Tag: psoriasis treatment

ASOS Giving your hair some TLC !

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This month ASOS brought us not one but two gorgeous haircare boxes with goodies for giving your hair some tlc. I waited a little while before posting as I wanted to give a better opinion on the products and there were some great ones!

Both boxes were £12 and were designed to really give your hair some extra care, the difference being one was aimed at curly/ textured hair and the other at dry and damaged hair. Being on a bit of a journey with discovering my wavy bordering on curls at times hair , I picked up both boxes as there were items in both I wanted to try.

Time to treat your hair to some TLC box

First is the box for dry and damaged hair with a new product from Frank Body, the Caffeine Scalp Scrub. I love scalp scrubs as they are great for getting rid of any psoriasis flakes and I usually use the Ouai one which is a sugar based scrub. I’ve used a Frank Body Scrub before and really liked it so was interested to see how it would be as a hair product. Surprisingly doesn’t smell of coffee! It actually has a minty fragrance which is really refreshing on your scalp. I would definitely repurchase as it has helped with the stubborn patches of psoriasis I have at the back of my scalp.

Frank Body Caffeinated Scalp Scrub Full Size £13.95

Next we have a shampoo from Living Proof the PHD triple detox. I found this quite drying on my hair but I would say it’s useful to have in your bathroom to use as a clarifying cleanse if you have any product build up.

Living Proof Triple Detox Shampoo 60ml £10

A sample size from We are Paradoxx of their Repair 3in1 conditioner for ends. This was nice but a pretty small sample so I don’t know that I saw a difference with it that wowed me.

We are Paradoxx Repair 3in1 conditioner sample

I loved this sample of BeautyWorks Argan Oil serum so much, I ordered the full size! First it smells gorgeous and the texture is so light, not sticky at all. It glides into the hair and just takes care of any little frizzy areas or dry sections of hair. I used this when my hair was curly and straight and loved it on both looks.

BeautyWorks Argan Serum 30ml £3.95

Olaplex is an iconic haircare range and they just recently launched the No 8 Hairmask. I absolutely loved this sample, again one I went and bought a full size of. I got two applications out of this tube for my hair and it only needed 10 mins to stay on the hair. It was soft and and smooth, literally it felt amazing. I would highly recommend for anyone with dry heat damaged and coloured hair to give it a go.

Olaplex No 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask 20ml Sample 100ml Full size £26
Time to give them Curls Some Extra TLC

This second box is aimed at curly/wavy/textured hair and is perfect for me at the moment as I am really trying to look after my hair texture and wear my hair more naturally which is a loose wave/ curl.

  • Olaplex No3 £26
  • Living Proof No Frizz Intense Moisture Mask Sample, Full size is £33
  • Shea Moisture Curl Pudding £12.99
  • Cantu Avocado Curling Cream £7.99

So first we have the Olaplex No 3 Hair Perfector, which is full size. The No 3 from Olaplex is to strengthen damaged ends, again I’ve seen a big difference in the look and feel of my hair using this and I’m definitely going to repurchase when this one runs out.

Next is the Shea Moisture Red Palm and Cocoa Pudding which is really aimed at 3A curls and 4C coils so I will pass this along to someone who can make better use of it than me.

The Cantu Avocado Curling Cream I really liked as again when following a curl method on my hair it left it really well moisturised and formed a good wave. This was a full size but I would definitely repurchase.

The last item was from one of my favourite haircare brands Ouai and it’s their Curl Creme. Again this was a really great find and is silicone free and protects the hair as well as adding shine. I loved the texture of this and the way my hair looked afterward. It smells amazing as well and is the same scent as their North Bondi perfume which is a kind of floral scent.

Ouai Curl Creme Sample size Full Size is £25

All in all these boxes offered amazing value for money, with 4 full sized products between them and I’ve found some great new products to help with my hair both in terms of damage and texture.

If you want to try and grab next months box in June, I recommend getting the ASOS app and periodically searching for beauty box, from around the 1st of the month. Sometimes they go live on the 1st other times it’s been around the 6th and there isn’t really ever any notice given. They do tend to be a little delayed when there is a bank holiday as well.

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Love the skin you’re in

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It’s ok to love your body just the way it is.

Sounds simple right? But it’s something I’ve struggled with pretty much since being a teenager. Over the last few years I’ve been on a mission to accept myself flaws and all, not always an easy thing especially when you are dealing with psoriasis and all of the perils of autoimmune disease. After all Psoriasis is so much more than just what you see.

I’ve become braver in speaking out about my psoriasis, something I was so ashamed of and never liked to draw attention to. But slowly I’ve become a little more confident, and unashamed to wear a T-shirt and bear my flared skin or wear a skirt without also thinking I have to wear thick tights to cover up. I’ve seen days in the height of summer when I’d wear a cardigan just so people wouldn’t see my skin.

Examples of a bad flare on arms and legs, when it’s this bad basically everywhere from my scalp to
my feet are covered.

Seems crazy when I think about it now but it took a long time for me to accept that I was never going to be “cured” and this was a condition I’d just learn to manage.

There’s no miracle cream that’s going to make it go away. There’s no tablet or injection that makes the fatigue and joint pain disappear, you just get good at managing with a combination of all of the above treatments. And a lot of family support. 💜

The difference within months can be dramatic at times

I am delighted to be part of the @_restingitchface #FlawedButBeautiful project encouraging people with long term conditions to know their worth and accept themselves. Because we all deserve to be happy.

There’s some amazing stories and people over on Instagram as part of the project so please do check them out. Psoriasis Association has lots of resources for anyone needing support.

I rarely discuss my specific treatment as I believe it’s important to work with a dermatologist but I do share moisturising creams and alternative therapies which have worked for me.

Some favourites which are great for when skin is really inflamed and sore

If you’re struggling with diagnosis or just want some perspective from someone who’s been through most of the treatments available via the NHS do get in touch.

Skin Deep

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I’ve suffered with Psoriasis for a long time and so I’ve always been on the look out for products that would be gentle and effective. Skin condition aside I do tend to struggle with real combination skin, the classic oily t-zone and dry in other areas which can be a bit of a nightmare.

Oily skin can be a nightmare for makeup application and I always use a primer to prevent shine as much as possible. This The Ordinary primer is fab for keeping my makeup put and again great for sensitive skin even when I’ve had flare ups on my face it’s never exasperated the problem.

Some skincare favourites

I discovered the Alex Steinherr range at Primark and have really enjoyed the products which are well priced and effective especially the Micellar cleansing gel from the Maximum Moisture range. It’s basically a version of micellar water but in a gel form which is perfect for when my skin is feeling on the dry side.

One of my favourite shower gels is this Westlab Himalayan Salt wash. It’s not as foamy as other gels but it does cleanse nicely and it doesn’t dry my skin out when it’s flared up with psoriasis- bonus it’s only £2.99!

Aveeno and Oilatum are lifesavers when itchy!

My final skincare saviours are Aveeno and Oilatum. I actually use the Aveeno Dermexa Wash in the bath as I find it really effective to soak in. It sits really nicely on the skin and is gentle to sore patches of Psoriasis, the texture is almost like a yoghurt and it has a lovely smell of oats which is the key ingredient in this range to help with itching. It’s not for everyone but it definitely helps me.

Oilatum has been around for a while now and is one of the few liquid paraffin treatments that works well for me in the bath. A good 20 min soak in a warm bath works wonders on making me feel a bit better when I’m having a psoriasis flare, combined with some emoilents like Doublebase it gets me back on track and ready to face the day again!

A mix of favourites to hydrate and revitalise

Having a good set of basics to get you on track is so important, I tend to mix my skincare up depending on whether my psoriasis is flared or not. There’s no point in applying makeup to unprepared skin so I use products which will help with moisture when needed or primers to help with colour correction- this Rimmel CC Primer in Peach was a great find as it works well with my skin tone and texture but helps reduce redness.

I’d love to hear about any skincare favourites you have !