Easy ways to help get rid of a spot!

I have to be honest with you, the majority of these have not worked for me but as I always say; everybody has different skin so what doesn't work for me might work for you!

Here are a few tips I've picked up over the years, they're all extremely easy/cheap so it's worth giving them a try!

Most of these can be used just before you go to bed so all you have to do is sleep!

• Put a blob of toothpaste on the affected area before bed; as the toothpaste dries up in the night so will the spot. You shouldn't use jelly toothpaste as they tend not to dry and by morning it will be everwhere! I did get a comment on here saying that the fluoride in toothpaste could be the cause of acne around the mouth/jaw, so if you think that you might have been affected by that then it's probably best to give this one a miss!
• Apply Tea-Tree oil directly on the blemish, it works to fight off infections and has been found to help control oil production which should help dry up the spot!
• If dabbed on a couple of times a day, Witch Hazel should help reduce the inflammation. Witch Hazel is usually used on bruises/burns and will not stop the cause of acne, but it can help reduce the size and redness (which is always a good thing!)
• Why not steam your face to open your pores? All you need is a large bowl, some hot water, and a towel! Just pour the hot water in a bowl, place your head over the bowl, and place the towel over your head to stop the steam from escaping! Firstly, you don't want the water to be boiling as that will brun your face; if you can't stick your finger in the bowl then it is way too hot! You could also try pouring oils in it, like Tea-Tree or Chamomile which help fight infection and soothe the skin!
• Add water to a paracetemol and crush together to make a paste, apply that over the infected area and wait to dry! Paracetemol works from the inside out, so why not the outside in?
• Place an ice-cube on the spot and it will take away the redness from the skin! Try putting it inside a thin tea towel and then placing it over the spot if it's too cold.

Ok, so there are a couple of ways to get rid of spots the easy way! Give them a try and if you havecan think of any other ways then please let me know!

- Natalie

Make-up Tutorials

It's not uncommon for girls to not know how to apply make-up! When I first started using it to cover my acne the end result was always attrocious; I used the wrong shade of foundation/concealer, didn't blend below my jawline, and just generally had no clue what I was doing.

As I said in a previous post, I found that make-up manuals (such as Bobbi Brown's) really helped me and taught me about everything from make-up and brushes to how diet affects your skin!

For those of us whose preferences are a bit more technological then there is no better place to look than YouTube! It is FULL of video tutorials giving step by step instructions on a variety of beauty looks, so you can see the "tutor" applying the make-up and copy their technique, simple!

My personal favourite YouTuber is Michelle Phan, make-up artist and spokeswoman for Lancôme. I first heard of her when I was flicking through an old issue of Teen Vogue, she was talking about her favourite beauty secrets and I started encoporating some of her techniques into my own beauty routine. A couple of weeks ago I decided to watch some of her YouTube videos and they are so so so simple to follow!

http://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan

It is definately worth checking out, especially if you feel you could do with some beauty tutorials!

http://www.teenvogue.com/beauty/blogs/beauty/2010/11/michelle-phan.html

- Natalie

The Sun

Sorry sorry sorry for not posting in a while; I have been in Spain! It was extremely hot and let me tell you, hot weather + oily skin = nightmare!

Firstly, I have to wear make-up when I am out in public/with any one who is not a member of my nucleur family; I'm still not confident enough with my skin to go without any form of coverage.
Secondly, my skin is extremely oily.

This is where the problem started; the hot weather made my skin feel oilier (and sweatier...) so my make-up was always going patchy and uneven.

I was using an oil free foundation with light coverage to try and stop this from happening but you cannot outsmart Mother Nature! If anyone knows of any make-up brands that are good in hot climates I would love to know!

Also, acne on my chest flared up very badly! I assumed that the sun would help dry up the skin and stop spots from appearing but what happened to me was completely the opposite.

However, I did have sun tan lotion on at all times to stop any burning (as my skin tone is the palest of pale) or sun damage. The sun causes wrinkles to form and I do NOT want to add wrinkles to my list of things I dislike about my skin!!!!

- Natalie