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thereallygoodblogshow · 6 years ago

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MA Fashion and Textile Practices Major Project Path - 29th March

Kandinsky’s theory on the relationship of a point on a plane and the importance we place on it depending on the size and distance that point has from other objects on that plane had some resonance with me. This theory made me think of the importance of negative space or ‘white’ space that is used within graphic design and its relevance to what I am trying to achieve with the use of stark contrasts and the space within folds.

Within graphic design, web design, advertising, art, or any space where we lay out form and text the use of negative space, or white space as it is referred to is incredibly important. Negative space or white space is simply unmarked space within any design. White space was the terminology adopted by editorial designers as the space in margins, paragraphs, images and between text, as this usually occurred on a white paper background, but in design white space can be used as the terminology for any colour, texture or background image. On the Medium website, Prototypr blogger Pratik Hegde (2017) explains its use quite beautifully;

“White Space in design composition is same as use of Silence in a musical composition. Without proportionate use of Silence, music is unstructured; some may call it noise. Similarly, without White Space, design is unstructured and difficult to consume”

Without negative or white space there is no cohesion or comprehension within the space that is used. Kandinsky said the more the point is moved away from the text and the larger it got the more relevance it has as an object in its own right. Objects that are on a plane either have to have a relationship with each other or are objects in their own right and that is what negative space is used for, to identify what use these objects have.

Within UI(User Interface) and UX(User Experience) design this white space has different uses. There are Micro White Spaces which refer to the space between lines, paragraphs or between menu items. Whereas Macro White Spaces are used larger spaces between layout elements which enable the viewer to be guided to the main focus of the web page or layout.

Team, D. (2016). Micro and Macro. [Illustration]. Retrieved from https://www.designorate.com/white-space-user-interface-design/

Here we can see that the micro white space is used between text and the spacing of sentences, whilst the macro white space is used between the photographs and images to enable the viewer to prioritise them first. The combination of the two gives an overall cohesion to the layout, encourages focus and aides communication.

Article: Hegde, P. (2016). Importance of White Space in Design. Retrieved from https://blog.prototypr.io/importance-of-white-space-in-design-5a40c0e65bfd.

On the website Manifesto, writer Barbara Marcantonio (2015) discusses design principles and the importance of negative or white space, including the terms Horror Vacui, Gestalt and Prägnanz. So what are these?

Horror Vacui is the Latin term which means ‘fear of emptiness’, something which design can be guilty of exuding. It is where the need to fill every inch of space of a design with elements of some kind is strong. The Victorians were especially guilty of Horror Vacui, with their busy design and ornate and fussy interiors, the term is the opposite of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s term ‘Less is more’ design philosophy.

Moran, K. (2017). A peek inside a perfectly preserved Victorian house in Kensington. [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.theresident.co.uk/homes-interiors/a-peek-inside-a-perfectly-preserved-victorian-house-in-kensington/

Beautiful yet busy in the picture above! In the Victorian age this cluttered style was seen as a display of wealth and standing, today cluttered design is often associated with lack of value - think of the stack em’ high philosophies of bargain shops like Poundland. Horror Vacui is directly associated to value perception in the viewer. Marcantonio (2015) states that research conducted on the shop window says the more cluttered a shop window is the more the perceived value decreases. Yet give products space and the perceived value increases. Many high end shops will only display a minimum amount of products, letting the quality and design speak for itself, as shown in the picture below;

Marcantonio, B. (2015). Design principles – Gestalt, white space and perception. [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://manifesto.co.uk/design-principles-gestalt-white-space-perception/.

Jan Tschichold, the German calligrapher, typographer and book designer looked at white space in a different way;

“ White space is to be regarded as an active element, not a passive background”

He believed that every element that was added to a design was taking away valuable white space, so every element used needs to be considered and its relationship with the space remaining. The image below shows how he considered each part of the design the leave essential white space as an active part of the complete piece.

Tschichold, J. (2016). jan-tschichold-die-frau-ohne-namen-the-woman-without-a-name-film-poster-for-the-phoebus-palast-cinema-munich-1927. [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://thecharnelhouse.org/2016/11/25/jan-tschichold-and-the-new-typography/jan-tschichold-die-frau-ohne-namen-the-woman-without-a-name-film-poster-for-the-phoebus-palast-cinema-munich-1927/.

Further on in the article Marcantonio (2015) discusses The Gestalt which is a concept first developed in the areas of philosophy and psychology in 1870′s Germany. The term means ‘shape, form’ and the main principle of this philosophy is based on Kurt Koffka’s term “The whole is other than the sum of its parts.” Meaning that when we observe the whole of something we are taking it in as a complete image and not breaking it down into the essential elements within it. The word Prägnanz (German word for ‘pithiness’) relates to this philosophy as an overall law where elements we observe should be concise and meaningful within the overall observation, and that the viewer will inevitably make this observation of either complex or ambiguous elements in their simplest form. As humans we do this automatically by instinctively knowing the relationship between shapes and finding meaning to a composition.

As I stated before I have always arranged objects in ways that have a relation to each other, obviously tapping into my natural Gestalt! These relations can be split into seven distinct areas;

Proximity: things closer together will be seen as belonging together.

Similarity: things with the same characteristics (shape, colour, shading, quality, orientation) will be seen as belonging together.

Symmetry: our mind tends to perceive objects as developing around a centre point and it’s pleased when it can divide those objects evenly and find balance.

Figure-Ground: a series of rules that tells our eyes what to focus on first, what is the shape and what is its background.

“Common Fate”: objects are perceived as lines that move along the smoothest path. Elements moving in the same direction seem more related than elements that are stationary or that move in different directions.

Continuity: the viewer’s eye will naturally follow the smoothest path.

Closure: when parts of a whole picture are missing, our perception fills in the visual gap.

These relations seem quite obvious in some ways but it is quite astonishing how they are disregarded within some design compositions. They are incredibly important principles to remember and a lot will go unnoticed but will contribute to a compositions overall Gestalt. When we make marks on fabric or paper using paint or pencil intuitively maybe we are tuning into our inner natural principles of Gestalt, where we place each mark may seem natural but we know instinctively where each one should go, and essentially when to stop - when enough is enough.

Images: Marcantonio, B. (2015). Design principles and human perception. [Illustration]. Retrieved from https://manifesto.co.uk/design-principles-gestalt-white-space-perception/.

Article: Marcantonio, B. (2015). Design principles – Gestalt, white space and perception. Retrieved from https://manifesto.co.uk/design-principles-gestalt-white-space-perception/.

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nznetworkblr · 6 years ago

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Poundland are selling 90s inspired bubble bags – and they’re only £1

Poundland are selling 90s inspired bubble bags [Poundland] Poundland are known for their amazing deals, and large range of products. Earlier this year, the discount store started selling adorable Disney tote bags. Poundland have also teamed up with Ferne McCann to launch her very own beauty range. Now, Poundland are bringing all sorts of nostalgia to their customers as they release bubble bags. These 90s bubble bags are in Poundland stores now …

Source : OK

via Fashion Ideas

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durrantsdivulging · 8 years ago

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So… Finally the Office is finished … well nearly 🙂 just a few tweaks here and there, one of which is putting the trim down round the edge of the vinyl flooring and also gloss the skirts , make a underneath desk cupboard for the computer tower and casing for the cables as I hate them being visible. As we were told as kids “Children should be seen and not heard” with interior design in mind “Ugly things should most definitely not be seen or heard” confused? let me elaborate for example we all know that wires are inevitable pain in the backside a lot of things are wireless nowadays but still majority of home appliances are not, making it one of those annoying tedious problems Interior designers to face on a daily basis.

How are these problems, overcome I hear you ask? … Well the answer is clever designs that hide the hideous items which we don’t wish to be on display i.e. box the wires in, use cable catchers, drill a hole through the desk and thread the wires through. There are many hacks that we as interior designers use to get around those issues. ( A definite future blog post- I think)

However honestly its finished, Ha ,Ha I am sat chuckling after writing the “Finally the office is finished” Statement, thing is with me in my own home I never seem to finish it as I always have something else to do to it its almost like a OCD thing.

Its what some may call a continuous rolling project to everyone else who sees it however its a beautiful finished room filled with Colour, Light, Beautiful Textures.

Even the smallest thing is part of the colour scheme right from the smallest pen to the fluffiest dogs bed.

However I finish clients rooms daily and walk away happy with my creation and so are they .

But at home I am a constant failure at finishing – I feel this is definitely something I should actively put right and leave well enough alone once I say the words “Right I am Finished” and actually finish.

Right so now I am going to go through the before and after images of the OFFICE…

This was my rough plan (not to scale) – which just gave me a rough idea of how it was going to look

Tired Desks

So are you fed up with looking at your old tired desk of yours I know I was … well again back to that interior design hack – on the cheap but with maximum ‘wham bam thank you mam power’

See below how I turned old into new – my favourite contact paper white marble design.

The high gloss sheen is just fantastic, I love how this has turned out it looks so real 🙂

Before

The before image of our “dogs room” as we called it but also rightfully had the title junk room aswell it was awful !

After

The After – Our beautiful Lemon Yellow,Pure White and Grey Office The thing is that most people think you have to spend a fortune when it comes to interior design … but really the finishing touches can be done on the cheap even though they don’t look cheap ……. So in the above and below images you will see the following-

Small Yellow Boxes £1.00 each from Pound world

Small Yellow Candles £0.69p each from Primark

Pillar Candles £1.50 each from Primark

Yellow and Grey Throws ( dogs bed) from Primark £4.99 each

Cushions on Chair £1.00 from Poundland

Buddha Heads £1.00 each from Poundland

White Pineapples £1.00 each from Poundland

Abstract Bespoke Art with Silver Leaf from ‘Florence’s’ £150.00

Yellow Cups £1.50 each from Sainsburys

Money Plant with vase – Homebase £ 10.00

Money Plant Homebase- £15.00

Yellow Tulips – Tesco £2.00

The draws I already had and I painted them in a Yellow chalky finish

Usually I love the wood floor boards but I had become fed up looking at them they had become stain dirty and dull and I was no longer in love … so new flooring was also a must .

Flooring was from an Ebay shop £75.00 for 4m x 4m

Beautiful White Wooden Flooring (Vinyl)

Even the dogs bed matches the office colour scheme 🙂

Click on the images for bigger view

Art From Florence’s Bespoke Abstract Art

ask for more details

I think this just shows that even if your struggling for funds, don’t put it off you can do your room up and add the final touches from as cheap as 0.69p each …..

Now I Challenge You to do this to a room in your house … Then send me a picture of your finished product to [email protected]

with your Name and Email Address Plus a bit about your project…The winner will feature in my next blog 🙂

Below is also an example how easy interior touches can be changed – If your source of colour comes from your accessories look how easy it is to change them giving you a completely new look…..

its as simple as that from yellow to rose gold and wow what a difference ….

Hope you enjoyed my blog

until the next time 🙂

Emx

Interior Design – Wow That Office! So... Finally the Office is finished ... well nearly 🙂 just a few tweaks here and there, one of which is putting the trim down round the edge of the vinyl flooring and also gloss the skirts , make a underneath desk cupboard for the computer tower and casing for the cables as I hate them being visible.

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meadowhall1-blog · 5 years ago

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Visit Poundland Sheffield., everything for £1 with amazing value products such as sweets and snacks, stationery and beauty products. Discount store at Meadowhall shopping centre.Log on https://www.meadowhall.co.uk/shops/poundland

#Pound Shops SheffieldPound Shops in SheffieldPound Shops Sheffield.

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wheatleyshopping-blog · 6 years ago

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Visit Discount shops in Doncaster at Wheatley Centre shopping destination, offer amazing value on a huge range of products, including every essentials, sweets and snacks, stationery, health and beauty products.Log on https://www.wheatleycentreshoppingpark.com/shops/poundland

#Discount Shops in DoncasterDiscount Shops DoncasterBest Discount Shops in Doncaster.

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renaewilliams-blog · 6 years ago

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Object Autopsy: Deconstructing a nail set in the style of Todd McLellan’s style of work.

Todd McLellan quote “I think there’s a second part to everything. There’s a nice organized way to doing things and there’s a haphazard way to doing things. I think they work quite well together.”

During this workshop activity in pairs, we tried demonstrating the hazard size a nail set. We deconstructed a mini nail set from Poundland, took before and after images so we could compare the beauty within the product aswell. The product cost £1.00 given reason to why the product was really flexible making it easier to break. Even though we used various tool equipment such as screw drivers and pilers each metal piece ripped apart quickly.

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opticien2-0 · 4 years ago

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Poundland will trial online home delivery early next year

Image courtesy of Poundland

Poundland is to take its first steps towards selling online early next year, as it pilots its first home delivery service as part of what it’s hailing as the biggest transformation in its history.

The retailer is to convert one of its three shops in Cannock into an online fulfilment centre. The store will close tomorrow for conversion work to begin.

The move is part of a wider transformation plan by a retailer that, with 850 shops in the UK and Republic of Ireland, has a presence on most high streets. It plans to operate through three types of shop. Destination shops will offer a full range of products including food, beauty and clothing. Core shops offering a broad range of goods will operate on high streets, while convenience shops will encourage shoppers to pop in to make quick purchases. Existing shops will be refurbished and shop Free wi-fi is to be made available in every shop and Poundland will invest in new back office technology through its Oracle ERP programme. Poundland has not sold online before but the new move chimes with a wider shift online as more people did more of their shopping over the internet during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Barry Williams, managing director of Poundland, said: “We’re stepping up to support high streets after the impact of the coronavirus by being customer-focused, people-led and tech-enabled. This is the biggest transformation in our history as we look to secure our future for another thirty years.”

Shops within a shop featuring Poundland’s five-year-old family clothing brand Pep & Co will expand to more than 310 shops, while chilled and frozen food (pictured) will become available in 60 shops. Another yet-to-be revealed shop-in-shop concept will be launched later in the year. The transformation programme, known internally as Project Diamond, is running alongside a strategic shift from a single price retailer to a simple price retailer. Poundland sells three-quarters of its product at £1 but also sells within a range from 50p to £5.

Commenting on the move, Nigel Frith, senior market analyst at asktraders.com, said the move was a "massive step" for Poundland, and warned that with change comes risk. He said: "What if this doesn’t work? What happens if the chain is going to have to make redundancies or cut jobs as a result of the pandemic? All these questions need to be answered and trialed before they offer a full-time delivery service.

"Adding to this, Britons on lower incomes rely on cheaper stores such as Poundland, so launching a delivery service is no use if the brand hikes up their prices to not suit customer satisfaction needs. On the other hand, this is a chance for Poundland to make new jobs as they are going to need drivers to deliver the goods, and with the climate we are currently in that is definitely a positive change."

The first Poundland shop opened in 1990. Today it is part of the Pepco group, which has more than 2,500 shops across Europe including international Poundland shops that trade under the Dealz brand.

#Retail 2.0

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raygoodwinphotographyjournal2 · 6 years ago

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PHOT201 - Weird & Wonderful ‘Alienated Spaces’ - Tom Westbury - Research

As expressed in my journal entry about Marc Wilson, I sometimes find it hard to really like a photographer’s work - so few can really captivate my attention and enjoy their work. Tom Westbury is one of those photographers. I stumbled upon his work whilst on Tumblr about a year or so ago, when I was looking at brutalist buildings for last year.

Now, it is rather obvious that I have been highly influenced by Westbury. I find that his images capture modern spaces rather well. All of his work is captured with a Mamiya 7 and Kodak Portra 400. Westbury documents the fallout of human activity, something that I have been trying to undertake myself. After looking at his images for the best part of a year, I have been influenced by the compositions and the colour palette, despite my distaste for Portra’s warmness.

Thamesmead, 2018

One thing you notice is the lack of people in the photograph, purely placing the focus on the urban space. My ethos of leaving people out of frame is because I often feel distanced, alienated, estranged and isolated from people due to seeing how modern capitalism has changed them. Westbury manages to create these spaces of urbanisation which are totally quiet, desolated, deserted. Another thing to notice is the lines. The Mamiya 7 never had a shift/perspective control lens, so I would assume that Westbury is altering the perspective in post-production. The lens looks to be of the 50mm/60mm variety, equating to 24/32mm in 35mm terms. The DOF is rather large, so the aperture is stopped down to at least F11, which would also create a feasible shutter speed on a 400 asa colour negative film such as Portra. And, with Portra’s rather large dynamic range, it can be overexposed to at least 6 stops. Which can be seen here by Kyle McDougall.

Southampton, 2018

This time, the urban space is covered in darkness. Westbury manages to keep the running theme of desolate urban spaces, even when the sun has gone down. This is also where Portra 400 comes in, as having 400 asa in darker areas is rather helpful. You can also see Portra’s incredible dynamic range coming into play - the shadows still contain plenty of detail, with the highlights keeping detail (see the buildings windows in the centre). This fallout of human activity is rather interesting and raises questions why certain things are in place: why is there scaffolding here? what sort of work does that building need?

Southampton, 2018

We arrive in Southampton again. This time at what seems to be an industrial estate. Westbury’s work is a prime example of ‘Banalography’: the documentation of the banal and mundane space of the everyday. This, seems to be Westbury’s main influence, as well as mine. There is such intrigue and beauty in the everyday, yet people are too busy or not interested to notice. Why would the layman be interested in certain architectural stylings when they could be on their dumb smart-device? This is perhaps a question that doesn’t need to be answered as of yet, but a question I ask with my work, as well as Westbury’s. Note, how little nature is in frame. A small section of greenery, with a solitary tree erupting from the greenery. It’s almost like nature trying to reclaim it’s land, but being cut back and trimmed as a form of horticulture.

Paignton, 2018

An image right on my doorstep. I was amazed to see an image from a photographer that I am inspired by, rather close to home. I have to give Westbury props for this, as it even makes Paignton nice to look at - which is rather difficult as it always ends up as a chocolate box seaside snap. It also goes to show that these areas are everywhere, you just have to know how and where to look. Paignton lends itself Portra, as there are plenty pastel colours for it to pick up. I really enjoy the leading lines of this shot. The Biffa lined backstreet of a Devon seaside town sheds new light onto a place often occupied by Northern tourists. Again, he manages to make to banal and mundane interesting to look at. It’s all about the lens you view the world at, and how you perceive it. All of these areas are fallout of human activity, and capitalism. These spaces simply wouldn’t exist without it. Yet, I despise what the system makes of people, but it creates such a mundane space which can be made interesting depending on how you view it. I like to compare it to brutalism - how can such an ugly, concrete monolith look so intriguing? If only Westbury had an example of such a familiar place...

Plymouth, 2018

Now, this is very familiar as I have shot this before. When I saw Westbury was in Plymouth, documenting spaces that I had previously been to, it felt rather odd. Seeing such places I have documented and spent time in from another POV is an interesting experience. This is Union Street, looking at the Western Approach Car Park, with Westbury standing outside Crash Manor Nightclub. I like the mix of brick and mortar pub, and the post-war concrete brobdingnagian. One thing to note is the blurred Mercedes (yes I can tell). I mentioned that to get such a large DOF, he would be stopping down to at least F11 or more. I would guesstimate that this was shot on 1/30s, or around that figure to get that kind of blur in broad daylight. Also, being stopped down to this extent will maximise sharpness, even with Mamiya’s usually spotless optical performance. But I would imagine you would start getting diffraction at around F16.

A coda. Westbury is a key piece of influence on my craft. How he manages to compose and create photographs manages to keep my interesting in photography, even when I’m feeling burnt out (such as summer 2018). The composition is something I have noticed that is similar to mine. There is a consistent nature of how Westbury frames the image, usually with a leading line going across the frame into a point. They are also rather pragmatic, with them being at eye level almost like you’re there viewing the scene.

I plan to take on-board how Westbury frames photographs, and take on-board what Marc Wilson said to me about the consideration of focal lengths and composition. It’s something I am always working on, and hopefully improving. I might try shooting some colour film for Alienated Spaces. I liked the images I got some the 5D, thanks to the nice colour science of Canon’s full frame DSLRs, so I would like to try it with some colour film. I do have a lot of Agfa Vista 200 left from it sold in Poundland, as well as some expired (yet refrigerated) FujiFilm.

You can see Westbury’s work here on his website, and all images are referenced below as usual.

Bibliography

Pho-tom.tumblr.com. (2018). Tumblr. [online] Available at: http://pho-tom.tumblr.com/post/177278595315/thamesmead-2018-mamiya7-mediumformat [Accessed 17 Oct. 2018].

Pho-tom.tumblr.com. (2018). Tumblr. [online] Available at: http://pho-tom.tumblr.com/post/176963026315/southampton-2017-documentingspace [Accessed 17 Oct. 2018].

Pho-tom.tumblr.com. (2018). Tumblr. [online] Available at: http://pho-tom.tumblr.com/post/176911012815/southampton-2017-mamiya7-banal-banalography [Accessed 17 Oct. 2018].

Pho-tom.tumblr.com. (2018). Tumblr. [online] Available at: http://pho-tom.tumblr.com/post/176784675280/paignton-2018-banal-documentingspace [Accessed 17 Oct. 2018].

Pho-tom.tumblr.com. (2018). Tumblr. [online] Available at: http://pho-tom.tumblr.com/post/176418498870/plymouth-2018-the-dangers-of-the-self-timer [Accessed 17 Oct. 2018].

#phot201

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meditationsinausterity · 6 years ago

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Self Care on a Shoestring: Skincare

I can't help but be annoyed that the phrase 'self-care' these days means little more than an excuse to instagram yourself in the bath or buy a new nail varnish, when to those actively participating in any kind of therapy it means so much more. It's the endless chronicling of activity to notice patterns, the developing of coping strategies and systems to break them, the non-stop monitoring of behaviours that take you away from or towards your goal. Not to mention reminding yourself to eat, to get fresh air, to spend time around the people that make you feel like you can truly be yourself. Sometimes it's as simple as opening the curtains; sometimes it's as intense as having a conversation with someone about the fact that the social behaviours they expect of you are in direct conflict with your best interests.

Still, it is what it is, and self-care has become tied up very much with the idea of personal grooming, so it's the term I'll go with. I'm not going to deny that there is an element of wellbeing maintenance in taking care of your appearance. i know for a fact that if i get anxious, the way i look is often the first noticeable sign of slippage. And conversely, that sometimes standing under the shower methodically shampooing my hair can feel like the most infinitely head-clearing, mindful experience.

In an appearance-obsessed culture it's a dangerous gambit to propose that you have to look good to feel good, and it's not one I'm prepared to set my stock in as a way to live. For one thing, I don't have any beauty products to sell you when you get the subsequent fear. For another, everybody's mileage varies on what 'best' means, and that is fine. i get bored of adverts telling me I'm not enough, and i don't really want to add to that noise.

I am, however, incredibly vain, or rather, incredibly honest about it. I have been reflecting lately on a lot of my flaws; impatience, stubbornness, etc. and realizing that I'm not much more so than a lot of people I know, i just admit to it openly, but more on that another time. I'm also very interested in fashion, and by extension, beauty. When I have money, I do splurge on products for my appearance, but when I don't, I'm also pretty good at improvising solutions to take time for the beauty rituals that make me feel put together, pretty and stylish, without spending. The beauty industry thrives on the thrill of the new, of the purchase, of the sale, and it's pretty easy to get caught up in that product-lust, and feel all the consumer envy and anxiety that comes with not having enough spending power to participate. My approach to it all is a lot more laid back than it used to be; I focus less on the purchase, more on techniques and ritual that are of benefit and feel relaxing and luxurious.

So I thought I'd talk about how I keep myself feeling and looking on point with fuck all in the bank. And given a discussion with my friend Lou and I had over breakfast the other day in which I announced that I prioritise skincare over makeup because 'I can wash off a drawn on face, I only get one real one', I thought i would start with skincare. I mean, it's the building blocks of anything else you do to your face, and you do it every day, so it's important, right? I'm only going into what I do here, because it's all I'm qualified to talk about, so if you're happy with soap and water, or you want a full ten step k-beauty style regime, go you. But if I can teach anyone how to save a quid or try something they didn't know about in their grooming, then I'm doing what I set out to do.

(I didn't want this to be a product picture heavy post as that goes against what I'm trying to tell you, so I dug out a load of makeup free pictures of myself to illustrate that I have quite a good point when it comes to skincare)

Buying skincare

Okay, I know I said this wasn't about the purchase power angle, but obviously there are certain things you will regularly buy. So this is my hustler's advice to get them for the cheapest you physically can.

The first thing I'll say here is, HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO BRAND LOYALTY. If a beauty brand wants you to ship them, you shouldn't have to pay for your shit. Sure, if you find something you love, and wanna carry on using it, and it's within your means, go ahead, but these products are not essentials, or must haves. They are jars of goo. Mostly very similar ones. Most products that claim to do similar things will, indeed, do very similar things, at radically different price points. I love fragrance and packaging as much as the next person, but they don't make me feel ten times more beautiful, so I'm not paying ten times what I would for them.

On a related note; buying a more expensive product and skimping on application is a fool's errand. Get the cheaper one and use it as it was intended. Active ingredients have a job to do, and if you're not using enough of them, you may as well not be, so buying something that you feel is 'better' because it costs more and then applying it as though it were irreplaceable unicorn tears is a ridiculous waste of your time. Plus, it's not very self-caring to treat your face as if it's only worthy of half measures now, is it? you're gonna need the full whack for proper facial massage and shit anyway. Be realistic.

And back to brand loyalty. Don't be loyal where you shop, either. Everywhere needs your business these days, we're in recession. Anywhere that sells skincare will have countless promos on it, and you can use this to your advantage to stretch your buck as far as possible. I will admit, i do gravitate back to superdrug regularly, because they do court my business in such a way: they almost always have 3 for 2's combined with freebies and great introductory offers, but I also consider: supermarkets, health food stores, ethnic groceries, poundland wholesalers, and the fronts of magazines I'd be buying anyway (or that work out cheaper than buying the product); when I'm looking for what I need. By the same token, I'll warn you off blindly buying at the supermarket. Unless we're talking about the two teutonic loves of my life, Lidl and Aldi, it's not a given that what you chuck in with your fruit and veg will actually be a better bargain than you get elsewhere. Sometimes it really can be (it's worth keeping your eyes peeled for reductions because of packaging changes, for example), but oftentimes they rely on the fact that you are being economical with your time to charge you more for what's probably a pretty basic product.

And lastly; the more you know about your skin, the better you can treat it. When I talk about what I do, I'll be focusing pretty intensely on what works for my skin type, knowledge of which comes from years of having lived with my skin, reading about skincare wherever I can, listening to people who know what they're on about (but not always buying what they were selling), and some trial and error. having some basic knowledge of what active ingredients work for you and what to look for is your ally in avoiding unnecessary spends.

By the same token, if you try something and it doesn't work, give it to a mate. It's better than it sitting on a shelf unloved, and it'll probably make your mate's day, as it's an unexpected little treat. My friends and I have been doing this for years, and it's an excellent way to both give and receive a little mood lift, and make sure nothing goes to waste.

(even as a heavy smoker my skin hasn't aged that much, so there must be method in my madness)

Cleanse

This step is so key. When I slack with it the difference in my skin texture is noticeable almost immediately. This may be because i have savagely oily skin so my pores block up at the drop of a hat, but getting into a proper cleansing routine has drastically improved this. I favour an old school, oil based cleanser and facecloth route, so that I can incorporate facial massage, because I clench my jaw in my sleep and when I'm stressed. I am currently using superdrug's own B. range micellar cleansing oil, but i dot about buying whatever is cheapest or on best offer. I've been known to use coconut oil (that holy grail of versatile beauty products, I've got a cracked lip and am applying it as lipbalm as we speak), or in a pinch, whatever oil is in my kitchen cupboard, the important thing is the technique.

Apply it liberally to your face and neck (I use about a 50p sized amount to start and add more if i've not got significant lubrication). use small upward, circular motions to massage the skin. If you have large pores like me you may actually be able to feel some physical extraction and unclogging of your pores. Gross, but satisfying. I take the time to do some tension relieving massage as well; using my ring fingers i apply pressure in outward streaking strokes along my eye sockets and browbones, then I rest the cups of my palms under my cheekbones firmly, and slowly open my mouth (you'll feel real muscle resistance and then release as you do this - it's amazing for if you grind your teeth in your sleep or when you're stressed). Lastly I use the bent knuckles of my index and ring fingers to firmly work outwards from my chin along my jawbone in small, tight circles (again, if you have any points of tension you'll feel them and be able to concentrate on those areas). These massage techniques are awesome for puffiness in the morning and your facial muscles feel super relaxed after; they are also effective with a foam based facewash if that's your bag.

To take off the cleanser off I soak a lightly textured facecloth or flannel in hot (not too hot, let's not get any broken veins here) water, hold the whole thing over my face for a brief steam and a few deep breaths, then in brisk upward circular strokes, set about removal, focusing on problem areas (for me, my nose and chin). Squeaky clean, and relaxed.

As a footnote, I will say that I can't always be arsed if I've been up late, or I've got better things to do like get laid, I used to rely on facewipes to save the day. I still currently have a pack in my bag for when I stay at he who I shall call the bedfellow's house (I knew I'd cave to a moniker for convenience's sake eventually), but I'll actually vouch that Micellar water and a cotton wool pad is far better value for money per use. not my preferred method, and for me, not sustainable for any lengthy period of time, because my pores suffer, but far better than no cleanse at all.

Tone

I tend to fuck toner off a lot of the time. It's actually not a beauty industry secret that most of them don't do an awful lot, and counter girls the world over, if asked to sacrifice one step of a three-step program, will axe toner without blinking. It's not on your skin for as long as anything else, so it's not as crucial. Its job is to remove any last vestiges of cleanser, and tighten the pores, and you know what else does that? Freezing cold water. I can't remember the last time I bought a commercial toner. If I'm having a particularly breakout-y vibe I'll either buy a bottle of witch hazel, or brew some green tea and have it in the fridge to swipe over my face. but mostly, icy cold water does me beautifully, especially since my face is already wet given my cleansing method.

(unless you count the glitter smeared on me here by a three year old, the no makeup vibe here is strong, I don't think I'd be as confident in my skin if I didn't take care of it)

Moisturise

The most vital step. And the thing you should spend most money on, as it is actually absorbed into your skin. Having said that, I can't remember the last time I spent more than a fiver on one, and the almighty coconut oil can step in here again if needs be (If you take nothing else from this, take the fact that one jar of coconut oil can do everything you need, and it costs 2.99 at Lidl, and considerably less in most Indian and Caribbean groceries). I'm currently using B. for Superdrug's B. radiant day cream (are you feeling that 3 for 2 vibe yet?) but I have a bag of bog standard Boots own fragrance free moisturiser in my bag for bedtimes and mornings when I am not in my bed. I also have a half a tube of Soap and Glory's The Fab Pore on my dressing table, that I use sparingly because it's got some aggressive AHA's (alpha hydroxy acids - they basically kick skin debris in the dick, it's like sandblasting your face), which my skin occasionally needs if I'm suffering dullness, but if I use it regularly I get irrritated skin.

Moisturiser is probably where you most need to look for key active ingredients for your skin type, which is where that basic awareness of your skin comes in. Bear in mind, though, that the industry thrives on the new, so these ingredients will trend and then be superseded by something new in order to sell more shit. There'll always be new breakthroughs because there'll always be more product to sell that way. My age, and my oiliness taken into consideration, I tend to look for vitamin C, anything that says brightening or radiance boosting, and hyaluronic acid, an ingredient that locks water into the skin cells . But as i said, I'll take anything, as long as I can apply it liberally, in upward strokes, and always to the neck as well. never forget your neck.

(Fresh out of the shower and freshly moisturised, I actually often wish I could preserve this glow all day, which is what products that contain hyaluronic acid strive to do)

Additional products

Now, that's enough, really, if kept up regularly. And the routines and techniques performed day and night do feel luxurious, and like you're looking after yourself. You don't necessarily need all the serums, primers, masks, and targeted creams that you're told you do, but they can feel like a nice extra treat for you on a shitty day, and they do get results, so I'll run through what I must regularly indulge in.

Masks.

Oh masks. If you believe Instagram, we've reached peak face mask. There are so many different kinds that there aren't enough weeks in the year to try them all, and still they come. I acquire most of mine through three-for-twos, or as samples. I try and do at least one a week, usually two. One a deep cleansing clay-based one (at the moment i've got Soap and Glory's The Fab Pore, which also has glycolic acid, another great skin-resurfacing enzyme, but I've had that jar since Christmas and it's showing no signs of quitting on me yet), and the other a glycolic peel (B. by superdrug's at the moment). Because of my skin type, constantly clearing surface debris is really good for the condition of my skin, and anything that deep cleanses is always a good shout. I can also be tempted by thermal clay masks in winter, to boost my circulation, I seem to remember the most afforable one I found was by Sanctuary, and not more than a fiver in boots.

If I do not have time or access to such products, however, I do not cry about it. Life goes on, and I doubt anyone really notices but me, it's so much more a ritualistic thing that I do to feel like I am taking time for myself.

Eye Creams.

About the only sign I have of aging bar the odd grey hair is little crinkles around my eyes (I smile a lot). I don't really like them. I also get puffy eyes a lot (it's easy to make me cry, which is not a challenge by the way). I am not fussy about what I use, mine's from Aldi's Lacura range, and cost me about three quid, but kept in the fridge, and patted on when my eyes feel tired or sore, it is the most soothing thing. I can't honestly say if it makes a difference or not, but it feels so good that when I can make it part of my routine I do.

Spot treatments.

Fuck them. a bottle of tea tree oil is much cheaper, does the same thing, and has multiple other uses. Likewise TCP if we're being real here.

So concludes my initial skincare on the cheap outline. I imagine it'll be one of the more in depth pieces I write on self care, because I don't mind admitting that I am pretty lazy in a lot of other areas, and somehow manage to spend even less. I'm a sucker for a good beauty tip, especially a budget one, so I'd be really interested to hear everybody else's.

#personal blog #meditations in austerity #self care on a shoestring #skincare #cleanse #tone #moisturise #skin #beauty #self care

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