Updated skincare routine (winter)

Since coming back from holiday my skincare routine has changed completely. I have combination skin that leans on either oily or dry depending on the weather, so in the winter I tend to make sure my skin is well moisturized. Before going abroad my skin was breaking out every once or twice per month, I used to get a couple of spots here and there. Because of my really bad habit of picking spots I used to get bad scarring too which didn't help at all! I didn't realize that the products I was using at the time only made it worse. Since changing my skincare routine I haven't even had one spot! It's been over four months and my skin has been very well behaved, thank you God. One of the products I've completely eliminated from my skincare routine is a scrub, I don't use scrubs anymore as I believe they cause breakouts, especially if they're soapy, instead now I use a mask every two days to detox the skin and break down all the dirt. Here is a step by step of my daily routine.

My skincare routine (morning)

Some people think that cleansing is only necessarily for removing makeup, when in fact cleansing removes any dirt on the skin. At night our skin is rejuvenating, dead skin cells are sitting on the skin and invisible to the naked eye, waiting for you the next morning. Cleanse girls.

1.Cleanse. I usually use either one of my current favourite cleasers. Emma Harding cleansing balm (retails for £34 - price might look scary but this product is definitely worth every penny! Great for dry/combo skin & removes ALL dirt as well as helps massage your face.) or my all time favourite Sanctuary Spa fresh faced cleanser (retails for £10) I've been repurchasing this cleanser for years - it's honestly the best drugstore cleanser as it removes makeup very well and has beneficial natural ingredients.

 2. I tap my skin dry using a towel - this keeps the moisture in as opposed to rubbing your face dry. 

3. Tone. I've been using two Clarins toners lately which I quite like, the exfoliating toner (Retails for £25) and the toning lotion with Iris (combo/oily) this one smells amaazinggggg (retails for £18). I use a cotton pad and I wipe it all over my face. 

4. Moisturize. I start by using a French eye cream which I bought from TK Maxx for quite cheap and works amazingly at moisturizing my under-eye area. Then I've recently switched to using a thick moisturizer by the name of Eucerin dry skin replenishing face cream (night) which retails for £12.50 and completely smooths out and moisturizes any dry patches or areas on my skin.

Night

My night routine is almost identical to my morning routine, only difference is the cleansing step because I usually have makeup on at this point. I NEVER EVER SLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON. That's the biggest beauty sin, you'd be literally begging for imperfections.

I usually double cleanse when removing makeup, I'll start with the Emma Hardie cleanser which is the BEST I've ever used to get rid of eye makeup easily and painlessly; I massage the balm into my skin and eyes then before washing it all off I get a cotton pad which I use to rub my eye makeup off with and it all comes off with one swipe. Literally. Then I'll wash off the Emma Hardie cleanser and proceed to double cleanse using the Sanctuary Spa cleanser.

Masks

As I mentioned above, I use a mask every two days instead of exfoliating. My favourite is the Lush mask called 'Catastrophe Cosmetic' which is made using blueberries; a great anti-oxidant. This mask is amazing for preventing any imperfections from surfacing and also leaves the skin feeling very moisturized on the long term, I also love that it doesn't take forever to dry (retails for £5.95 from Lush). When I'm in a hurry I'll use the Soap and Glory 'no clogs allowed' which is good temporarily, it moisturizes and gets rid of any dead skin and it's not abrasive enough to damage the skin so you can use frequently (£11). My third favourite is the No.7 Beautiful skin moisturising mask which is great when my skin is feeling a little dry as it leaves my skin feeling so soft and moisturized (£14). 

What products do you use? 

Hope you liked my post ^.^

Love,
Habiba Da Silva x

DIY face mask collaboration with Bailey Blush

This is my first collaboration post (and inshallah I will have many more in the future) with my friend and fellow successful blogger Bailey Blush. We have been contemplating the idea of doing a collaboration for a couple of months before she came up with the ingenious idea of swapping DIY masks. This meant that I would give her the recipe for one of my favourite masks in which she will give feedback and I will in turn do the same. As you all know, DIY facial masks are very cost-effective and convenient as most ingredients will happen to already be in your kitchen! Not to mention these masks won't have all the nasty artificial ingredients some do from the highstreet which may damage your skin instead of healing. I previously did a post on an egg face mask which gained a lot of good feedback and many of you loved it so I hope you'll also benefit from this post too! 

I gave Bailey the oat, honey and yogurt mask, this mask is great for people with dry/normal/combination and even oily skin as it helps kill off bacteria on the surface of the skin as well as purifying, exfoliating and moisturising. Here are the benefits of each ingredient;

Oats 

•  heals dry itchy skin as well as eczema
•  soothes and reduces inflammation
•  naturally slightly rough in texture so is a perfect natural exfoliator, I usually use oats on its own as an exfoliator while in the shower (I dampen the oats slightly then rub it all over my already damp face or any areas in my body where I feel needs it) it moisturises instantly and my skin feels very smooth. 

Honey  

• also has moisturising benefits as well as antiseptic properties "Honey has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which give it healing power. These properties help prevent the growth of certain bacteria by producing an enzyme -- hydrogen peroxide. Thus, honey can be utilised as a natural treatment for wounds, cuts and abrasions to promote healing." 
• perfect for battling acne/blemish-prone skin
• also helps in healing eczema
• anti-againg

Yogurt contains zinc, calcium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, protein and yeast

• Zinc is said to have anti-inflammatory benefits which can help reduce acne. It is like a mild astringent
• Calcium has antioxidant properties, it helps in cell renewal. It can help make your skin ‘glow’. Whereas deficiency in calcium can lead to premature aging, dryness and even itching
• Vitamin B’s are capable of preventing acne and enhancing the blood circulation
• Protein is an important ingredient for our entire body .if your body is rich in proteins ,your skin will automatically look soft, supple and radiant

Recipe: 

• 2 TBSP of oats
• 1 TBSP of honey
• 1 TBSP of yogurt

(Use Organic ingredients for best results!)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together to form a paste, spread over skin and leave for 15 minutes. Before rinsing the mask, gently moisten skin and rub softly for a manual exfoliation with the oats! Rinse completely.

Bailey's thoughts: 

I really enjoyed this mask! Not only did it smell and taste (yes I tasted it) amazing, It left my skin really, really soft. The oats were so gentle on my skin and left me very smooth. The combination of the Yogurt and honey worked wonders to increase my hydration. I will for sure be re-doing this home made delicious concoction! Thank you Habiba, x

Bailey sent me off to try the milk, honey and rose face mask. This mask is designed for smoothing and soothing the complexion. Great for all skin types, but especially sensitive, dry, dehydrated and lack luster complexions.

Recipe:
1 TBSP of milk (Preferably whole milk)
2 TBSP of honey
1 TBSP Rosewater


(For the ingredients above, organic is the best!)


Milk- Contains Lactic acid which helps to exfoliate dead skin and reveal a smooth, radiant complexion. Also has incredible soothing qualities.


Honey- A natural humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. Honey has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and is wonderful for soothing and gently purifying the complexion.


Rose- Powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Aids in redness reduction and helps to increase skin circulation leading to a more even toned complexion.


Directions:

Saturate a cotton round in the mask and rub liquid on the skin, wait 10-15 minutes, or until dry, rinse and reveal beautiful skin!

Habiba's Thoughts:

I really loved how cleansed, radiant and moisturised my skin looked and felt after this mask, the surface of my skin felt much more smoother. I loved it! I will definitely be using this again! I love the toning properties  and scent of rose water too :)

All in all I really enjoyed doing this collaboration, Bailey was a joy to work with (even though I wasn't - always postponing it!) and I loved trying out this new mask which I've slotted into my favourite DIY mask list :D

~

Have you tried DIY masks? If so, what do you think of them and which is your favourite?

The Favourite Five - Habiba's May Favourites

Hey guys! I decided to start doing a different monthly post called 'The Favourite Five' where I will have to pick a monthly favourite in five different categories. I hope you enjoy these posts and they can turn to be somewhat insightful and interesting! The five categories are; beauty product, skincare product, item of clothing, accessory/fragrance and song/book/poem. These posts will be light and not a hassle to get through. So here is the preface of The Favourite Five and although it is now June I will be introducing my May favourites instead. Enjoy!

Makeup ~

This will have to be my hardest category as I have so many beauty must-haves this month! But I think I will have to go with a lipstick as I've been buying lipsticks this month like never before. As some of you may know, I am obsessed with Illamasqua and I can solely and honestly say with no hesitation that it is my favourite makeup brand. Even though it's causing a very apparent dent in my bank account I still will always bat for the Illamasqua team. Some of you will know that I've never chosen one brand above all and always said that no certain brand has the perfect foundations/eyeshadows/blushers etc, there are faults in every brand; for example if I was to buy a good drugstore lipstick I would often look to Revlon, but their foundations are not to my taste and neither are their eyeshadows. But Illamasqua, oh Illamasqua, everything is simply PERFECTION. From the foundations to the eyeshadows to the pigments to the blushers and concealers. Utter perfection I'm telling you. Half of my makeup collection is Illamasqua. So be warned, I will brag about their products a lot. (DISCLAIMER: I do not work for Illamasqua nor have I been paid to say this). *breathe* so this month's makeup favourite is the Illamasqua lipstick in 'over', it is the perfect neon coral/pink that instantly brightens the face, perfect spring/summer bright lip. The texture and formula of this lipstick is incredible; it's completely matte and lasts for ages so you don't need to reapply every now and then. It looks lovely with both a clean or smokey/defined eye. The only negative I can say about the formula is that after wearing it for a couple of hours the pigmentation tends to gather around the inside of your lip but with all honesty that occurs with many other (if not all) lipsticks so it is not a big issue. The price of this lipstick is £16.50 which is an average price for high end lippies.

Photo taken from www.thesundaygirl.com

Skincare ~

My skin is bipolar and currently it's deciding to be more dry than oily so I've been insuring that it gets all the moisture it can get. The look of flaky skin accentuated by foundation is not pretty. Oilatum is one of the best moisturizers I've found that fixes any dry and inflamed skin without the irritation you get from mainstream branded moisturizers (*cough* L'Oreal *cough* full of perfume *cough*) and without the greasy residue. I've been completely loving this and it's definitely a staple in my skin care routine (will be doing a post on my routine very soon!) to read a review I did on Oilatum click here. I've been using it right before I apply my primer as well so that the moisture is locked into my skin even when I have foundation on. 

Clothing ~

One clothing item I have been wearing time and time again is the stunning speckled/gem/sequin nude hijab from HK Scarves, it is the PERFECT shade of nude that matches my skintone and I just love how the little specks reflect light and just create a luminosity to the face. Check out HK Scarves on facebook. (I will be reviewing them soon too!)

Accessory/Fragrance ~

Ok, hands down, this is a no-brainer. My D&G L'imperatrice perfume is my SIGNATURE/PERFECT summer scent, it's so light and fruity and just makes me visualize the sun and happiness and a glowing tan. I'm completely in love. Previously I was really into the Lancome La Vie Est Belle and I was in love with the heavy fruity/muskiness of it, but smelling it now it just smells too heavy and slightly overbearing for the summer heat, whereas L'imperatrice has the perfectly light amount of fruit and musky undertone. RRP is £39 for 100ml which is pretty decent for the size.

Song/Book/Poem ~

Ok, call me mainstream but I've been listening to Justin Timberlake's 'Mirrors' all day/err'day. The entire 8 minutes of it is simply perfection; the lyrics, the beat, the mood, everything. Love it. 

Thank you for reading!

Follow me on instagram @lifelongpercussion for more photos and daily updates! Email me at lifelongpercussion@gmail.com for inquiries. 

Habiba xxx

My Current Favourite Moisturiser featuring Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream

Salaam/Good afternoon my lovely readers, apologies for the super long title; it had to be done.

SO this is a review/run-through my discovery of this cream and what it has done to my skin. Just to be clear, my skin type is dry/combination, in the past my skin has been very dry and now its less dry and a little oily. I get oily in my T-zone and get extremely dry around my mouth area and around my nose. You can say that the rest of my face is 'normal'. On top of all that I have sensitive and spot-prone skin, so yes, I really do suffer when trying out new skincare products or regimens. But I will be writing a lot of posts on how I counteract all of these problems to maintain skin that is 'at bay'. So as you can already tell, it's really hard for me to find the perfect moisturiser (or skin products in general) that caters for all of my skin problems, and I know there are many girls out there who suffer like I do and more. I'm here to help ;)

One night me and my lovely Fatima who is also a new blogger (check out her blog here) were discussing skincare products we use, and she recommended the Oilatum cream, we decided she'd show me where to get it when we went shopping together the following week. However, the next day, I was recommending my Uni friend some makeup products at Boots (drugstore) and as we walked to the till I spotted a 'clearance' shelf which I hadn't seen before. The Oilatum cream sat there beaming at me with a £3.30 tag instead of it's usual £7.65. I didn't think twice. 

OK, enough story telling, now onto the actual product. Let's see what is said about the product first.

• Oilatum Natural Face Cream penetrates deeply to rehydrate facial skin relieving tightness and irritation and leaving it feeling smooth.
• Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream is an innovative new therapy specially formulated to intensively nourish and help repair your skins natural barrier. 
• Oilatum Natural Face Cream is suitable for dry and sensitive skin and is free from fragrances, preservatives and emulsifiers.

For the past week the area around the corners of my lips has been so dry and flaky, nothing was working, it was so bad that it hurt to open my mouth and it was extremely tight. Having persistent flaky skin and then applying foundation on top does NOT look good, it just accentuates the dryness and makes the condition worse. My safflower oil wasn't working and neither was my current moisturiser (Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Hydrating Complex Cream). From the first day of using the Oilatum Natural Repair face cream the flakiness was GONE, the dryness was GONE, the tightness was absolutely nonexistent. I just had a bit of pigmentation where the skin was broken. On top of that, it made my skin as smooth as a baby's bottom. It did not irritate my broken skin and it healed it instantly. I agree with all of the product's claims. I think this would be very suitable for those suffering with eczema too. I use this as a night cream and I try not to get it anywhere near my T-zone and chin. 

I hope this was beneficial  Thank you for reading and THANK YOU SO MUCH FATIMA for recommending this God-send product. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Shukran. 

Any questions or enquiries email lifelongpercussion@gmail.com or comment below :)

Habibaaa xxx