Biore Combo Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

Biore's pore strips really take me back to my teenage years and battling with the dreaded blackheads. Now in my mid twenties (eek!) my skin has calmed down a lot due to age and I would like to think a much better skincare routine. However, every now and then I can see a little blocked pore, attack it and make it 300 times worse. I have vowed to stop doing this, but when the need strikes I have started relying on Biore's Deep Cleansing Pore Strips!

The new Combo packs contain 7 nose strips and 7 face strips (that can be used where needed - forehead, chin or cheeks).

If you have never used these strips each one has a handy how to on the packaging to make sure you get the most effective use.

1. Remove strip from pouch. Before using nose strips, twist strip to loosen and separate slits featured on nose strips only.
2. After washing your face, thoroughly wet your nose or other face area (where you have clogged pores or blackheads). The strip won't stick on a dry nose.
3. Dry hands. Peel strip off plastic liner. Apply to nose area, smooth side down, pressing down to ensure good contact with skin.
4. Let dry for about 10-15 minutes until stiff to the touch—like papier-mâché.
5. Slowly and carefully peel off starting at edges, pulling toward center.

Having recently used this on the fiancee I can report back that it really works! I would show you a photo of the used strip and his newly clean pores, but it was pretty unpleasant to look at, so you shall just have to take my word for it this time. As long as you leave the strip on until it's dry and take care in peeling it off it will remove any sebum clogging your pores and you will be able to see the contents on the strip!

I wouldn't recommend using these strips every day or even every week, but every few weeks or when you feel your skin needs a really thorough clean.

Biore's Combo Deep Cleansing Pore Strips can be found for £10.99 here.

Have you ever used Biore's Pore Strips?

Proactiv's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

On the 12th day of Christmas Proactiv gave to me... a Refining mask and $200 to Action for Children charity!



Thank you to Proactiv for their kind donation!

To win your own refining mask please enter by leaving a comment on my video!

For more information on Proactiv, as well as a full list of products, please visit: http://www.proactiv.co.uk/default.aspx

For more information on my chosen charity Action For Children or to make a donation please visit: http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/

Tea Tree Oil

During my teenage years I suffered with breakouts, nothing severe, but frequent enough to bother me (I think we all know that feeling of "Oh no, I have a spot!! I am not leaving the house!"). I kept thinking that it could be much worse and I should just be patient and wait to grow out of it. I am now 22 and still get breakouts all the time, especially just before 'that time of the month' we all love :(. I still have the skin of a teenager (and not in the good way), so I recently decided to return to an old favourite- tea tree oil.

Tea tree has a long history of traditional use. Australian aboriginals used its leaves for healing skin cuts, burns, and infections as it has antiseptic and antifungal properties.
People use tea tree oil for the following conditions:

• Acne
• Athlete's foot
• Dandruff
• Thrush
• Periodontal disease
• As an antiseptic

So to treat a particularly nasty breakout recently I used Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil Blemish stick. Staying at my boyfriend's house in the country, with a very limited bag of rescue remedies, I applied this gel religiously twice a day. It does not smell too strongly and sinks in immediately so make-up can be applied straight away. I was a little hesitant at first as I thought that it would be a little too harsh on my sensitive skin. However, I was very pleasantly surprised as it significantly reduced swelling and redness without drying my skin out and creating that unsightly crust that most blemish treatments tend to leave behind, which in my opinion looks even worse than a spot! Yuck!

If you are having trouble with controlling blemishes I would give this product a try. It really does speed up the clearing process without drying the area out as it contains tea tree oil (obviously), allantoin to soothe and panthenol to moisturise the skin. This has worked so well that I may try returning to more of my past favourites, why change a good thing right?

What do you guys use for a particularly nasty breakout?