products for uneven skin tone.

i exfoliate. i cleanse. i tone. i moisturize. i use face masks several times a week in fact. i drink far too much water. based on effort alone, i really ought to have perfect skin and front my own clearasil campaign.

unfortunately, life isn't that easy. my biggest issue with my skin - that is, its unevenness and dullness - has always refused to improve, despite me using an array of products across all price ranges. i had begun to lose hope, so much so that i was actually considering dropping £60 on a face mask... eek... however, i've been using two new products and have noticed a huge change. my skin is still not 100% just yet, but looks the best it has done in a long while.

soap & glory 'scrub your nose in it' exfoliator - this doesn't claim to counteract redness, but does aim to reduce pore size. generally speaking, i exfoliate my skin if it feels a little oily or if i have been wearing a lot of make-up throughout the day (having used clean & clear's daily exfoliating wash for the past eight years). however, i had run out of it and before i went to buy more, my friend bought me a hamper of soap & glory products for my birthday - so i was able to give this a whirl.

the immediate difference is that this isn't as harsh on the skin. it's a lot more gentle and has a refreshing mint scent throughout which is really refreshing. what i also love about it is that a little goes a long way, and so i can see the tube lasting forever. i get very similar results from this to my previous exfoliator in the sense that my skin gets a thorough clean and is instantly brightened - but the result of this definitely lasts longer. i have definitely replaced my old exfoliator for good now!

nails - no 7 (betty blues), barry m (hologram hexagrams).

no 7 balm - i picked this up as part of a 3 for 2 offer. the idea is that you apply it underneath your moisturiser. i have quite dry skin, and this would not be moisturising enough (for me anyway) to wear on its own. however, i have been sticking with it and see less redness. it's light to wear, non-greasy, and comes in a nice bottle. i'm actually a big fan of no 7 skincare anyway, but really do like this.

if anyone is also suffering from the same skin problems as me, check these out!

soap & glory hand food.

this is the latest love of my life. we've been going strong for about five months now. by 'we', i obviously mean myself and soap & glory's hand food (£4.85). i, love, this. the smell is absolutely gorgeous, a mixture of shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow (apparently) ... (i don't smell no macadamia oil).

nail polish - barry m (lemon).

i really like using this during the warmer months as it is not overly intensive and therefore takes far less time to absorb into the skin. i never stick to products all-year round as i find that it doesn't work for me at all (i get by far better if i am actually responding to whatever is up with my skin) - but this would be great to have.

alternative hand creams i swear by are by dove and no 7. dove's rich nourishing beauty handcream (£2) is really rich and ideal for winter when the cold and central heating causes havoc with the moisture in your skin. doesn't smell too bad either actually, and the small size is deceptive; it will last you a very long time. no 7's protect and perfect hand cream (£10.50, ouch) is also a great product but more suited towards people with old lady hands as it contains collagen. i personally love it because it's even lighter than hand food and feels incredibly silky on the skin. for some bizarre reason, it does honestly make your hands appear younger, and photographs like a dream. that's right: if you've been dreaming of becoming a hand model your entire life, get your hands (ZING) on that product now.

brb gagging.

in other news: i've been busy at work and for some reason the deadline for everything (perhaps life itself) seems to be tomorrow. i got caught in the rain today too, it wasn't very pleasant.