Showing posts with label bravura london. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bravura london. Show all posts

Friday, 26 July 2019

Bravura London Moisturisers

Bravura London Azulene Moisturiser Glycolic Acid Night Treatment

Hardly a week goes by without the launch of some new skincare products. These launches can be difficult to ignore because it's only natural to want to try something new & improved. As a beauty blogger I love trying new things, especially when it comes to skincare so it can be quite rare to come across a product that I will continue to repurchase again & again. I change up the actives & serums constantly but one thing I have stuck with for a very long time is my moisturiser. These two little pots of joy come from Bravura London. They have a perfectly curated range of skincare products designed to treat the problems that come with many different skin types. I love the First Cleanse Oil for removing my makeup & their chemical peels are simply fantastic. I don't use as many of their products as I used to ever since The Ordinary came along but I have stayed loyal to their moisturisers for several years.

Bravura London Azulene Moisturiser

Bravura London Azulene Moisturiser (£10.20 / 50ml)
A quick search through my inbox revealed that I first bought this moisturiser back in 2016 & have repurchased it a countless number of times over the past three years. If that doesn't tell you how much I love this product, I don't know what will! It's a really lovely way to finish off your skincare regime whether you have normal, oily or combination skin. I sometimes switch to their Collagen Moisturising Cream during the Winter when my skin gets a bit drier but for the most part, this particular moisturiser is the best thing for my personal skincare needs.

The blue colour of this moisturiser comes from one of it's most important ingredients, azulene. This is a natural, botanical extract from chamomile flowers that helps to soothe sensitive skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to prevent the formation of blackheads & blemishes. Don't let the colour put you off, the Azulene Moisturiser looks completely normal once you've applied it to your skin. If anything, the ever so slight blue tint makes your complexion look brighter & less sallow. You only need to use a small amount of product so each jar tends to last me quite a long time. This light, emollient cream is fragrance-free but in my opinion, it smells a tiny bit like marzipan. The Azulene Moisturiser has an aloe vera base so it never feels heavy or greasy. In fact it has stopped my skin from producing as much oil, probably because it has helped to keep everything properly hydrated. It absorbs quickly & feels really comforting. Along with azulene & aloe vera, this moisturiser features rosemary, sage & hop extracts to help calm irritation & heal the skin. The combination of hazelnut, wheatgerm & avocado oils provide lightweight yet effective hydration without clogging pores. This is why it's such a great product for my blemish-prone skin.

I use this moisturiser every morning without fail because it helps to keep excess oil at bay & has an almost matte finish. Yet it still provides all the hydration that my skin requires. The Azulene Moisturiser makes a wonderful base for makeup. It works really well with the rest of my skincare routine & doesn't cause pilling. The soothing formula has helped to prevent breakouts & reduce redness. It leaves my skin feeling softer, smoother & a whole lot healthier. I also use it at night because those healing properties are always welcome after some chemical exfoliation. You can mix it with a few drops of something like rosehip oil, argan oil or squalane for some extra hydration. This simple trick turns the moisturiser into more of a luxury treatment to really pamper your skin before bedtime.

Bravura London Glycolic Acid Night Treatment

Bravura London Glycolic Acid 15% Night Treatment (£17.40 / 50ml)
Although I do mainly use the Azulene Moisturiser mixed with a facial oil at bedtime, I'm also a big fan of this moisturiser that has been supercharged with glycolic acid. I adore Bravura London's chemical peels as they are extremely effective but they can be a bit of a faff to use. Sometimes I'm just way too tired to do my full skincare routine at night even if my complexion is crying out for help. When I'm feeling lazy I just wanna wipe off my makeup with some micellar water, pop on a tiny bit of moisturiser & jump into bed. But that's probably not the best thing for your skin. So to combat my chronic idleness, using a rich moisturiser infused with a high percentage of glycolic acid means I get some much needed exfoliation & nourishment at the same time. I've tried moisturisers with acids in before but none of them have been quite as effective as this one.

The Glycolic Acid 15% Night Treatment is ideal for dry, mature or problem skin. It's particularly good for blemish-prone skin that gets too dry when using gel moisturisers or oil-free lotions. However it should be avoided if you have really sensitive skin. The cream is quite thick & luxurious with a lovely buttery texture. You only need to use a tiny amount & have to massage it in really well. It doesn't smell quite as pleasant as the Azulene Moisturiser but the scent soon dissipates after application. I find that it can make my skin sting a bit when first applied, especially if I have any active spots but it doesn't cause irritation or redness. After a couple of minutes it melts into the skin & makes my face feel incredibly soft. It also kills off any blemishes, clears blocked pores & fades scarring. I honestly noticed a difference after just one use as when I woke up my face was glowing. When you first start using this moisturiser, you should only apply it every other night so that your skin can adjust to the high acid content. Over time the glycolic acid in this moisturiser will make your skin look smoother & scars will become less noticeable. As well as exfoliating the skin, it stimulates the production of collagen which will give you a more youthful & plumped up complexion. It also allows your moisturiser to penetrate the deeper layers of skin to provide some truly intense nourishment.

Another way I like to use this moisturiser is as a targeted blemish treatment. You can just apply it directly on top of any congested areas to quickly tackle any pesky spots. Many fast-acting spot treatments tend to dry out the skin & that often makes things look worse, especially if you want to conceal it with makeup. Just like the Azulene Moisturiser, the Glycolic Acid 15% Night Treatment has aloe vera & safflower oil as the two main hydrating ingredients so it will keep your skin feeling perfectly moisturised whilst banishing blemishes. This product really does make your skin look clearer overnight & it allows you to streamline your skincare routine so you can get even more beauty sleep. Brilliant!


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Monday, 11 December 2017

Black Friday Haul



I love shopping around for bargains & rarely buy things online without a discount code. Even though we don't celebrate Thanksgiving I'm glad that us Brits have fully embraced the tradition of Black Friday. It's the best time to get all your Christmas shopping done & as you're saving a bit of money you can afford to treat yourself at the same time! There were a few items that I needed to repurchase & some things that I've had my eye on for ages. First I got a new bottle of the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil & Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. I ordered them from FeelUnique as they had a 20% discount code. The shower oil is my favourite thing to shave with & the extra moisture is much needed at this time of year. I tend to flit between using the Urban Decay & NYX setting sprays as they both work exactly the same. I just went for the Urban Decay one this time as you get a bigger bottle & I enjoy it's unique scent so it's a good one to buy when you can find a discount code.

These days most of my skincare comes from The Ordinary but I still love Bravura London products. They had a whopping 25% discount for Black Friday so it was the perfect time to stock up. I got a new bottle of their First Cleanse Oil which is what I always use to remove my makeup. I absolutely love the Azulene Moisturiser! I use it twice a day as it works really well with the rest of my skincare routine. It's a light moisturiser packed with calming botanical ingredients that help to soothe & heal the skin. It's brilliant for those with oily, combination or acne-prone skin types as it hydrates the skin without clogging pores. I also decided to pick up the Collagen Moisturising Cream. I normally stick with the Azulene Moisturiser but this one is better for dry skin so it helps my skin to cope with the cold weather.



Bumble & Bumble's Hairdresser's Invisible Oil is one of my favourite hair products of all time. I'm always amazed by how much softer & shinier it makes my hair. It can be a real struggle to make damaged, bleached hair look healthy but this stuff works miracles. I rarely have to repurchase it because a bottle lasts such a long time & I'm sure glad it does because it costs £35! I spotted this Bumble & Bumble Sp(oil)ed Silly Gift Set on FeelUnique for £38 which means that for a mere £3 more you get a sample of the Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer (which is also incredible!) & a rose gold Tangle Teezer thrown in. With FeelUnique's 20% discount I got it for just £30. What a bloody bargain!



The Stila Eye For Elegance Liquid Eyeshadow Set was at the very top of my Black Friday wishlist. I'm utterly obsessed with the Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadows. They make using glitter so much easier & completely mess-free. I currently own four of them but they are pretty expensive so even at full price this set is fantastic value. I knew I could get it cheaper on Black Friday though & Stila had 20% off on their website bringing it down to £36. In this set you get three Glitter & Glow eyeshadows and three Shimmer & Glow eyeshadows. Unfortunately I already own Smoldering Satin but at least I can use the one in the set as a stocking filler for someone else. I'm so excited about this gift set, all the colours look beautiful & I cannot wait to try out the new shades!





Beauty Bay had up to 30% off everything on their website so I ordered a few items that I've been wanting for a long time. I already own 25 Jeffree Star Liquid Lipsticks so I decided that I wouldn't order any more colours. I've wanted to try his Velour Lip Scrubs for ages as the flavours sound amazing but I didn't want to pay £12 for a single scrub. I ordered Strawberry Gum & Root Beer in the sale. I mainly got the strawberry one for Chloe as both of us get dry lips at this time of year. Root Beer is just for me though! It's one of my favourite ever drinks & a small part of me died inside when McDonald's took it off their menu back in the 90s. The scrub tastes just like the drink & has the added bonus of being edible. It does a great job of removing dead skin cells, leaving my lips feeling super soft & smooth.



I've tried loads of different beauty sponges but in my opinion nothing comes close to the original Beautyblender. My one was getting a bit tatty looking so I needed to buy a new one. I went for the Beautyblender Swirl as it has a pretty pink & white marble design. It works exactly the same as the pink Beautyblender but just looks a bit cooler.



Jouer Cosmetics have been all over YouTube this year & I love the look of their lip products. I have so many matte liquid lipsticks so I wanted something a bit different & decided to go for their Long-Wear Lip Topper in Skinny Dip. Lip Topper is just a glorified name for a lip gloss but I do really like this product. Skinny Dip is a metallic golden nude gloss with flecks of gold & pink shimmer. It looks gorgeous whether worn alone or on top of a liquid lipstick. The luminous finish makes my lips look fuller & plumper whilst adding a hint of golden iridescence. The consistency is kinda thick for a gloss but it isn't sticky at all. It feels more like a lip balm as it's quite nourishing on the lips due to the inclusion of jojoba seed oil & coconut oil. This Lip Topper looks truly stunning & the sweet, cakey scent is divine!



I've been wanting to buy the RCMA No-Colour Powder for so long but it's always out of stock! Beauty Bay managed to get plenty in for their sale so I finally got my hands on this highly coveted setting powder. I use loose powders to bake my concealer but I've noticed that they can sometimes alter the colour, making my base products look slightly weird. This powder has no pigment in it so even though it looks white it won't change the colour of your foundation or concealer & it is suitable for all skin colours. It gives my base a matte flawless finish that lasts all day & it never looks dry or powdery on the skin. Unlike some powders it doesn't cause flashback so you don't have to worry about getting your photo taken. The packaging is a bit rubbish but otherwise this is an excellent setting powder.



The last item I got was the Benton Snail Bee High Content Mask Pack. I mainly bought this to get free next day delivery but I love sheet masks & Benton are one of the few popular Korean beauty brands that I haven't purchased anything from before. The Snail Bee range is very well loved on /r/AsianBeauty so I knew it would be worth trying out. I haven't used the mask yet but if I like it I'm sure you'll hear all about it!





Accessorize had 30% off their Angels kids range so I got Chloe some cute new things. She needed some new Winter accessories & what could be more fitting than their Chloe Cat collection?! I bought her the Chloe Cat chullo hat, Chloe Cat scarf & Chloe Cat capped mittens. They're all so cute & keep her really warm. Her new school has a tuck shop during morning break & when I've given her money to get a snack she always loses it! She loves being able to get a hot chocolate & croissant in the morning so I bought her the Becci Bunny round cross body bag & the Pretty Kitty cat purse to keep her money in. I also spotted this lovely Crown Chakra bracelet in store & decided to treat myself. I have one of the Daisy London chakra bracelets but it was so expensive & this one was only a tenner!




I have become an avid enamel pin collector this year & I'm always on the lookout for cute new pins to buy. Etsy is my favourite place to look for new designs & it was on there that I came across Hand Over Your Fairy Cakes. I didn't manage to get one of her limited Black Friday discount codes but I decided to go ahead & buy a few pins anyway as I fell in love with these designs quite a while ago. I adore the pastel colourwheel, strawberry pocky & CMYK pins but my absolute favourite is the one that says 'I Got Dressed Today'. Sometimes that can be a bit of a struggle for me when I'm feeling down & it's nice to be positive about those small achievements.

What bargains did you pick up on Black Friday?


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Saturday, 9 December 2017

November Favourites



Glossier Boy Brow in Brown
Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade has been my go-to brow product for the past three years. However I've recently started using two new things that have completely changed the way I do my eyebrows. The first one is Glossier's Boy Brow. These kind of tinted brow gels are nothing new; ABH, Benefit & Essence all do really good ones. There's just something about Glossier's offering that makes it stand out from the rest. The colour is great, it's a deep ashy brown without a hint of red. The hold is really impressive & keeps my brow hairs in place all day long, which is something lacking from other tinted brow gels. The brush is tiny so it coats the individual hairs well & you're less likely to blob product on your skin. It's so quick & easy to use, giving your brows just the right amount of definition. Of course it works best if you already have a good eyebrow shape but overall it's a great product for beefing up your brows without making them look unnatural.

Laneige Eyebrow Cushion-Cara in Two-Tone Grey
The other eyebrow product I've been loving is Laneige's Eyebrow Cushion-Cara. I recently saw people using Iconic London's eyebrow cushion on YouTube & as with most cushion type products I knew that there would be a cheaper Korean alternative. I ordered it off eBay & immediately fell in love with this product. Inside this tiny compact you get two different brow colours contained within a cushion sponge & an eyebrow brush with a spoolie on the other end. I never normally use brushes that come with makeup but this brush is great quality. It picks up the liquid inside the cushion & applies the product with extreme precision. You can easily draw on individual hair strokes with it as well as filling in your entire brow. The liquid is highly pigmented but blends out really well so you can get that beautiful gradient fade at the front of your brows whilst making the tails super sharp & defined. The pigment tends to stick to the skin rather than the eyebrow hairs so that's why I like to use it in conjunction with Boy Brow. I would definitely recommend trying out one of these new eyebrow cushions, they are simply incredible!

Bravura London First Cleanse Oil
I always double cleanse at night to make sure I get rid of every trace of sunscreen & makeup. Oil cleansers are my preferred method of makeup removal & I've been using Bravura's First Cleanse Oil for about a year now. I rarely repurchase skincare but I picked up a new bottle in their Black Friday sale as I've been so pleased this product. The packaging is beautiful & it comes with a free pump for ease of use. The cleanser is made up from a blend of safflower seed, coconut, avocado, chamomile, lavender & rosemary leaf oils with added Vitamin E. It has a lovely scent & feels really luxurious on the skin. It attracts all the dirt on my face & washes off easily leaving my skin feeling super soft & clean. It even works well on waterproof mascara & doesn't make my eyes sting at all. Some cleansing oils can leave a weird film on my eyes which makes me feel like I'm going blind but this stuff is completely fine to use on the eye area. This cleanser does a wonderful job of cleaning my face & has also helped to improve the condition of my skin. It's especially good when it comes to dealing with the sebaceous filaments on my nose & balancing oil production.

Bleach London Smoky Shampoo
Getting my roots done is the bane of my life. I haven't been bothered to go to the hairdressers since our holiday got cancelled this Summer so I'm currently rocking six months worth of regrowth. Not only are my dark roots massive but the blonde parts have been looking rather brassy too. It's a real mess! I've used Bleach London's shampoos before & they're actually really effective when you need to quickly refresh your colour. I decided to get their new Smoky Shampoo instead of the Silver one I usually buy & I'm so happy with the result. The Silver Shampoo brightens up blonde & grey hair whilst removing yellow tones but this one almost darkens it, giving it a deeper, ashier tone. My brassy yellow barnet has been transformed into a beautiful smoky grey with minimal effort. I love how it looks & no longer feel quite so desperate to get my hair done professionally. There is a hint of purple running through it & this shampoo definitely seems like it would turn your hair properly purple if you were to use it too often or leave it on too long but if you stick to using it every other wash you should be fine. Just like the Silver Shampoo it can also be quite drying so make sure you follow it up with a hefty dose of conditioner!



Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette
As much as I love watching beauty gurus on YouTube, I have never bought any of their merch or collabs with cosmetics companies. Neither have I bought any Morphe eyeshadow palettes before despite my love for their brushes. That all changed when I purchased Morphe's much-anticipated Jaclyn Hill palette. I love Jaclyn, I think she's great at teaching eyeshadow techniques & I've personally learned a lot from watching her videos. She seems really sweet & always looks flawless. Morphe eyeshadows can be very divisive but I saw how hard she worked on this palette, perfecting the colours & formulas over a two year period so I knew it was gonna be well worth the investment. I spent a couple of hours in a queue on Beauty Bay & the palette was mine the very next day! There are a couple of minor things I don't like about this palette, the typography makes me want to cry & I wish it wasn't made out of cardboard but the actual eyeshadows are utterly dreamy. The colours are rich, highly pigmented & look even more beautiful in real life. It's full of warm eyeshadows but there's also some gorgeous jewel tones that really make it stand out from other Morphe palettes. It's really versatile & you can create so many different looks with it. I'm so impressed with the quality of the eyeshadows. The mattes are creamy & almost blend themselves! The shimmers are absolutely stunning, I'm a big fan of the purple at the bottom & the pinks at the top. This palette is easily one of my favourite purchases this year. I honestly can't recommend it enough & if you see it in stock on Beauty Bay, don't hesitate to pick one up!


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Tuesday, 27 June 2017

Bravura London Chemical Peels






It has been five whole years since I started treating my skin with chemical exfoliants. I actually can't believe it's been that long but this blog is proof that I first reviewed Alpha-H's Liquid Gold back in 2012. A lot has happened to my skin in that time. Spots, closed comedones, scarring... have all come & gone & come again. I've tried countless products over the years, all of which seemed to alleviate my skin troubles in the beginning but my spots persisted & my skin has never looked 100% perfect. I've even considered going on roaccutane but was never really sure if my blemishes were severe enough. The products I was using were mainly leave on treatments. I used things like the aforementioned Liquid Gold, Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid, Eucerin DermoPurifyer Toner, CosRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid & AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid with varying degrees of success but ultimately none of them were quite enough to solve my skin problems.

Unsatisfied with the acid treatments I had tried, I began looking into hardcore chemical peels. I was so fed up that I really wanted to order some extremely high percentage acids from Makeup Artist's Choice but I was put off by the shipping & customs charges from America. Eventually someone on Reddit recommended Bravura London's chemical peels & I promptly visited their website to place an order. Bravura London were the first company in the UK to supply chemical peels for use at home. The owner Amanda Elias founded the company back in 2003 & she continues to give out personal product recommendations for anyone wanting to try their skincare range. All of their products are extremely well formulated yet very reasonably priced. Swapping out many of the items in my skincare routine for Bravura London products has been beneficial for both my skin & my bank account!

The first product I tried was the 2% Salicylic Acid. This BHA works wonders on spots, blackheads & closed comedones as salicylic acid exfoliates inside your pores as well as the surface of your skin. The application process of this peel is slightly different to many leave on BHA & AHA treatments. First you need to wash your face & then wait 30 minutes for your skin to return to it's normal pH level. Next you're supposed to decant some of the acid into a glass. I like to use one full pipette of acid & a fancy martini glass. I then apply the acid all over my face using the Chemical Peel Applicator Brush that I also ordered from Bravura. This fan brush is made from high quality synthetic Taklon hair. The bristles feel really soft & it's very easy to clean. It allows you to apply the chemical peel quickly & evenly without getting the product all over your hands. After two minutes you can wash it off & carry on with the rest of your skincare routine. You can increase the treatment time up to 10 minutes as your skin becomes accustomed to the acid. Unlike many chemical peels you don't need to use a neutraliser afterwards which definitely makes the whole process a lot simpler. Peels are bit stronger than exfoliating toners so the effects are more immediate & as I'm washing it off I can instantly feel the difference in my skin. It unclogs pores like a dream & my face is generally less congested. For best results you should use it every other night. Salicylic acid can be quite drying as it regulates sebum production so I always slather on my moisturiser afterwards but it could be the answer to a lot of oily skinned people's prayers.

Having fallen in love with the Salicylic Acid, I couldn't wait to try some more products. Next I ordered the 10% Lactic Acid along with the Revitalising Ginseng Toner. My skin tends to prefer lactic acid over glycolic acid as it's a milder exfoliant & far less drying. It's a much better choice if you have dry or dehydrated skin. Lactic acid is an AHA that increases cell turnover & boosts collagen production. This makes your skin feel smoother & more elastic. It also helps with blemishes, hyperpigmentation & fine lines. Regular AHA use will reveal a complexion that is more even both in tone & texture. When I started using this particular Lactic Acid it was at a higher percentage than I had ever used before. 10% is really quite potent so it might be too strong if you've never used any lactic acid. This peel has been infused with rose floral water which gives it a delicate rose scent & makes it a pleasure to use. You apply it in the same way as the Salicylic Acid but you need to leave it on for 5 minutes instead of 2. Treatment time for this acid can be increased up to a maximum of 15 minutes. I do find that my skin looks a bit pink after washing it off but this soon fades away & is replaced by a fresh, radiant glow. Again you can apply this every other evening or if you want to use it alongside the Salicylic Acid you can alternate them to avoid over-exfoliation. As with all chemical exfoliants it's incredibly important to wear sunscreen in the morning as your skin will be temporarily more sensitive to the sun. My skin feels noticeably softer & smoother after using this product. Lactic acid is a natural humectant which means that it helps the skin to retain moisture & this peel also features glycerin so it really is fab for drier skin types.

The one thing that annoyed me about using these skin peels was the 30 minute wait time after washing your face. Peels work best when your skin is at the correct pH level but sometimes I couldn't be bothered waiting so that's why I ordered the Revitalising Ginseng Toner as a pre-peel treatment. Bravura say that if you use this beforehand you can skip the huge wait time. It contains 5% glycolic acid which is the same amount as Alpha-H Liquid Gold. Personally this product did not work for me & it made me breakout in places that I had no spots in previously. I think that using two acids one after the other was simply too much for my skin. Now I just use the CosRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser beforehand to lower my skin's pH level. This works a treat & my skin reacts much better to the peels without having to wait after cleansing. I would highly recommend picking up some of Bravura London's at-home chemical peels if you feel that leave on acids are no longer working for you. The results I've had from using these products has been phenomenal & the extra effort required is definitely worthwhile.


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Monday, 3 October 2016

September Favourites



Bravura London Glycolic Acid 15% Night Treatment
Bravura London make some of my favourite skincare products. I adore their chemical peels as they are super effective but they can be a bit of a faff to use. If I'm feeling lazy I love finishing off my evening skincare routine with their Glycolic Acid 15% Night Treatment. This night cream combines a super rich moisturiser with a high percentage of glycolic acid. The cream is quite thick so you only need a small amount & have to massage it in really well. I find that it can make my skin sting a bit when first applied, especially if I have any active spots but it doesn't cause irritation or redness. After a couple of minutes it melts into the skin & makes my face feel incredibly soft. It also kills off any blemishes, clears blocked pores & fades scarring. I honestly noticed a difference after just one use as when I woke up my face was glowing. My skin has adjusted to the high acid content & I use it several times a week now. I've tried moisturisers with acids in before but none of them have been quite as effective as this one.

Foreo Luna Mini 2
I used to think that the Clarisonic was pretty awesome. However as I learned more about skincare I realised how bad it truly was for your skin. That whole 'purging' stage is a load of rubbish, the high powered brush just irritates the skin. It seems that many of the other people who used to use Clarisonics have switched to the much gentler Foreo Luna cleansing tools & I'm actually really glad that I bought one. I decided to go for the Luna Mini 2 as I liked the size of it & I figured it had all the features I needed. The Luna range is quite different to the Clarisonic as it doesn't exfoliate the skin. Instead it deeply cleanses the pores using sonic vibrations, much like an electric toothbrush. At first it didn't seem like it did too much. My skin felt softer & better cleansed but otherwise I wasn't sure I had made a good purchase. But a couple of months down the line, I have definitely noticed a difference in the texture & clarity of my skin. I will be doing a full review of the Luna Mini 2 at some point as I do have a lot to say about this product but in short, I think it's a brilliant bit of skin technology.

Jeffree Star Skin Frost in Ice Cold
If there's anyone out there who knows a thing or two about highlighting, it's Jeffree Star. His liquid lipsticks are my absolute fave so when he started teasing his Skin Frosts months & months ago on Snapchat I knew I needed them in my life. I ordered Ice Cold & Peach Goddess and while I adore them both, I tend to reach for Ice Cold a little more often. It's an intensely shimmery white highlighter with a slight hint of gold to it which makes it more wearable than BECCA Pearl. It gives the skin an almost metallic sheen & really pops on pale complexions. Highlighters are definitely my favourite makeup product in general & this one shines like no other.

CosRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
Last month I mentioned my love for the Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream. It's a great gateway product into the world of snail based skincare. I've had fantastic results from CosRX's products so I decided to try out their Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence & I like this one even better. Essences are kinda like serums but you apply them first to add an extra layer of hydration after your toner. It gives my skin an incredible sense of comfort, making it feel soft & juicy. It also reduces irritation & heals the skin. It spreads out easily so I only need pump for my whole face. Any more than that & my forehead can look too shiny during the day. You can use it once or twice a day depending on your skin's hydration levels so I just use it when I need to. I also really want to try out CosRX's snail moisturiser as I just can't get enough of that slime on my face!

Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer in Fair
You have no idea how long I've spent stalking the QVC website for this concealer to come back in stock but it was worth every second. This is probably one of my best purchases this year. Shape Tape is a full coverage concealer & when I say full, I mean full! It works wonders on my dark circles & covers up blemishes beautifully. The concealer blends out effortlessly & stays put all day. It doesn't look cakey or crease whatsoever. I normally have to bake my undereye area or my concealer creases like mad but a light dusting of powder does the job here. I also love how huge the bottle & wand are as it means I don't have to keep dipping it back in the tube. If you order it from QVC UK you can currently only get it with Tarte's Quickie Blending Sponge which bumps up the price quite a bit. The sponge is rubbish but I guess it still works out cheaper than ordering it from overseas. Hopefully they'll start selling it individually soon as I would most definitely repurchase this amazing concealer!


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Tuesday, 1 December 2015

November Favourites



Illamasqua Broken Gold
Illamasqua are forever inventing exciting new products that you can't find anywhere else on the market. They recently launched their Equinox collection & for me the star of the show was their Broken Gold eye gel. Broken Gold features tiny gold leaf particles that sparkle in the light & really add some oomph to your eye makeup. It gives a shattered metal effect that looks beautiful when layered over neutral eyeshadows. I love glittery eye looks but real glitter can be a nightmare to remove. I can get this stuff off with a quick swipe of micellar water on a cotton pad. It looks absolutely stunning & is utterly perfect for the festive season.

Isehan Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara
I've been testing out quite a few different Asian beauty products lately & it's like a whole new world to explore! The products are so innovative & feature cutting edge ingredients that we tend not to have over here. I decided to buy a couple of the Isehan Kiss Me Heroine Make mascaras as Japanese cosmetics have an amazing rep. I've completely fallen in love with the Volume & Curl one. The formula is extremely waterproof. In fact I had to buy their special makeup remover in order to get it off properly! The curl it gives my lashes is unrivalled & helps make them look even longer. The volume is decent but I like to layer it with other mascaras to achieve my preferred lash look. Seriously this mascara is incredible & you won't find anything better if you want super curly lashes.

Bravura London Salicylic Acid 2%
Bravura London have been on my radar for quite some time now. They specialise in at-home chemical peels which are like the next step up from everyday exfoliating toners. As my Paula's Choice BHA was running out I decided to buy the Bravura 2% Salicylic Acid peel. Salicylic acid works wonders on spots, blackheads & closed comedones. I find that my skin responds better to BHAs than AHAs so it's a must-have ingredient in my skincare routine. The application process of this peel is slightly different to many BHA & AHA treatments. First you need to wash your face & then wait 30 minutes for your skin to return to it's normal pH level. Next you put some of the acid into a glass & apply it with a fan brush. After two minutes you can wash it off & carry on with the rest of your skincare routine. Peels are bit stronger than toners so the effects are a lot more immediate & this stuff has totally blown me away. It has improved the texture of my skin so much & my face is entirely blemish-free at the minute. I was so impressed with this product that I ended up buying a few more items from them on Black Friday & I cannot wait to try them out!

Bee Good Youth Enhancing Hydrate, Smooth & Prime Serum*
The weather has been horrific lately & my skin has been suffering as a result. It needs all the moisture it can get so I've been slathering on this lovely hydrating serum from Bee Good. This product is part of their new Youth Enhancing range but it's suitable for all skin types, not just mature skin. It's a light creamy serum with a gorgeous herbal scent. It features a slew of potent natural ingredients including Bee Good's signature British wildflower honey, propolis & beeswax. There's also collagen stimulating peptides, firming blackcurrant seed oil & moisture boosting larch extract. I love using this on my skin because it's really calming & soothing and delivers instant hydration. My skin is left looking plumper & feeling much softer. This serum slots in nicely with the rest of my routine for a happier, healthier complexion & it certainly banishes those Winter skin blues!

MESAUDA Milano Diamond Baked Blush in Mariah*
I was recently sent a few products from an Italian cosmetics brand called MESAUDA Milano & I am freaking obsessed with them! All of the products are such good quality & the colours are simply divine. I'm a sucker for pretty blushers so I practically swooned when I first applied this one. The texture of the Diamond Baked Blush is exquisite. The ultra-fine powder feels silky to the touch & almost melts into the skin for a truly flawless finish. It has a luminescent sheen to it which gives the skin a fresh & radiant glow. Mariah is obviously named after everyone's favourite 90's diva, Mariah Carey. The blusher is a deep plummy pink shade with gold shimmer running through it. The powder is intensely pigmented, one tap with a brush is literally all you need. Mariah is such a stunning colour & it would be ideal for any Autumn/Winter makeup look.


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