Gem and Jo's Sunburn Saviours.

Now we know what you're going to say, "but Gem and Jo, summer is already over". However, if the weather forecasters are to be trusted, September is set to be warmer than normal, so this post could come in handy! To be brutally honest, every time the sun comes out Irish people tend to soak it up in huge amounts and the consequence? Sunburn, really bad sunburn.
Our fair skin is just not made to take excessive amounts of UV rays and without fail, Irish people leg it outside and forget to stop and slap a little sun cream on. If you are like Gem, aka ginger and pale, or if you just have fair skin then this is the right post for you! Without further adieu here is our Sunburn Saviours!

 First off don't let yourself get to the stage where you're desperately looking for aftersun. Start your day off with a little suncream and every now and then during the day top it up! It takes 5 minutes and saves you a whole load of pain in the future.

Garnier Ambre Solaire's range of transparent suncreams are perfect for everyday use as they go on really quickly and don't take forever to dry in! Plus Gem recently found their Wet Skin version, which can be applied to wet or dry skin, perfect for if you plan on having a swim in the lake with your friends! 

If you do get to the stage where you have suffered some burns, do not fret, we have all been there and there are options to make yourself feel a little better while it heals! 

1. Pure Aloe Vera gel is absolutely amazing and when kept in the refrigerator, can instantly soothe burned skin! Gem's mam picked this version up in Lanzerote on her last visit and everyone in the house loves it! Whether you're burned from the sun or looking for a little more moisture for your skin, this is perfect product! 

2. Soap and Glory's Righteous Butter is another great product, we don't advise using this on very burned skin but it is just right for skin that saw a little too much of that great ball of fire in the sky. This too has aloe Vera in it along with Shea butter to really soften your skin! Soap and Glory say to use this product on damp skin! 

3. A great home remedy for sunburn is to have an oatmeal bath! Just pour a half or a whole cup of dry oatmeal into a cool bath (cool so it doesn't shock your skin and free from bath salts or perfumes), mix it well and jump right in! Afterwards let your body air dry so you don't wipe the oatmeal off and voila, sunburn has been soothed! Well, at least temporarily. 

4. If you have been out in the sun long enough to get burned, you have been in the sun long enough to become dehydrated! Sunburn dries and dehydrates your skin and in order for it heal, you have to hydrate it from the outside (moisturise) and the inside (drink lots of water!). When you're in the sun ALWAYS keep a bottle of water or juice beside you and keep on sipping! 

Main point? Don't let yourself get to the point of sunburn! Prevent it and then you won't have to worry about finding that t-shirt that doesn't hurt your shoulders. If you wear makeup on a daily basis, add a little suncream to your liquid foundation. Even though most have SPF in them, it's generally not enough to save you from burning.

If your sunburn starts to blister we don't recommend using any of these products! Get yourself to a doctor and ask for advice! Burns can get infected really easily, be careful and keep the area clean. 

Thanks for reading guys, and we hope these forecasted sunny days come to fruition as much as you do!
Until Next Time,

Gem and Jo's Beauty Hacks

So everyone has their own tricks they like to use when getting ready for the day or night and we thought we would share ours, so we can be of service to world and hopefully help some folks out.
Here are our favourite beauty hacks that have saved us more than we'd like to admit:

1. Wrap your hair in a cotton shirt instead of a towel when getting out of the shower/ bath. This will stop frizz and static and will dry your hair faster!

2. When travelling pack your powder makeup products such as pressed powders, eyeshadows, etc with cotton balls to prevent them from shattering.

3. Use Q tips (cotton buds, for the Irish folks) dipped in makeup remover to fix any eyeliner mistakes without having to start over!

4. When going swimming in the sea, a lake, etc spray your hair with leave-in conditioner such as This One by Aussie. Because your hair absorbs the first thing that's applied, it will be conditioned rather than dry from the harsh water. This can also be done when going to the gym!

5. If you have a plastic retainer (former brace faces like ourselves should have one), put whitening toothpaste (or a whitening product) in it and wear the retainer for a little while. It will help to whiten and keep your teeth straight!!!
Gem likes to use Pearl Drops Beauty Sleep Serum:


6. Use the wand from your expense mascara in cheaper bottles! The only reason you pay so much is for the brush, so don't throw them away! Of course sometimes you get a mascara that has an amazing brush and liquid, they're like hitting the jackpot!

7. Finish washing your hair with a blast of cold water, this will give your hair a nice shine!

8. You can also rinse your body with cold water before applying fake tan. The cold closes your pores and makes for a more even tan. However it is hard to work up the courage to turn to the cold setting in winter!

9. If you've run out of shaving gel, that stuff disappears so fast!, use conditioner instead. It gives a nice close, smooth shave!

10. For really soft feet, apply tons of moisturiser to your feet and then put on cotton socks. This works best if you do it overnight, so you don't have to walk around on soggy feet, ew.  Jo likes to use Soap and Glory's Heel Genius:





Thanks for reading guys, we hope you learned a little from our beauty hacks and that someday they will be of use to you! Let us know if you have any hacks in the comments below, we love hearing from you!

Until Next Time,
XO Gem and Jo