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Team Nerd's 6 simple skin commitments to get your skin healthy in 2018!

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Christmas is fast approaching at this point and it's time to start filling those stockings if you haven't already... let's be real, nobody is 100% prepared just yet. There are still 'i's to dot and 't's to be crossed but do not fret - we're here with our festive favourites to take the hassle out of your last-minute shop! 

Ban.do Hot Stuff Thermal Mug 

Ban.do's L.A. vibes are perfect to brighten up your loved one's January and who doesn't need a travel mug for bringing that green tea on the go? This Rose Parade Thermal Mug costs only €12.95! 

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm

This lip balm is our office go-to as it is, by name and nature, ultra-nourishing and so it is ideal for these blustery Winter months. If that's not enough, "rêve de miel" means "dream of honey"... awwww. It is €12.00, which is a bit above the average lip balm price, but we can testify that it lasts absolute yonks and it is so good that the user will actively try not to lose it.

Yon-ka Lotion Travel Size 

Stuff their stocking with Spritz O'Clocks on the go! The travel size Lotion Yon-ka is key for the friend who is always awaitin' skin hydratin', whilst still being a busy bee. It can be popped into car doors, handbags, manbags or just on to one's desk. Full of essential oils, it is a wellness retreat in a can for €17.50. 

Human+Kind Body Wash

It smells fantastic, it's completely natural and it is Irish! The Human+Kind Orange Body Wash is a steal at €7.95 and it is a definite upgrade on the overly-sensitising, fragranced body washes of times gone. It is the citrusy shower friend that all will be happy to find on Christmas morning! 

Seoulista Instant Facial Sheet Masks 

If someone were to ask any of Nerd HQ what they'd like to receive the most of, we would all say sheet masks. We can't get enough of them, especially the Seoulista Instant Facials. Choose from Charcoal Detox, Brightening, Correct & Calm or Super Hydration. Each mask costs €8.99. 

Pukka Cleanse Tea 

Not only is the Pukka Cleanse Tea deliciously fennel-y and minty but it gets your skin glowing from within and it smells better than most scented candles we know! As a bonus, it is only €3.45 per box. 

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fresh Mist

Spritz No. 2 on our list... okay, but you can never be TOO obsessed with Spritz O'Clock. However, this is a Spritz of a different breed. The Anthelios Invisible Fresh Mist is an SPF that can be applied before or after makeup which makes it a game-changer in light protection. It is so handy for SPF top-ups throughout the day and it is only €14.99 for a 75ml bottle. 

TanOrganic Tanning Oil 

TanOrganic is not just a sunless tan, it is a skin tan. Not only will it give your glow-loving pal a bronze sheen, but it will nourish and hydrate their skin at the same time. Now, that's a concept we can get behind. The oil is €24.99 and glides on like a cream never could. Oh, and it is Irish too! 

Dermalogica Mini Special Cleansing Gel

A mini cleanser is the stocking filler to get for those frequent flyers, mini breakers and gym goers in your life and the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel cleanses all skin types without stripping the skin. Not only that but it goes excellently alongside the Cleanse Off Mitt. The 50ml cleanser goes for €13.10!

Cleanse Off Mitt 

Surprise! Of course the Cleanse Off Mitt is our must-have stocking filler - it is the best accompaniment to a cleanser, any other skincare product or, well, anything. Everyone of all genders, ages and skin types has to wash their face, so why not give the gift of easy, skin-friendly cleansing this Christmas? 

Get your mitts on the Cleanse Off Mitt here or at pharmacies, salons and clinics nationwide!

The big day has arrived! The costumes are ready, the sweets are by the door - you're sorted! All that's left is to apply the face paint... well, here are some important tips to follow to ensure you and your minis' skin aren't in the horrors! 

1 - Only Use Face-safe Face Paint 

Everyone is a special effects makeup artist these days... however, some people don't want to pay special effects makeup prices to complete their look. Non-toxic does not equal skin-friendly and PVA glue should NEVER be applied to the face. 

Why? The colourants, dyes and other ingredients found in non-skin products have not been tested on skin, so you are more likely to react to the wide array of ingredients... nobody wants to be left with blemishes in real life because they were creating a blemish illusion! 

Make sure to only use brands that you have researched or heard of, like Snazaroo, to avoid any nasty ingredients. 

While on this note, do not use craft glitter in lieu of face glitter! The difference is that if craft glitter can get into your eye, it can scratch your cornea and leave you in serious pain... Look for glitter marked as "cosmetic glitter". 

2 - Be Careful When It Comes to Bacteria

Sharing is caring, right? Not necessarily... When it comes to face paint, you are much more likely to spread bacteria from face to face due to the application method. Unless you disinfect the face paint pan after every swipe, your face paint becomes a petri dish in no time! 

For the acne-prone, this could spell absolute disaster. Stick to tubes when buying face paint as it is the most hygienic option, as there is no "double-dipping"! 

Most reputable face paint brands contain antibacterial ingredients in the product to stop the spread of bacteria anyway but it is always good to be on the safe side. 

3 - Wash it off PROPERLY! 

Skin-friendly face paint should not cause any irritation to the skin but it is hard to tell which brands clog pores and which don't! We here at Nerd HQ find that after using face paint our skin is definitely more congested than before...

However, considering Halloween is only one night, the possibility of clogging is something that can be overlooked but you should definitely be ensuring it is completely and absolutely removed before you hit the hay. 

The Cleanse Off Mitt removes face paint gently and fully on its own but you should follow up with your regular cleanser to make sure that not even a smudge of it is left on yourself.... with the added bonus of avoiding long-lasting pillow stains!  

If the face paint being used is particularly stubborn, add a little bit of coconut oil to avoid any rubbing on delicate young skin.

4 - Remove Liquid Latex With Care

Liquid latex is essential to pulling off a semi-realistic wound, but you can end up pulling off more than just a fabulous costume! 

Liquid latex is a cosmetic adhesive - its entire purpose is to stick to the skin. Unfortunately, because of this, it also sticks to the vellus hair (AKA the fine, thin "peach fuzz" that is found all over the body). 

Your vellus hair helps to protect the skin against extrinsic stressors like harsh weather so it is important to keep it intact. Remove liquid latex using warm water and a cleanser to loosen the bond between the latex and your skin and its vellus hair. 

5 - Look After Your Skin Post-Party 

Face paint can really take it out of the skin! Even if it it skin safe, it can be very drying and leave the skin looking dull and even a bit flakey. 

Bring it back to life with a product formulated for sensitive skin like Declaré's Gentle Cleansing Powder, which can be used on both adults and children. If your skin is in need of hydration, reach for the hyaluronic acid!  

At the end of the day, as long as you are using brands that are well-known and committed to skin safety, your skin will survive the night! Happy Halloween from everyone at Nerd HQ!  

Every once in a while you need to be able to cut corners - maybe you've got a busy week, or it feels like pay day was years ago. What you need are some life hacks.

What is a life hack? Simple - a life hack is something that makes your life a little bit easier, whether it's using something for more than one purpose or using something for a purpose that is not the most traditional. We've compiled a list of the absolute favourite Nerd HQ Life Hacks...

Use Baking Soda to Deodorise Your Kicks

Runners are the most practical of all shoes; FACT. Thankfully, they're becoming more and more acceptable in the work place. So now, you're wearing your Nikes/Adidas/New Balances/Pumas in the office, to the gym, at home and on the sesh. Let's be real: they're probably not smelling the best. 

Don't fork out money on expensive sprays when you can life hack the smell away. Add two tablespoons of baking soda to five drops of an essential oil of your choosing, mix it together, and shake it into the inside of your shoes. 

Leave it overnight and hoover it out in the morning et voilà, the box fresh scent is back! 

Use Permanent Marker to Cover Scuff Marks on Pleather Shoes

Pleather scuffs so easily. You get a brand new pair of shoes, you're feeling fly, about to leave the house, and you see the tell-tale flap coming off your shoe, exposing the dirt-grey material beneath. You're already late... what are you going to do?! 

Easy peasy - just gently remove the flap and colour over the mark with black permanent marker. Is this a classy life hack? No. Is it practical? YES. 

Keep Magazine Perfume Samples To Freshen Your Drawers

Oo-er... we mean your bedroom drawer. Well, technically, also your other drawers. You know the little cottony scented pads behind the foil doors in magazine perfume ads? Most people swipe it on themselves and chuck them out straight away. You wouldn't think you're being wasteful, would you? Newsflash: you are! 

Pop them directly into your underwear drawer, other modes of storage or your freshly odour-neutralised trainers. It'll gently scent your clothes, leaving you smelling divine all the time.

DIY Your Own Blotting Paper

Blotting paper is a fairly frivolous expense to many of us. We are oily as a chip pan and we want to be able to instantly blot it off without completely re-applying our whole face, but we don't want to spend 20 euro for a pack of 50 for the privilege.

A very simple blotting paper hack is to separate toilet paper and dust it very lightly with mineral powder to soak up any excess oil. We recommend splitting the toilet paper layers whilst wearing gloves so as to avoid transferring any bacteria. You can keep your DIY blotting papers in an old mint tin.

 Save Hotel Minis For Future Holidays

We are not openly advising you to steal from hotels. However, when you're going on an in-country mini break, bring full-sized shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, as you are not restricted on liquids. Then, save the minis you're given for when you can't bring as many liquids as you'd like! Ta-da - this one is maybe the easiest to do and will save you trying desperately to funnel slippery stuff into tiny tubes. 

Tie Bobbins Around The Legs Of Your Glasses To Prevent Slippage

Everyone with a narrow face who is not blessed with the gift of perfect vision understands the struggle of trying to find glasses that fit your face properly. This leads to your glasses slipping down your face all the blimming time.

Take medium-width hair bobbins and wind them around the end of the each leg at the bend, as shown in the picture. That's all there is to it! The bobbins will keep your specs snug to your face so that you can live your life without the hassle of pushing them up all the time. Bliss. 

Make the Most of Your Mitt 

The Cleanse Off Mitt is a mitt of many talents. On top of using it the classic mitt-to-skin way, you can use it as a pre-cleanser before a traditional cleanser OR apply your cleanser directly to the mitt to save time! Ta-da, super clean skin! 

The Cleanse Off Mitt makes your life easier and saves you time. Hack your skincare routine! 

Visit the Cleanse Off Mitt Store

Being a student can be rough: you're living off hummus and toast, none of the wine you drink has a year on it (but it all has resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant) and you have approximately zero euro to spend on looking after your skin. On top of that, the stress of deadlines, exams and just existing can wreak absolute chaos on your skin. Just because you're studying doesn't mean you have to let your skin fail. 

There are so many affordable skincare brands nowadays that there are really no excuses! 

Makeup Remover

Of course we're going to say Cleanse Off Mitt (€5.95) - it's cheap and easy in the best way. If you keep your Cleanse Off Mitt for the recommended three months, it works out at just under €2 per month AKA cheaper than your wipe habit. 

Cleanser

The humble cleanser is the cornerstone of your skincare routine. Biofresh's Yoghurt of Bulgaria Sensitive Probiotic Ultra Mild Facial Wash Gel (€11.95) helps the skin to create helpful skin bacteria (and you'll know all about this, Biomed students), thus balancing the pH balance of the skin. When your balance is good, you're less likely to get spots, rosacea flareups or dry patches. 

Serum

Serums aren't just for boujee older ladies. In fact, we recommend to swap a traditional moisturiser for a serum as unlike moisturisers, serums can penetrate much deeper into the skin. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (€6.80) is extraordinarily cheap. Hyaluronic is holy grail, hero ingredient stuff. It hydrates your skin intensely to keep you looking fresh even when you were knocking through a big bag of cans the night before. 

SPF

Yes, you may feel as if you're young and so your skin is indestructible. Unfortunately, this is simply not true. Technically, your skin will start to age from 25 onwards. However, sun damage now will show up later. We love La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fresh Mist SPF50 (€14.99) as it is light and easy to mist on before and after makeup. 

Spot Treatment

Waxperts Wonder Pads (€9.99) were invented to treat and prevent ingrown hairs after waxing. How and ever, they are bursting with salicylic acid to clear up spots, blackheads and excessive oiliness. 

Spritz O'Clock

La Roche-Posay Eau Thermale 50ml (€4.49) is teeny-tiny, approximately the size of your hand. This means that you can carry it ANYWHERE - to lectures, to the SU and to the sesh. Spritzing ensures constant skin hydration and it's also really nice and makes you feel like a glamorous supermodel a la Gigi Hadid (especially if you shake back your hair while doing it). 

The Total

If you are to buy everything on this list, it comes in at €54.17 and will realistically last you between 2-3 months. Compare this to your monthly pizza budget and see if you can justify it... but don't go cutting your pizza budget, that's barbaric.

Psst... by the way, our Back to School sale is still going until Saturday... get your mitts on 3 Mitts for €15.00... 

https://cleanseoffmitt.com/collections/com-collection/products/cleanse-off-mitt-3-mitts