A side effect of chemotherapy can be dry and sore skin, so I have taken charge of finding products that will help to prevent any other complications while undergoing treatment.  I feel uncomfortable and sore with the Chemo, I don’t want another problems.  ​

At time of purchase this product cost £60.00, as a member of www.beautypie.com you pay £10.15 plus postage.

​ So disappointed, angry, WHY!!!
​Yes, all of the above, but this time I am more aware.  Last time, 2016, I was so shocked I buried my head in the sand and let my family guide me through the process.  
 
Straight away I was told I would be having Chemotherapy.  So this time I needed to do some preparation due to the side effects of the treatment.  Taking control and keeping as healthy as possible which would mean a new beauty regime, for starters, NO retinols.
 
My first port of call was to google which was overwhelming so much about what you can’t use what not to do I found it up setting. From a makeup point of view I knew about products I could use as I have work with many cancer patients privately and through charity work with “Look Good Feel Better “.  So I decided to contact my industry specialists’ friends and colleges and some beauty companies to find out what products I can use while undergoing Chemotherapy.  
 
Beauty Pie was my first email and I was delighted at their quick response literally within 2 hours I had a detailed email listing all products I could use  on their site and also informed me about their collaboration with “The C-list” which is an organisation who have “The first ever online beauty platform suitable for people going through cancer treatment.”
 
These 2 products below, I have previously blogged about, was a good place for me start so I was pleased I had a go to products which I liked.

I bought Lisa Eldridge’s lip sticks when she first lunched her products and was not disappointed.  The products themselves are beautifully package and the velvet texture on the lipsticks is very realistic.  The lipsticks are highly pigmented and last a very long time without being drying.  There are approximately 15 lipsticks colours, a suitable colour for anyone. The lipsticks cost £26.00 each which I think is brilliant.  The containers look very luxurious gold in colour, magnetic so lipstick container stays closed.

​So I was very excited when last year 2020, Lisa lunched her Lip kits which include lipstick lip pencil and lip gloss which come in a lovely small handbag size makeup bag.  I bought the Beauty Velvet kit which is the perfect pink for me it has blue under tones. The description Lisa gives for each lipstick makes it very easy to choose and purchase the correct colour for yourself.  
Lisa Eldridge has produced a YouTube video called “New Products, New Shades, New Kits – My Holiday Collection is here!” Were she very eloquently describes her lip colours, so I am not even going to attempt to describe them.
 
So all I am going to say on the Beauty Velvet kit I purchased, is that the colours in all 3 products have excellent pigmentation and staying power.  Very easy to use. The lip pencil is so soft it glides on your lips no dragging and dries matt and I have used it on its own as a lip stick.  The lip gloss pot I love and the applicator is sturdy, great to use to apply the lip gloss with precision and the lipsticks are gorgeous even the nude lipsticks have great pigmentation so you do not look washed out and it was definitely worth purchasing as you can see the colour.  The lipstick kits may seem a little expensive £68.00 but you get 4 products (including the bag) so works out at £17.00 each which I think is very good.  They are beautiful products and a joy to use.

I am no super model and I have well pasted my 30s unlike some of the models on the NuFace website.  The improvement in my skin I found to be slow and gradual.  I would definitely take a  photo at the start which is what NuFace recommend.  I bought it for my jowl area, which has changed but it is not as obvious as my eye and neck, biggest change which I am thrilled with as my eyes were getting very hooded. 

Before                                                                                  After

I would definitely recommend this product for improvement of facial tone. I feel if you started using NuFace in your 40s you would probably get better results but like most of us we leave things to the last minute, most noticeable.
 
Using NuFace take before photos so you can track the change
 

• Very pleasant facial massage, there are 3 settings
• To start 5 mins every day for 60 days
• After 60 days.  Maintain but using at least 5 times a week
• It becomes a habit like cleaning your teeth
• Most things that are worth doing take time.

​In April of this year in lockdown I decided to try the Nuface Mini which I had seen in Selfridges Manchester and Lisa Eldridge had done a Vlog on this product as a gift idea for Christmas.
 
Like so many people in lock down, what to do with my time, so I decided I would try the Nuface Mini. The Nuface products recommend for best/any results to use it continuously every day for 60 days, it just takes five minutes,  so I  knew I would keep to this as it was just something to do.
 

​I went for the Mini due to price £167.00 at time of purchase I paid £ 133.00 and could not really see the difference between the products, Nuface facial trainer priced at £283.00. As I was not sure and did not know of anyone who had tried it I went for the cheaper product.  Shop around you can get some good deals.  The results to follow.

Another super Beauty Pie product - Japanfusion pure transforming cleanser costs £25.00 members pay £6.89. 

​This is a very gentle cleansing product that is suitable for sensitive skin.  It is very effective at removing all traces of makeup. It is a white gel when dispensed form the tube which when massaged into your skin turns to a none greasy oil then adding water turns the product to a milk.  I love using this product for my morning cleanse as it glides on the skin, a perfect product for a facial massage removing all the nights oils and pollution waking up the skin ready for the day ahead.

This is another product that I would recommend for the face. Ultralight UVA/UVB SPF 25 Cost at time of purchase, £35.00 members pay £9.56.  I tried this product as I was having difficulty purchasing Avene Hydrance Optimale UV Rich SFP 20 product I would recommend both these products for sensitive skin and teenage/young adult skin.  

​Like the Avene product in my previous blog, I have used this product abroad and in England from summer through to winter and have seen an improvement in my skin with no wind/sun burn and reduced redness.  There is no white cast when applying, it glides on like a moisturiser, this product works well on its own and under make-up.  After using this product, I saw one of Caroline Hirons Videos where she recommended Ultralight UVA/UVB SPF 25 and I would agree with her a great product.

​SFP 50 has been reported to be unsuitable for sensitive skin. I have never had a bad reaction but since changing my face sun cream to SFP20 or 30 I have seen so much improvement in my skin.  

 I tried Avene Hydrance Optimale UV Rich SFP 20 price at time of purchase £14.99 at http://Lookfantastic.comThis price does vary depending on where you purchase this product.  

​I have been using Avene Hydrance Optimale UV Rich SFP 20 over a serum in England and on holiday in Spain it is very effective. I have worn it all year round, no burning from the sun or wind. I have tanned better and this product has protected my skin so that I have seen a significant reduction in redness around my cheek area. For those of you experiencing sensitive skin I would highly recommend a change in you sunscreen. 

​I signed up to Beauty Pie a year ago to see what it was like and if I agreed with the online claims of superior products for affordable prices.  I prefer to go out shopping rather than on line but I have to agree this site is in my opinion brilliant.  I pay the minimum payment a month of £5.00 which entitles me to £50.00 spend a month.  I can choose to save it so that I can purchase and try the more expensive products or use it to replace any items I need.

​Jeju overnight moisture super infusion costed approximately £25.00 but cost me £9.18.  For those of you who have dry skin this night cream is wonderfully rich without being greasy and smells define.  Made in Korea this product has the recognition of Clean Beauty and Curtly Free and Vegan.  I have tried a number of their products and I am not disappointed.  The product/packaging I have never seen on the high street or in salons but the ingredients in many skincare products in my opinion are superior and affordable.

​https://www.beautypie.com/bestsellers

​I bought this cleanser while attending a promotion evening at Selfridges Manchester with guest speaker Caroline Hirons.  Its full title is Murad Resurgence Renewing Cleansing Cream price at time of purchase £30.00  it has lasted me, double cleansing morning and night, over 6 months well worth the money in my opinion.

This brand has been created by Dr Murad who’s aim is  “ lifelong commitment to wellness backed by science.” the quality of this brand is the same as you would get from a salon professional but you can buy Dr Murad’s products on line and in department stores.  
The cleanser is white in colour with a lovely pearl effect not much smell but a clean smell. You only need to use a small amount, the size of a pea (petite pois pea not garden) add a little water and massage into the skin it lathers up enough and can be removed by using a clean damp flannel. This product is very affective at removing all traces of makeup.  It is not to be used on the eyes.

​The product contains apricot and starflower oils it is very gentle on the skin, hydrating and was recommended to me for my dry aging skin. I have a list of problems with my skin and this product has not aggravated any of them.  My skin feels clean, hydrated and less sensitive.  I would highly recommend this product; it is suitable for any skin type.