How to follow blogs without Google Reader

So Google Reader is going the way of the Dodo and I haven't been able to totally figure out what this means for Google Friend Connect (GFC, or all those smiling faces in the sidebar). I am going to assume that this will be ripped from our desperate grasp too.

As an alternative, I really like to follow blogs with Bloglovin'. It appears that Bloglovin' is the winner with the whole Google Reader fiasco because most people are encouraging their readers to switch to this platform. I encourage you to do so too! I find the interface a lot easier to use than Google Reader and much more aesthetically pleasing.

I have a lovely naked lady on my sidebar if you'd like to click her to start following me via Bloglovin'.

What's your favourite way to follow blogs?

What I Ate Wednesday

I have slowly been making changes to my diet in the past 6 months in an effort to generally get healthier. It was mostly spurred on by hormonal issues and terrible acne. So most of the foods I try to eat show benefits for skin health and also balancing blood sugar levels.

I thought I would start a new series that was inspired by various food and health bloggers I have seen around the traps that document what they eat for a day. I think this will also inspire me to mix it up a bit so I don't end up showing exactly the same foods every wednesday!

My Morning Skincare Routine

So here is the morning half of my skincare routine that has really helped clear up my skin. My acne has mostly disappeared (apart from a nasty outbreak I've just gotten after having a virus). I don't have major sensitivity issues and the redness in my face has pretty much disappeared.

I start by cleansing my face in the shower with the oddly non-foaming cleansing gel from Alpha-H, the Triple Action Cleanser. Some very mild cleansing agents with a dash of anti-bacterial Thyme make this a winner. I jump out of the shower and shake a bit of Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid onto a cotton pad and swipe it over the areas of my face prone to congestion to exfoliate them. Next up is Ole Henriksen's Truth Serum. One pump of this vitamin C serum covers my whole face to help treat hyper pigmentation. A dab of Bobbi Brown EXTRA Eye Repair Cream keeps my fine lines plumped. Finally, a pump of Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF30+ protects my face from the hot summer sun.

To go natural or not to go natural - that is the question.

So sometime last year I read a book by Dr Perricone that talks all about the influence of diet on your skin. I don't follow all the guidelines in this book. Let's be honest I can't eat that much salmon! The book did however make me think a lot about how my diet might be affecting my skin. Well not only my skin, but my entire body. I've been blessed with some lovely hormonal issues that affect lots of things, but the easiest one to see when I look in the mirror every morning is my skin. I had some awful cystic acne crop up around 18 months ago, which along with other things in my life that were going on, really shocked my confidence. Moving on, because this isn't a big sop story. The point is that I looked at my diet and made the following changes because they might help with the hormonal and skin issues:

Lovin' the drugstore makeup!

I love drugstore makeup. Really I do. It's funny because before I started getting into blogging I hadn't visited a Priceline in years. Now I can't get enough of the stuf!!

I ♥ Drugstore Makeup Tag

First Impressions: MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF15 Foundation 2013

MAC have released a new foundation for 2013, the Mineralize Moisture SPF15 Foundation.

MAC says:

An innovative, gorgeous new formula, full of extraordinary benefits. Its lightweight lush texture feeds skin instantly with mineral-rich nourishing hydration, all day long. The uniquely creamy fluid, ideal for dry skin, blends beautifully, providing light-to-medium buildable coverage. Features our 77-Mineral Complex including Shea Butter, emollients and conditioning extracts to keep the face soft and supple.

In anticipation of the coming winter I ordered both the foundation and mineralize concealer in NC15 to deal with dry, winter skin. I had heard the concealer is similar to Maybelline FitMe, which I really like the consistency of but can't find a colour match.