My Party Prep // Routine

I've literally had no motivation this week so blog posts have been seriously lacking, but I'm back today and I'm excited because my gorgeous best friends from home are coming to visit me at uni and we're having a girly night out! I thought I'd share my typical getting-ready routine for going to parties or on nights out...

Of course, getting ready starts the night before - I always wash my hair in advance so that it's easier to style, which saves me from getting stressed out! I've been using the L'Oreal Fibrology shampoo because my hair is so weak, and I actually love it. You only need a tiny amount as it lathers up soooo much, and it smells divine. I usually follow up with a conditioning mask if I have a night out coming up, just so my hair is in as best condition as it can be: I sometimes make my own but I love the Herbal Essences ones too (review here).

On the day, depending on how much free time I have, I like to do a face mask - I'm a huge fan of the Montagne Jeunesse ones, and I've made my own too: find out here how you can!

After my face mask it's usually time to paint my nails (or have a nap... so lazy), and most of the time I choose an Essie nail varnish because they're my ultimate favourite nail brand. When my nails are dry I usually spend around an hour trying on everything I own until I find something that looks okay.

When I've finally got dressed I normally put my dressing gown back on because I'm always cold, and then it's on to my hair and make up. I prefer to wear my hair straight because it's quite long, I think it looks witch-like if it's wavy or curly! I've been using the Argan Oil heat protect spray lately, which I will be reviewing soon as it's fabulous.

I don't tend to do any wild make up looks, because I have really small & hooded eyes so eyeshadow looks quite weird on me at the best of times! When my face is done I spritz on some Lady Gaga 'Fame' perfume and I'm ready to start on the cocktails.

I hope you enjoyed this post, if you have any post requests let me know over on Twitter or Instagram, both of which are @katygilroyblog

DIY Make Your Own Face Mask - Yoghurt and Honey

I suffer from eczema, meaning my skin is constantly dry, and I also suffer from acne - so I have a lot of spots too. Finding treatments that help one thing without causing the other to play up is a nightmare. Most spot treatments are too harsh for my eczema and tend to burn my skin, whilst anything that claims to moisturise really just makes me greasy.

That being said, I love trying out new products to see what they do, and I love things that are cheap and easily accessible. One of the best ideas EVER, in my opinion, is the use of random things you find in your kitchen - making sure nothing goes to waste, and meaning you don't have to run out and buy the new expensive skin products.

I decided to have a root around in my kitchen, and ended up with a nice little face mask. Here's what I used...

2 Tablespoons of Greek Yoghurt
1 Tablespoon of Honey
Half a tablespoon of Olive Oil

(For reference, this produced more than enough for my massive moon face)

I mixed them up in a little bowl and VOILA. Onto my skin went the little mask, which was quite sloppy and made me smell like an ice cream van, for about 20-30 minutes. Plenty of time to relax/watch Tv/nap/answer emails.

When it came to washing the mask off, I used a clean warm flannel (face cloth????), buffing it into my skin in circular motions for a tiny bit of exfoliation. I then used a towel to pat my face dry before examining my skin, which was now ridiculously soft with the exception of the two patches of eczema on my cheeks. I then applied my Simple moisturiser, which seemed to go on a lot better after I used the mask.

Overall I think DIY face masks are definitely the way to go: you know exactly what's in them, and they're a lot less harsh than the shop-bought ones as well as being a lot cheaper! The yoghurt has anti-bacterial properties as well as being soothing; honey is a natural moisturiser and also prevents wrinkles, while the olive oil is extremely hydrating. I've put mine in the fridge to use again tomorrow.

Want to see a skincare review? 'course you do