Don’t let skin problems get you down…

Most of us can probably remember having skin issues during our teenage years, trying every product from the chemist to try and give us skin like the very lucky few we envied so much. Thank god you grow out of it eh? But what happens if you don’t? Or you do, but then problem skin comes back to haunt you years later? This is a more familiar story than you probably think, and we’re not just talking about acne. Rosecea, thread veins and other skin conditions cause many twenty-something’s and older, to wish for something else when they look in the mirror.

Although thebeautyobsession is focussed on all things beauty, we firmly believe that it’s not just the stereotypical supermodel who demonstrates beauty. Everyone can, flaws and all. It’s all about how you carry yourself and how you let your inner beauty shine through. This is often easier said then done though.

We wanted to take this opportunity to say there really is no such thing as perfect, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to hide away because of your skin. We want to take the embarrassment out of pimples, spots, redness and peeling skin and get people talking about skin issues.

We thought we’d start this series with a few tips on how to live with skin problems;

• Firstly, LIVE! Life is short, and it is far too short to turn down invites or shy away from meeting people because of your appearance. We know that worrying about skin problems can be incredibly difficult and can mean some people withdraw and become incredibly shy. You need to remind yourself that you are still you, and that you haven’t changed just because your skin has. Your friends and family still love you, you’re still capable of being witty or intelligent or whatever you’ve always been good at and if you’re worried about strangers don’t be. Only incredibly shallow people will judge you based on the appearance of your skin and would you really want to spend time with them anyway? People will notice much more if your demeanour is timid and self-conscious so stand tall and play on your strengths.
• Get professional advice. There’s no point sitting at home worrying about your skin problem but not wanting to talk about it through embarrassment. If your skin is causing you real issues, we’d advise that you make a trip to see your GP. They’ll be able to advise you if your problem is a medical issue and if they can support you with prescription medication or psychological support. If you or your GP think it is a purely cosmetic issue, then take some time to find an expert who can talk you through a skincare routine that could help. That might mean going to a salon or facialist, or finding an online support group.
• Look at the big picture. So you’re spending a fortune on your skincare regime but things aren’t improving? It’s not enough to rely on the products you put on your face, you need to thing about everything you put in your body too. A poor diet instantly shows on your face as well as the scales, causing everything from acne to allergies. The age-old fascination with drinking water for your skin is proven, and is often said to be the single biggest and cheapest benefit you can give to your skin. Sleep is also incredibly important, if you aren’t sleeping well, you’ll soon see the effects on your skin. While you sleep, your body works hard to repair and generate skin cells and it can’t do this if you’re only getting a few hours sleep a night. Take some time to look at your night time routine and make sure you’re getting your full eight hours.
• Don’t stress. Easier said than done we know, but your stress levels have a real impact on your skin. It maybe that stress is what has triggered your problem, or it could be that you’re getting stressed because of them. Either way, you can bet that it will be having a negative effect. Keep track of your stress levels everyday for a week and score yourself from 1 – 5. 1 being laidback and relaxed, to five being steam coming out of your ears stressed. If you score over 3 more than twice, you need to take stock of your day-to-day life and assess how you can give yourself some more “me time” to relax and think through some techniques to calm yourself when you feel your blood pressure rising.
• Put things into perspective. We are in no way underestimating the affect that skin problems can have on your life. They can affect every aspect of it, from home and work to relationships and friendships. However, please try and remember the old adage that there is always someone worse off than you, you may have bad skin but at least you’re still alive to worry about it! Take a step back and think about what advice you would give to a friend in this situation. It’s likely that you would tell them that it’s not as noticeable as they think, and that they really shouldn’t worry about it. Heed your own advice and take it all on board!
• Find out how to cover up! Bad makeup application can make a skin problem a whole lot worse. Rather than hiding the problem, it can often highlight the area and draw attention to it. Get yourself to your local makeup counter with a friend and ask them to show you how to apply a good base and cover up properly. Most counters have professionally trained makeup specialists and don’t charge for demoing products. Some will charge a small fee but you can redeem it on products if you wish. Knowing how to apply makeup properly will give your confidence a boost and help you regain some control over your skin.
• Play to your strengths. Your skin might be playing up, but we guarantee that everyone has at least one great feature they can play up. It might be your great hair, or your gorgeous eyes. It might be your amazing figure or your cracking smile. What ever it is, highlight it. You’ll soon find that people will notice that long before they notice anything about your skin.Make sure you’re making the best of everything else as well, and pay attention to the little things. If your eyebrows are groomed, your nails are painted and your teeth are clean and bright, you’d be amazed at how little else people notice.

And Finally – we really don’t agree with covering photos of celebrities with red rings and highlighting other people’s flaws. However, a quick internet search on most celebrities without makeup, will bring up thousands of pictures of everyone from the A-list to reality TV stars, all with blemishes, allergies, pigmentation, redness and more. Take a quick look now, and realise that EVERYONE, no matter their age, status or the amount of money they have in the bank, goes through stages where they’d like to go out with a paper bag on their head. Except they don’t, they utilise some clever makeup tips, stand up straight and face the world. And that is exactly what you need to do.

Watch out for more articles around skin problems. Tweet us using the #skindeep and tell us if you’ve found these tips useful, and let us know if you have any of your own.
Thanks for reading.

tbo

xxx

Chemical Reaction….

Here at thebeautyobsession, we use and trial products from a wide range of brands, which means our skin comes into contact with all sorts of different ingredients. Some of us are very cautious about putting certain chemicals on our skin, whilst others don’t really mind what it is, as long as it makes us look good!

We wanted to look at some of the ingredients regularly found in cosmetics and break down the long and confusing sounding names. Once you know what they are, you can make your own mind up about what you let near your skin…..

Alpha Hydroxy Acids

The most common AHA’s are citric acid, glycolic acid and lactic acid, which are normally used in anti-aging products. Although the term acid can sound quite harsh, they naturally help skin removal by exfoliating the top layer of your skin away, which not only helps it look better, but also helps other products be absorbed more easily. 

Ceramides

Ceramides are a type of fat molecule often used in hair and skin products. You do naturally produce ceramides, but as we age, our natural ceramide production slows, which is one of the causes of drier, wrinklier skin. When ceramides are used in cosmetics, it is usual to give a smoother, shinier appearance. 

Cyclopentasiloxane

This rather difficult to pronounce and slightly scary sounding ingredient, is one of a group of ingredients called silicones. Despite it’s name,  Cyclopentasiloxane doesn’t appear to have many adverse side effects. However, there are a number of concerns about how it and other silicones impact on the environment. Silicones are very often used in things like conditioner and primer, as they give a silky, soft “filling” effect when applied. 

                                                                                                                       

 

Formaldehyde 

Now this is a chemical nasty that most of us have heard of and probably wouldn’t expect to find in our makeup bag. However, you might be surprised to know that formaldehyde is still regularly used as a preservative in lots of cosmetics, from shampoo and nail varnish to mouthwash and deodrant. You’ll only find it in very small doses, however it is thought by many to be a carcinogen (cancer causing), so you might want to steer clear wherever possible.

GBL (Gamma Butyrolactone)

If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you might of heard of GBL becoming the party drug of choice for a generation of youngsters, and in 2009 it was classified as a Class C drug. However, GBL is actually certified as safe for use in cosmetics such as nail varnish remover and perfumes. When the new legislation was introduced, the cosmetic industry worked with the government to ensure their products couldn’t be abused and used as a drug. We’re not sure who in their right mind would think ingesting varnish remover is the sign of a good night, but hopefully people will just stick to using it to help them look pretty! 

Lanolin 

Lanolin is an ingredient you see all the time in cosmetics. It is actually a naturally derived product, although it does come from animals, so people who try to use products free from animal derivatives may want to avoid it. Lanolin is basically grease from the wool of animals. So if you think of a sheep that hasn’t had a wash for a very long time, and definitely hasn’t used any Batiste spray, you can probably imagine the oil that builds up. This is actually a good thing for our unwashed sheep, as it builds a barrier to protect them from the elements and keep their skin soft. When the lanolin is removed from the wool, it is a wax-like substance that is then used in things like lipsticks and lipbalms! Not necessarily the yummiest thought, but it definitely serves a purpose…

Octinoxate

Octinoxate is a chemical compound that is derived from petroleum by-products, then added to many makeup products, lotions and potions. It is most commonly used for its sun-protection benefits and can normally be found in anything that boasts an SPF. There are some people who are allergic to Octinoxate, so if you find yourself reacting to a sunscreen or product that contains it, you might want to look for an Octinoxate free product. 

Parabens

Parabens! We hear about them all the time don’t we, and there are normally two sides of the camp – those who refuse to use products that contain them, and those who believe they’re a necessary evil as it were. Parabens are normally used to stop bacteria and nasties causing your cosmetics to go off, and as such they do help products last much longer before spoiling. That said there are more and more brands that offer paraben free ranges and use natural alternatives, so if you’re trying to reduce the amount of chemicals you come into contact with, this might be a good place to start!

Sodium Chloride 

Quite simply, sodium chloride is salt. Plain, old table salt! So you might be surprised to know that it does regularly make an appearance in cosmetic ingredients lists such as toothpaste, shampoo and makeup, due to its thickening qualities. Although considered safe, it can cause reactions if the quantities used are too high. 

Sodium Laureate Sulphate

Sodium Laureate Sulphate is what makes things foam and lather! So your shampoo, face wash and body wash will normally contain SLS. SLS is often vilified by those who prefer chemical-free products and it has been blamed for causing everything from allergic reactions to cancer. That said, it has been tested again and again by multiple regulatory bodies and there has been no evidence found to support these claims. It is generally agreed that if you make sure your skin only has limited contact with SLS and is thoroughly rinsed after use, you should avoid an adverse reaction. Everyone reacts differently though, and there are numerous SLS-free products out there for those with sensitive skins or who are just trying to avoid SLS in general. 

So now you know what all of these ingredients actually are, you can choose whether to use them or not. Check your makeup bag and bathroom cabinet and we bet you’ll be surprised to see how often these feature! Let us know what you think, are you a chemical-free zone or are you happy as long as a product does what it is supposed to?

Tweet us @thebeautyobsess and let us know! 

2013 Goals

So as well as our big thank you, which we can’t really shout loud enough, we thought we’d share a few personal goals for 2013. We’ve got a very strong feeling it’s going to be our best year ever! 

Rather than set the same old resolutions where we vow to change pretty much every part of life, and then give up by January 12th, this year we’re going to set some SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) goals instead… 

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

We’ve started noticing more and more this year that we’re not teenagers any more! Mid to late twenties isn’t old by any stretch of the imagination, but we’ll admit that smoking, drinking and eating unhealthy food is having more of an impact on our body than it ever has before. 2013 is going to be the year that we get healthy and stop taking our body for granted – we want it to last us quite a few more decades! We’re going to stop looking in the mirror and wishing we were slimmer, we’re going to start doing something about making our body work better as well as look better!

How are we going to do it?

As of January 1st 2013, we’ll be completing the Dryathon challenge for Cancer Research. Hopefully a month off alcohol will give our liver a chance to recover from a year of weddings, parties and an awful lot of wine-based catch ups!

We’re at a stage now where we need to focus on our fitness, we don’t want to be 30 and unable to run up the stairs! We’re not going to promise to stick to some ridiculous gym routine, but we are going to sort out our membership and we’re going to get back into running. We shall be signing up for this years Great South Run in October, which gives us 10 months to be able to run 10 miles – we can do it!

Its not that we believe in feeling guilty for eating lots of rather tasty treats on a rather regular basis, it’s just that now we’ve realised that to get the best out of our body, we actually need to fuel it properly. Eating chocolate digestives for breakfast and a ping meal for dinner aren’t going to help us be as comfortable and productive as we know we can! We’ve signed up to Weight Watchers, as we know it follows similar ideals, and we’ve set some specific goals for where we want to be by 1st May 2013.

Take Control of the Chaos!

If our boss, colleagues or friends had to describe us in a few words, we bet one of them would be disorganised! When it comes to the big important stuff, we’re always in complete control (well we like to think so!) but our desk is covered in clutter, we run late more often than we’d care to admit and there are normally so many ideas rushing around our head, that actually implementing them becomes a race to do everything and do it now!

We want this year to be the year we take a step back, and have a more measured approach to things.

How are we going to do it?

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep! We’ve never really needed as many as 40 winks, but this year we’ve definitely noticed the late nights catching up with us and it’s not helping us be productive! We’re going to sort out our sleep pattern – even resorting to an enforced bedtime! Staying up writing posts for the site until the early hours of the morning, means we feel rubbish the next day, and then the cycle begins again. Our routine is now set in stone!

Planning is not something we do on a regular basis it has to be said. We can plan large-scale, business critical projects, but we never know what we’ll be having for dinner! When writing, all our creative ideas tumble out at once and then we forget half of them. To combat this, we’re going to implement planners for everything. 2013 is the year of the spreadsheet & schedule!

Success Breeds Success

As you’ll know, we’ve got big plans for the site next year and there are a few other projects we’ve got lined up, as well as the day job! We’re going to make sure we achieve everything we set out to for 2013.

How are we going to do it?

We’ve already set up our Happiness Jar, and we’re going to ensure we use it to keep our positive thoughts right at the front where we need them. We’re going to start measuring our achievements each month and make sure that we take time to appreciate them before trying to strive for the next goal. This time next year, we’ll be telling you how much hard work we put in and how much it has paid off!

What are your goals for 2013? Or have you made some resolutions? Tell us as we’d love to hear them! 

A MASSIVE Thank You!

As the year draws to a close, we wanted to pass on a massive thank you to each and every person who has visited thebeautyobsession since it launched on 3rd November 2012. The last couple of months have been amazing and we’ve been overwhelmed by how popular the site has been already, we didn’t actually expect anyone to stumble across this little corner of the web, and the fact that some of you stick around and read again and again means the world to us! The square eyes and ridiculously late nights are worth it for every new page view, every comment, every Facebook like and Twitter follower are so precious! We promise that in 2013, well continue to bring you unwaveringly honest reviews, more creative content to keep you updated with all things beauty, fashion & lifestyle and hopefully a few good reads too. This will all be on our brand new site which will be launching early January 2013, so please, please, please stick with us if there are any technical hitches during the changeover – we’re having a few sleepless nights from nerves!

Another huge thank you has to go out to all the other beauty/fashion/lifestyle bloggers out there. Until fairly recently, we had no idea how much passion and enthusiasm there was out in the blogosphere, and now we feel like we’ve discovered a whole new world! If you don’t blog, it can be hard to understand how much energy goes into each post, for most bloggers there is a not so little part of themselves ingrained in their sites, and that has been a huge inspiration to us. Our hope for 2013 is that we can share more of this creativity, not just for ourselves but with our readers too. We really want to bring out the sense of community and appreciation that beauty, fashion & lifestyle bloggers are so good at.

Our goal for 2013 is to continue challenging ourselves and the content that we bring, to find and explore more and more new, unique and interesting brands, and there will also be more of a focus on brand ethos, from animal testing to ingredients lists.

We hope you all have a fantastic new year, we’re about to go and make our 2013 Happiness Jar! For those of you who didn’t see on twitter, this is a jar you keep for the whole year, and every time something good happens to make you smile, you write it on a note and pop it in the jar. Whenever times get a bit tougher, or you’re having a bad day, delve into the jar for a reminder of all the great things that do happen. We can’t wait to sit down next NYE and read them all, we think its going to be a very full jar this year!

Much Love,

tbo

xxx

#MeetThe…Skincare Magnate

 

We are so excited to bring you our interview with Liz Warom, founder and MD of Temple Spa, one of our favourite skincare brands.

Liz and her husband Mark have a wealth of experience in the beauty industry, and set up Temple Spa ensuring it reflect their beliefs and values. Temple Spa do not test on animals or hire others to do so on their behalf. Their products are paraben free, with a focus on natural ingredients and essential oils and their aim is to improve the self esteem and wellbeing of everyone they come into contact with. We have to say, as massive devotees to the brand, everything we’ve seen, heard and bought so far from them, really does live up to this claim. So would speaking to Liz also live up to our expectations? We found out…..

 

 

Hi Liz, thank you for taking time out to talk to us so close to Christmas. We’re massive Temple Spa fans so really excited to talk to you! Can you tell us about your early career in the beauty industry?

I got married to Mark 36 years ago when I was just seventeen! I wasn’t prepared for how much it cost to have a mortgage and run a household, so I decided to become a direct sales consultant selling cosmetics to supplement my rather pathetic income as a dental nurse. I completely found my niche working with women and within two years of starting I had 2000 consultants working for me and left that company 8 years later as National Sales Director and still on 26 years old.

From there I joined a cosmetic manufacturer where my role was to create concepts for stores such as Marks & Spencer, Miss Selfridge and The Body Shop. It was here that I learned how to evolve product working with chemists, designers and manufacturers, a brilliant apprenticeship for the future. I eventually ended up working for one of my clients Anita Roddick and it was managing the Colourings brand at The Body Shop where my career really took off. Mark joined me as joint general manager and we took the brand into another dimension of growth and that taught us about managing a brand in over 50 countries and re-invention.

Wow, that is amazing! Anita Roddick was a very inspiring lady. How did you go from The Body Shop to setting up and running Temple Spa?

From The Body Shop, we came up with a concept for a lifestyle brand Vie, and after approaching Richard Branson with the idea, it became Virgin Vie and we took the brand from concept to launch in 18 months. It was only when the pull to truly manage our own business and brand with complete ownership became too strong, did we leave to pursue our dream for Temple Spa, which was our destiny.

To work with such successful brands and now be running your own award winning skincare company, you must have a real passion for beauty/skincare. Where does this stem from?

Yes, the creation of products is in my veins. I am a highly creative person and “see” things as well as “hear” things that give me constant inspiration to create, augment and perfect. I am blessed to work with some amazing ball catchers too, and its team work and having the right people around you, who look out for vision that makes it happen.

We bet running your own business can be stressful at times though. What does a typical day involve for you now?

Since I’ve got an I-Pad, keeping on top of emails has changed my life. I am able to check in early morning or last thing at night swiftly and efficiently, I deal with the States and Far East so quite a bit of communication starts or ends my day. As an MD, I oversee quite a few areas of the business and I find it works best if I have a ‘focus’ for the day which might be with my product development team or a supplier. I might meet an editor, journalist or Harrods buyer to take them through what’s happening a few months down the line, I definitely absorb myself in our fabulous Spa to Go business, we have over 1000 consultants and I LOVE any opportunity to meet with them, they look up to me and pull strength out of me. A lot of my job is future focused and I enjoy strategising to constantly see where the business and brand will be in years to come, we’re leaving a legacy and it’s a big responsibility.

Your passion and enthusiasm is very evident, but what for you, is the best thing about being MD of Temple Spa?

It probably sounds corny but I adore working with my husband, I respect him as a business partner and our careers have allowed us to work alongside one another for over 20 years. I also love the variety of my job. No day is the same and it keeps me buzzing.

We don’t think it’s corny, although we do admire both of you for being able to work together and remain married for so long! If others want to follow in your footsteps, setting up in the beauty industry, what would you advise them to do?

Have a clear picture of what you want to do, research it well and be prepared to work hard. Study, do extra training or work experience to push through. Mediocrity kills most businesses and when I find earnest, hard working people who have a great attitude, I will give them a lot of freedom to progress and fulfil their own ambitions. You have to be excellent not just OK to really get on, I am truly passionate about excellence and when I see it in other people, I am excited for them and know they’ll go places (hopefully with Temple Spa!).

You’re inspiring us for the new year! So, out of all the products that Temple Spa offer, which would be the one you couldn’t live without?

Gosh, I’m asked that all the time and it’s so hard to pick just one. My products are my children and I love all of them! Probably my desert island product would be IN THE BEGINNING the most awesome balm cleanser.

We know how you feel, we have rather a lot of your products in the bathroom cabinet, but have to agree we couldn’t be without In The Beginning! What’s your top beauty or skincare tip?

Smile with your whole face. If you look at yourself in the mirror with a frown or still expression, then brighten up your face with a wholehearted smile, the years drop away and you sparkle.

That is a great tip Liz! It just goes to show that anyone can be beautiful. Thank you so much for your time, we’ve loved talking to you and we can’t wait to see what 2013 holds for Temple Spa!

You can find out more about Temple Spa by visiting their website, where you can see purchase their full range of products, find out how to become part of their Spa To Go business or book a party. 

Why thebeautyobsession?

We’ve been pondering about our love of all things beauty and cosmetics lately. Where did it stem from? What do we love about it so much? Why do we do what we do?

It’s funny because we wouldn’t class ourselves as particularly high maintenance when it comes to makeup and beauty, but when we think about the ridiculous amount of products lining our bathroom cabinet, makeup covering the top of our rather large dressing table and not to mention all the other products stashed in various drawers, we can’t help but think that maybe we actually are! 

Thinking back over the years, we can’t really remember a time when makeup hasn’t been a part of our lives. From being a little girl and playing with Mum’s makeup, and then having our own little stash of pretty pinks and pastels that we could wear on special occasions, to being a teenager and spending hours in the aisles of Superdrug (not much has changed)! Nowadays we will admit, we still spend a large proportion of our income on beauty products and paraphernalia!

When we were teenagers, makeup was something that we really relied on to give us the confidence to deal with having teenage acne, glasses, braces and rather frizzy hair. Over the years, we need makeup less but enjoy using it more. For us, makeup is like art, we love how we can create so many different looks just by what we apply to our faces, and we love how those different looks can change the way we feel. 

Some people play sport or take photographs as a hobby, for us our beauty obsession is a hobby. Every new beauty product we get our hands on is a treat. We love nothing more than spending an afternoon trialing and testing the colours, textures and quality of new products. As our obsession has developed, we are constantly looking for new and exciting brands and innovative products. People who don’t have a passion for cosmetics will ask; how many lipsticks in varying shades of red is it necessary for one person to own? How can one brand of foundation be that different to another? And how many facial cleansers is it really essential to have in the bathroom cabinet? For us, every new shade and formula is exciting. There are some brands we use every now and again, and there are some that we are incredibly passionate about and use over and over. 

That is why we run this site, to share our passion and enthusiasm, and sometimes we like to think we even impart a little bit of knowledge, with others – you! Whether you’re reading this and completely understand our addiction to all things beauty, or whether you’ve stumbled across us whilst looking for something quite specific and think we might be a little bit mad, we just hope that you enjoy what you read. We think that if even a tiny bit of our passion transfers to our readers, we’ll be very, very happy! 

Thank you all for reading and we hope you’re enjoying the site so far. We’d love to hear your comments or tweets so please feel free to get in touch and tell us about your loves/hates when it comes to all things cosmetics.