doesn't come without nerves. I'm always scared that products are going to aggravate my skin, cause a bad breakout and take me straight back to square one. 

It's safe to say I was both nervous and excited to try the PMD Clean, when it arrived I ran straight upstairs and started my evening skincare routine. I've been using this for around two weeks now and I can honestly say it is absolutely brilliant. I use it twice a day, both morning and evening and it's completely changed my skincare routine. 

In the mornings it wakes my skin up and gives it a much needed glow boost, whilst in the evenings it gives a full exfoliation and ensures I go to bed with perfectly cleansed skin and no horrible trapped dirt. My skin feels so smooth and soft after using the device and I've noticed it looking a lot healthier too! In terms of breakouts, I have noticed a reduction in blemishes although I don't get that many anymore due to taking Roaccutane. 

It's battery powered so there's no wires getting in the way and no waiting hours for it to charge up. I also want to mention that the ridged side of the brush is perfect for massaging any leftover product from using sheet masks - it's a game changer! 

The PMD Clean retails at £89 which is on the pricer side for a device of this kind, however the results are more than worth it. I literally couldn't imagine my skincare routine without it and my skin has definitely been thanking me since I started using it. I can't wait to have glowing skin in the winter months! 

A special thank you to Harlen from SVPR and the lovely team at PMD Beauty for allowing me to try this amazing device. They have been so helpful and answered any questions or queries I had about their products; if you have a browse on their website there's some amazing skincare devices on there. 

What's your favourite part of your skincare routine? 

Lots of Love,

Meg x

DISCLAIMER AD - Product gifted by PMD Beauty and SVPR. All opinions are my own. 

 

Brunch at the Quarter

Liverpool is great for so many things, but nothing compares to the quirky little café's that you'll discover around the city. Recently, my lovely friend Emma and I went for brunch at The Quarter for the first time before heading off to the Georgian Quarter to take some blog photos. 

We first saw the café on Instagram and fell in love with their perfect Christmas decor, so whilst we were in the city, it was the perfect opportunity to visit. Situated on Falkner Street (just off Hope Street), The Quarter is a quirky, Italian inspired restaurant. If you'd like to check the menu before you go, it's easily located online.  

The staff couldn't have been more friendly and as there were plenty of tables available, they let us choose where we wanted to sit. There's more than enough room in the café and they'll even let you take your dog inside which makes it so unique - I'll always go back to places that welcome dogs. 

If you're looking for somewhere warm and cosy to read your morning paper, catch up on emails and enjoy delicious food, then The Quarter is the place to be. There are so many different walks of life visiting the café on a daily basis and for a moment, it'll feel like you're not in the city anymore. The decor on the inside is just as quirky as the outside with dim lights, paintings and cartoons hung on the walls and a little Christmas tree sparkling in the corner.

We ordered very quickly and to our surprise, we both ordered the same thing; a cup of tea and eggs benedict; two poached eggs and roast ham on a toasted English muffin with hollandaise sauce. I was really impressed with the large selection of food on the menu, there was something for everyone. 

The teapot was massive, definitely great value for money. If you know me well, you'll know that I'm not a keen tea drinker but I made an exception and I'll admit that it wasn't all that bad. Our food arrived soon after and it was cooked to perfection; the eggs were perfectly runny and the muffin was toasted just the way I like it. Our meal was lovely and really filling - it definitely put us on for the rest of the day. 

The Quarter is really good value for money and I'll definitely be paying the team another visit. They also have one of the prettiest Instagram accounts I've ever seen, so if you'd like to give them a follow, you can do that here. Also, thank you to Emma for taking some of the photos in this post. 

If you're in Liverpool and are looking for somewhere new to try, then you should go and pay The Quarter a visit. As I said, it's on Falkner Street, right next to Hope Street. 

Lots of Love,

Meg

xxx

Nyx Illuminator

Nyx are my favourite make up brand at the moment, there's no doubt about that. I'm obsessed with buying stuff from their counter in boots, you can guarantee I come out with something new every time I visit. It really doesn't help that their stuff is so affordable and so amazing; my student loan was not meant for this kind of thing. 

I've been getting into highlighters recently, and no I don't mean the highlighters you use to make your Uni lecture notes look pretty, I'm talking about the really shiny stuff we all put on our cheekbones to give us a jaw line to die for. I know I'm really late to the party with this whole craze but better late than never. I've found the Nyx Illuminator and honestly, I think I'm in love. 

The first time I used this was on my 19th birthday, I'd had a complete dilemma with my blusher so my friend Kathryn came to the rescue and kindly offered me her Nyx Illuminator. On the photos of my birthday, I have to say that the highlight on my cheekbones looked amazing and when I found out that it was a Nyx product, I went straight out and got some for myself. 

This beautiful creation is available in three colours, but I chose to get it in the colour 'Chaotic' which is a really subtle, natural, baby pink. It looks extremely pretty and flattering on the skin, especially if you're going for a subtle highlight or you want a really natural make up look. I am totally obsessed with this stuff, I get so many compliments when I wear it on my skin and I love how it acts as a blush as well as a highlighter. It's a complete two in one which makes putting my make up on a little less stressful; please tell me I'm not the only girl who completely stresses when applying make up? 

In order to apply this to get the beautiful highlight and natural glow, I use an angled contour brush and just gently sweep it on the top of my cheekbones whilst pulling a weird fishy face. I'd really like to use a fan brush but I have yet to find one of those that I like so for now, the contour brush really does the job. 

You can buy the Nyx Illuminator here; I'd definitely recommend it!

I also really want to try some more highlighters so if you have any recommendations then leave them in the comments below!

Lots of Love,
Meg

xox

Twitter | Tumblr  | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

It's official, I'm obsessed with Matte Liquid Lipsticks.
I've seen beauty bloggers rave about them for months, but I've been so reluctant to try them. I didn't want them to dry out my lips, or have the awkward moment when you're drinking a cup of coffee and all your lipstick transfers onto the cup (It's such a waste!). 

I finally took the plunge, and after a recommendation from my best friend Liv, I purchased some of the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream.  Before I went to buy some, I was warned that I would get addicted to buying more colours, but surely you can't become obsessed with a lip colour right? Wrong! So so incredibly wrong. I am so obsessed with these lipsticks right now, they have transformed my everyday make up look.

The colour I have, and the colour I love the most, is the colour Rome. It's a purple/berry shade and it's definitely going to be my go-to lip colour for the Autumn months. When I first applied the lipstick, I didn't really expect it to be as matte as it was; I've bought lipsticks before that claim to be matte when really they just make your lips look messy and shiny. It really is matte, it creates such a classy look and I'd recommend to buy one of these lipsticks instead of the Kylie Jenner lip kits because they seem to do the exact same job.

The only downside to this product is that I personally find that it really dries my lips after I have had it on for a couple of hours. However, it lasts all day; I wear it to my 8 hour shift at work on a Saturday and my lips come out looking exactly the same as they did when I walked through the doors in the morning. It also doesn't transfer onto coffee cups or when you go out for a meal. It's just the perfect lipstick and I think every female should have one in their make up collection.

I'm definitely addicted and I'll be going to buy more of the NYX products soon because I just want all the colours. They offer such a wide variety of shades, each named after a different city around the world, so you're sure to find a shade that you love. The one thing I would recommend to do before buying is to watch some YouTube videos of beauty bloggers who have done swatches of all the colours available; they look completely different online than they do in person.

If you'd like to go and buy some of these NYX products you can find them in Boots, for £5.50 it's a complete bargain!

Lots of Love,
Meg
xox

Twitter | Tumblr  | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube

Rocky Horror Show

I'm very late writing this blog post, which annoys me a lot because I wanted to blog about it as soon as we left the show, but here I am, a week late, finally writing about one of the best experiences I've had this year. 

The Rocky Horror Show is something I've always wanted to go and see live. My Mum absolutely loves it, and she always banged on about it when I was little. When the time warp would play at a party, she'd tell us all about how she went to Rocky Horror and dressed up as Frank N. Furter with her friends and how it was one of the best things she'd ever seen. I personally didn't see the hype over it, and I didn't understand why everyone would go dressed up to the theatre. Oh how stupid I was when I was younger. 

The show last came to Liverpool when I was around 12, but mum thought I was too young to go and see it, so decided not to take me. I was going to go in my halloween costume I'd bought for that year; a tutu with spider webs on it, a black t-shirt and my Dr Martins. I can see now why she probably didn't want to take me. So then, when my best friend Liv text me last November and told me she was thinking of booking tickets to go and see it, I squealed with excitement and they were booked within the hour. We didn't quite know what to expect, so we just booked some seats on the back row in case no one in the theatre got up and started dancing, because if there was one thing me and Liv were going to do in that theatre; it was dance. 

We then had a 4 month wait until we were going to see the show, so we spent a lot of our time looking for costumes. In terms of being unorganised, I got my costume a week before we were due to go and see the show, Liv got her costume the day of the show; but all worked out well in the end. Finding the costume was so stressful, we didn't know if people would be going all out or if we'd look stupid being the only people in costume. At one point I remember saying to my mum that I couldn't be bothered anymore and I'd just go in normal clothes. She looked at me, laughed and said "If you go to see Rocky Horror in normal clothes, you'll look stupid. If you do anything, you must dress up". 

So, I raided my wardrobe, found an old black skater skirt, a black top, an apron, some knee high socks and my trusty Dr Martins. There we had it; I was Magenta.

Last week, Liv and I strolled down to the Empire Theatre, both dressed as Magenta, being stared at by people who didn't have a clue what was going on. We were then greeted by hundreds of people dressed as the characters from Rocky Horror. The majority of the males had gone as Frank N. Furter, and they looked incredible. We were amazed, we'd never seen anything like this before. Finding our seats, we settled down and looked at all the people's costumes; some of them had seriously gone all out. My Mum was definitely right, the people who had come in their normal clothes looked absolutely stupid. 

Then, the curtain was opened and we were launched into the weird weird world of Rocky Horror. Immediately, the crowd started to heckle the narrator, and at first we were like "wait, what's going on? should this be happening?" but then we realized it was all just part of the show. I'll give credit to the crowd because some of the stuff they came out with was just hilarious. Everyone was singing along, and the whole theatre stood up to do the Time Warp. This was personally my favourite part of the show; it's my favourite. The actors were absolutely amazing, especially the guy playing Frank N. Furter and the guy playing Riff-Raff. The show ended with the cast doing renditions of the Time Warp and Sweet Transvestite, to which the whole crowd stood up and started singing and dancing. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced, but I loved it!!

I think the thing with Rocky Horror, is that it doesn't actually have a story line. It's not like Wicked or anything where you have to pay attention to everything that's happening to follow the story. It's just completely bonkers, and I think that's why I loved it so much. However, I don't think the people who were sat next to us knew what they'd come to see; they didn't laugh once and when everyone else was up, dancing and singing, they stood up with their arms folded and didn't move. They were also calling everyone for being dressed up, so I don't think they were too happy with a Magenta on one side of them, and a Riff-Raff on the other. 

When the show had finished, we headed to the bar next door to the theatre for a few drinks before we headed back to my flat. This is where, yet again, we were greeted by the whole cast of Rocky Horror. I would say around 80% of the pub were dressed as Rocky Horror Characters and as I was ordering drinks at the bar, a man dressed as Riff-Raff put his arms around me and screamed "THIS IS MY MAGENTA". It was a great experience. 

The Rocky Horror Show is a touring production around the UK, I'll link the dates HERE so that you can see if they're coming to a theatre near you. If you get a chance to go and see the show, I can't recommend it enough! And you have to go dressed up, no questions asked!

Lots of Love

Meg

xox


Twitter | Tumblr  | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram

Jimmy Choo: Flash

Perfume. It's one of the many essentials in a girls life. I think it's always important to smell nice, even if you're just nipping down to the shop for some milk. I always take a lot of pride in what perfume I use, and I love to experiment. My mum has the nicest collection of perfume in her room, so I have been known to steal that from time to time. 

It's not often you see a lot of perfume reviews on the internet, so I'm going to change that. I was very lucky this Christmas, and got a lot of lovely things from my friends and family, one of which was this perfume. This is Jimmy Choo 'Flash' and was one of the perfumes in my mum's collection. I tended to use her Chanel, but she knew I just wanted an everyday perfume so she thought this would be perfect. I  received this as a wonderful present on Christmas morning, and my mum definitely made the right decision. 

The scent isn't too strong, meaning that it's perfect for both the day time and the night time. I always wear perfume when I'm going out so I go through them quite quickly. The smell of this is absolutely gorgeous, it's got an elegance to it, but it's also got a nice fruity smell. I've been wearing this quite a lot, and I've got a lot of compliments from people asking me what perfume I have on and telling me I smell nice. When I'm not wearing this, I'm literally like a walking talking Soap & Glory section of Boots. 

I really like the shiny packaging of this product, I think it's really eye catching and it adds to the elegance. I think some products you buy, such as some celebrity scents, can smell "cheap" and not very nice, but this is absolutely gorgeous. It's also the perfect size to just keep in your bag, so if you need a little spritz during the day, then it's always there. I always take this to work with me. I love it! 

If you're looking to try out a new perfume then I would definitely recommend this!

Lots of Love

Meg

xox

Twitter | Tumblr  | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram

Diorskin Star Foundation

I was browsing through Debenhams a couple of weeks ago in the makeup section. It's my favourite section of the store; it's just so pretty. My mum and I often take trips there to go and look at the new products and try out the new perfumes, it's like a tradition every time we go shopping. As we were walking through, a lady who worked behind the Dior counter approached me and asked me if I wore foundation. I said yes, and she offered me the chance to try out the new Dior Star Foundation. This offer came at the best time, because I was actually on the look out for a new foundation.

So, I headed over to the chair with my mum, who was very excited because she's always wanted to have her make-up done by a professional make up artist at the different counters you see around the store. The lady came along and started to take my make up off, this was because she was going to be matching the foundation to my skin. Once all the make up had been removed, she placed a little machine on my skin which then matched my foundation perfectly. And let me say, it really did. It made my skin look flawless, but at £36, it was a little too pricey for me and I reluctantly left it at the store.

On Christmas morning, I rushed down the stairs to see what would be surprising me in my stocking. Then, I found a little rectangular package. I'd told mum not to get me the foundation for Christmas because it was too expensive and I didn't want her spending a lot on me. But, when I opened the little package, there was the foundation I'd tried on, and loved, at the Dior counter.

Now, onto the review! I honestly love this foundation. It has a really natural coverage which is build-able if your skin is having a little bit of an off day, which lets be honest, is going to happen at some point this year. It has an SPF of 30 which is perfect if you're going to be wearing it during the day. The application itself is perfect, I've started to use one of those really cool sponges. I can't see myself applying foundation with anything else. Plus, you only need a few pumps of the foundation to cover the whole of your face, so I can see this lasting me quite a while. The packaging looks so professional, and as this is one of the first high brand make-up items I have owned, I'm going to be looking after it a lot. Although this is on the pricier side, I would definitely recommend it if you're looking to try out a new foundation. I would also say to get it matched to your skin before you purchase it, just so that you know you're getting the right colour.

I love how natural this makes my skin look. I wore it to a New Year Party and I got a lot of compliments about how smooth and lovely my foundation looked. It also provides the perfect base so add on bronzer, highlighter and blusher. And, here's the best part, it actually stays! My make-up lasted the whole night, it didn't even move; perfect! I honestly can't rave about this foundation enough. I'm still going to be using my trusty No.7 foundation during the day time, but I will be wearing this on special occasions and when I feel like having a good make-up day. Wow, I wish everyday was a good make-up day.

If you would like to know, the colour of my foundation is 012 Porcelain.

Lots of Love,
Meg
xox

Twitter | Tumblr  | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Last night, I finished 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' by Stephen Chbosky. Before starting to read the book, I'd heard some really good reviews so I had very high expectations. The story follows a young boy called Charlie, who is quite an emotional character. At first, I found it annoying that he cried at most things but as I got deeper into his story I really warmed to him. He was such a sweet character; the type of person who wouldn't harm a fly. 

Charlie's very socially awkward to start with, therefore he is what we would call a 'Wallflower'. It means that he's a rare species, but very special, and people don't realise how special he is; for them to do that, they really have to get to know him properly. He watches life from the sidelines until he meets two charismatic students who become his mentors. Through the gift that is friendship, they help Charlie discover the joys of friendship, first love, music and more. Then comes an inspirational teacher, who acts as one of Charlie's closest friends when he has no one, encouraging his dreams of becoming a writer. The conversations between the two characters provide some of the more emotional moments in the novel. There's just one problem; Charlie's new found friends are leaving for College and his inner sadness threatens to shatter his new-found confidence.

It's not all about Charlie though, the book covers so many different issues faced by teenagers in society. It really opens your eyes as to how people deal with these things. Watching Charlie grow as a character is a beautiful thing and the book definitely provides some of the most inspirational quotes I have ever heard. It is set out as a series of letters which creates the illusion that Charlie is actually writing and talking to you. Although, the book can get a little boring at times, so you've been warned. 

I can't wait to watch the film to see if the characters live up to my expectations. Overall, an amazing book that really didn't disappoint. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Recommended: YES

Lots of Love
Meg
xxx