Urgh, today is the day...

That I am going to bare my face to the world via the medium of YouTube. If I am going to do this, I am going to get it out of the way. I have been procrastinating, and procrastinating a little longer.


F wants to get her Birchbox "unboxing" blog done so I am going to start our channel off with my current daily face routine, post shower. Me slathering moisturiser onto my legs probably violates terms and conditions so you won't have to see that! Just the face to start with.

I know I showed a quick snapshot of what I use daily but will go into a little more info now.

First up - Pond's Cold Cream and this one specifically. It is so cheap compared to what I can get locally and worth the wait from the US. A good slather of this over the face and then gentle removal with cotton wool pads. I use the large square ones and generally don't tend to skimp on buying them as the cheaper ones just drag over my 39 year old skin like sandpaper. 

Then I go onto French rose water for a toner - again Amazon is my friend and I use this one. A little goes an awfully long way and it isn't astringent in any way. My skin is very sensitive and can't cope with anything with alcohol in it either. It does take a minute or so to dry but is more than worth it for me.

Then, it is on to my trusty (for now) Avon 40+ day cream. I use this morning and night as mentioned in my last post as the night cream is too heavy for my skin. I ordered my Vitamin K Swanson cream yesterday and it has already been dispatched which I am really pleased about. The spider and thread veins that I have been going on about are going to be unveiled today. If I drank I would have a large vodka before doing the video but I am teetotal.

Once a week, I do give my skin a treat. I was given this little recipe by my beautician as I can't afford a really good facial every month. I asked her what I could do to keep my skin looking as good as I possibly could in between my 3 monthly appointments and she actually uses this one herself.

What she told me to try (bearing in mind, she knows my skin and I am only imparting what she said - she is the professional and I am just old with dry skin!) is the following.

Go to the chemist and buy a small pill pot, the little green ones with a screw lid. You need something small and watertight. Then, you will need some glycerine - I use this one, and finally your French rose water. Mix a teaspoon of glycerine and rosewater in the small pot (the teaspoon of glycerine was NOT as easy as I had anticipated!) and then shake for all you are worth. Oil and water generally don't want to be best friends but you can get them to mix.

The, pop it on your face for about 10 minutes. As the glycerine is a humectant, it is not advisable to put it near your eyes but it is fine for the rest. I was bit weary of doing this one given my reaction to just plain old Nivea (HUGE breakout of spots), but it worked a treat. So once a week my poor husband has to spend the night with some crazy woman who has her hair scraped back into a pony tail and has a tacky face. Fortunately it is worth it in the morning as my skin feels amazing. 

Glycerine

Pond's Cold Cream (US version)

French rose water

Current face cream

 (just a quick disclaimer - this is what works for me and I am in no way qualified to give advice, I am just showing what I use and hopefully getting some ideas back from people with similar skin to me)

Avon calling!

Oh yes, it is my (old) favourite day of the month - Avon day. My little order arrived with Brochure 13. Now, I use Avon for all our family day to day toiletries. Shower gels, shampoo, shaving foam, hand soap and bubble bath for our family of 6. I do occasionally get the odd perfume or face cream if it is on offer and as I got married last year, I bought all my makeup for the big day from there as I didn't have a clue where else to get it and I was doing my own makeup for the big day as I don't really like anyone else touching my face.

This month's brochure is looking rather promising to say the least - I know I will be getting a few bits and bobs to try out from it. I am also going to let you in on some of my biggest mistakes from there too, but given the price I can't really complain.

First up, the tagline this month is "Try Something New" , and the cover is inviting us to try the new Moroccan Argan Oil Lightweigh Gloss Spray. So great that it must be sold out or not available online as I can't link to it as it isn't on the website.

I have curly/frizzy hair and have tried a couple of the Argan products before, so I think I will give the gloss spray a miss as I have found that they weigh my hair down too much and make it feel awfully greasy within a couple of hours. I think I will stick with my normal Avon shine spray as it is light, doesn't weigh my hair down and make it look greasy. Bonus that it is on offer this month!

The next thing that really does draw my attention is their new Opal Top Coat - again not on the website. To quote the brochure - "Seal your nail colour with a subtle shimmer with this easy to apply top coat. Creates a colourful contrast on darker shades. That is £2.50 for 12ml and will normally be £6. I am definitely going to give that one a try. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with Avon nail varnishes, especially the nailwear pro + ones. Some of the colours go on great, the others are just rubbish. This brochure's colours are real gemstone colours so they do seem to be going for the darker ones to showcase the new topcoat.

I am not a huge makeup fan, in fact this is what most of this blog is about - my daughter trying to persuade me to use it a little more often! I have to be honest - I genuinely can't tell one mascara from another apart from the colour, and I only ever use a little black kohl eyeliner if I ever use it. Not tons of it round both lids, just a little on the bottom. Having a flick through the makeup section, there are a couple of things that I am tempted to try because of the great price (and I don't have anything to lose whatsoever apart from a few quid).

One thing I do like and need to replace is their illuminating face pearls which I pop on with a large all over face brush. It just adds a little sparkle to my T zone if I am going out. When you have as many freckles as I do, nothing short of theatrical makeup will cover them, so I just chose to wear 'em, loud and proud.

There are some fantastic foundations and primers this month and it is great to see that in the past few months that Avon has finally started producing their foundations and powders in the full spectrum of skin colours. I haven't found one that suits me yet, but I will keep trying. I seem to be stuck in a limbo (Avon wise) where their normal range is too young for my skin, but their Anew range for older skin looks dreadful on me, very thick and heavy looking.

There is a new product in this brochure (13) that has caught my eye and you guessed it, not online again, but it is called Luminous Finish Face Illuminator (product # 05272) that looks great - an all over highlighter that I am tempted to give a try at £5. I am finding this quite frustrating, a lovely new catologue that I can't link up to! This one I am definitely going to report back on when I have got the order.

The face cream that I am currently using is the Anew Reversalist 40+ day cream as it is the only one that doesn't clog my pores or cause an outbreak of spots. I don't use the night cream as it is too heavy but due to the price can only get it when it is on offer. It has got a few pound off this month but not enough for me to stock up.

I am desperately looking for a new face cream as the one I use is a bit hit and miss as to if I can afford it. I am genuinely thinking of getting one of the cheaper Solutions range.

Nivea (of all kinds) is too heavy for my skin even though it is dry. I just can't seem to get the balance right and would really appreciate some help if anyone has any suggestions. I know I sound tight fisted but I would be more than happy to pay decent money for a decent product.

This month's brochure has gone very heavy on the bronzing, colour trend, nail varnishes and Anew Genics range so far. I tried one of the Anew Genics products, the expression lines treatment cream and as soon as I put it on I had to literally scrub it off. I had a terrible reaction to it as my skin is that sensitive but my 71 year old Mum loves it and she really does look great with it. It has done wonders for her but just isn't for me. It has put me off trying any of the other products in that range for sure, but I know people who swear by them.

They have also gone crazy for nail varnish and nail art too this month. I struggle to keep my nails looking clean and tidy, let alone painted. I use a wheelchair and am always banging my nails off something or other. I had thought about getting Shellac nails done but I really don't think I can warrant £24 every 2 weeks when the rest of my body needs such an MOT and my hands get such a daily battering.

Another of my problems on my face is that I have thread veins and spider veins on my cheeks caused by previous bad maintenance on my behalf and radiotherapy. I have been trying for ages to find a decent vitamin K cream but really can't find anywhere on the net that has been able to advise me as to which to try (that cost under £100!) so I have decided to plump for Swanson Vitamin K cream. I think the only way to see if it works is to take a picture every day and shove them all into a YouTube video to see how I go. Going to take at least a month by the time I get it so this is a long term project. It doesn't seem a bad buy for £5.65 and it still cheaper than the Solutions range in Avon. An added bonus is that it is paraben free too which I look for when I am trying something new out.

My gorgeous daughter F is going to go crazy when she gets home from work and sees the brochure as her favourite range, Planet Spa has got a great range in this month and it really is her favourite. She is so lucky as she is able to use pretty much anything on her skin and this range suits her skin type so well. Unfortunately, not so much for me.

There is the usual range of watches, jewellery, pretty undies and pyjamas this month too. It hasn't been my favourite brochure but in fairness, that is what I love about Avon. Some months there will only be a couple of things that catch my eye, other months I could spend a small fortune.

I will always go back to Avon for my basics, but I am determined to branch out from it. There are some items I need that they just don't do (vitamin K cream for instance). I am deadly serious about getting this body and face into shape before the big 40 so with the help of my daughter, some Avon bits and the world now finally opening up to me with my sample boxes, I may finally get my routine sorted!

The Birchbox has arrived (well, 2 of them, one for me and one for my daughter)

Well, welcome to our blog. I am D and my daughter is F. We decided after watching all the numerous YouTube videos about Birchbox, Glossybox and Ipsy that we would take the plunge and get one. Today is the day that our chosen one (Birchbox) has arrived. I am guessing that I will be taking care of the blogging side of things, and my daughter and I will be doing videos to go with when we open our boxes.

I have seen lots of vids where people aren't happy with what they have got, so I am going into this with a totally open mind. I am a complete novice with regards to makeup and the suchlike at the age of 39, so my daughter is going to help me get myself looking like a human being.

My beauty regime so far consists of Pond's Cold Cream as a cleanser, French rose water as a toner and Avon's 40+ Anew moisturiser. Yep - I am that advanced!


As for having a shower, it is Avon shower gel and yep, you guessed it, Avon shampoo and conditioner. F thinks I should experiment a bit more as I don't wear any makeup, and I don't dye my hair either. I think this is going to change very soon. I use E45 cream as a body moisturiser with a little essential oil mixed in for fragrance (currently bergamot oil).

I couldn't even tell you what F's routine it - she has that much stuff it is unreal. No amount of coercion will get me to wear makeup on a daily basis or throw tons of stuff on my face and body, but I definitely need to branch out now that things are starting to get wrinkly.

I was all proud when I found Birchbox and signed up both myself and F for it. Should have known she already knew about it! What she doesn't know is that I have signed myself up for Glossybox to see what it is like. If it is any good - she is getting one too. There are loads out there to try, but as I am a beginner, I shall start right there - at the beginning.

We have a YouTube channel and will be uploading our unboxing video soon - the little pink box is sitting there taunting me like you wouldn't believe! Well, brown box as I couldn't resist a peek, but you know what I mean - I have promised my daughter I won't post a picture yet. 

I LIED! 


So, if you want a laugh and watch an old fart being told what to do by her daughter with regards to the beauty department - please keep your eye out for us - videos will soon be coming (apparently I have to shame myself by showing my current regime too - yep, I am going to open myself up for constructive criticism too!)

We would love to hear what everyone who got a Birchbox this month thought of theirs, ours are going to be opened later on today so you won't be spoiling it if you let us know.

D&F