Private Labelling In Skincare

Private labelling is something that happens across many different industries. A private label product is something that has been manufactured by one company but then sold under another company's brand name. It happens all the time, especially in the food, cosmetic & electronic industries. It lowers production costs whilst maintaining good profit margins & these discounts are often passed on to us as the customer. Many items in Aldi & Lidl are private label products and these are fantastic for people with a small food budget. I buy some private label stuff from eBay & Amazon which allows me to save a lot of money on various products. However when it comes to cosmetics I think it's a tricky subject. I tend to gravitate towards cosmetics brands where the founders have a lot of creative input. I want to buy something new, unique & different to everything else out there. Otherwise, what's the point in buying it? If brands use private label manufacturers they have no control over the formula or the ingredients used in their products. The only thing that changes is the packaging & retail price of the product. Most of the time it's generally not a bad thing. It's only when brands are dishonest about private labelling in a way that negatively affects consumers that it becomes something to be worried about.

There is a reason why I suddenly felt compelled to write about this subject. It's because I basically didn't really blog much last year & subsequently have a huge backlog of draft posts with fully edited photos to choose from. When I was deciding what to review next, I came across a post I had started about this Mint Facial Polish from Claudia Louch. I don't really like physical facial exfoliants so I used it as a body scrub instead but I didn't want to dedicate a few paragraphs to that boring conclusion. Before I received this item as my final PR sample from Claudia Louch I discovered something that has niggled me about the brand ever since. Whilst browsing Instagram one day I saw a skincare brand being promoted by influencers where the products had the exact same packaging as Claudia Louch. The names & ingredients were all exactly the same too. This brand was selling the products in America at a much lower price. I figured that they must have copied Claudia Louch as I had been told that she had personally helped to develop these products. When I asked the PR person I was working with about it they had no idea what was going on so I started to look into it myself.

I googled the product names which resulted in lots of reviews from myself & many other UK bloggers. It also came up with loads of random skincare brands that I had never heard of before, most of them based in America & most of them selling the same products also at a lower price. I eventually found some sites where you could actually order them wholesale & get your own brand name etched on the front of the bottle. I came to conclusion that Claudia Louch's skincare range was entirely made up of privately labelled products. Normally I wouldn't take issue with this. It's an open secret that Morphe brushes are private labelled but I still buy them & love using them. They don't purport to be anything unique so when I buy from them I know exactly what I'm getting. But in this case I feel that the selling of these skincare products was both unethical & dishonest.

It seems that Claudia Louch has since revamped her website with a different name & removed the shop section. When she did sell skincare products this Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish cost a whopping £59! A quick search for this product shows you can get it as cheap as £28 from another brand using the same manufacturer. I also found this brochure from the original manufacturer showing a production cost of $18.99 so the price has been marked up immensely. This was a PR sample so I'm not upset about the cost. However I do feel bad if anyone did purchase her products from my recommendation or the recommendation of many other bloggers who also received them as PR samples. Sure the products themselves were actually very good, I wouldn't have used them religiously if they sucked. But the whole story behind the brand & the creation of these products was a load of crap. In my reviews I defended the ridiculously high price tags because Claudia has years of experience as a skin specialist & we were told that she had a hand in developing the formulas. These blatant lies have left a bad taste in my mouth. If these were private label products she had no input whatsoever & insinuating that she helped to create them is not fair to us as informed consumers.

Maybe this doesn't matter anymore as Claudia Louch no longer sells these products on her website but I still think it's an important subject to discuss. As consumers we deserve to know exactly what we're buying & when brands start lying to us in this way it's completely unethical. What are your thoughts on private labelling in the cosmetics industry?

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

September Favourites

Bee Good Raspberry & White Chocolate Lip Balm*
One of Bee Good's latest releases is this delectable lip balm & I can't get enough of it! Raspberry & white chocolate is such a classic flavour combination. The velvety sweetness of white chocolate complements the flavour of fresh fruity raspberries so very well. To me it tastes a bit like artic roll which is one of my favourite desserts! It feels like such an indulgent treat to pop this on my lips. It instantly soothes & hydrates dry chapped lips with a clear glossy finish. The formula includes many natural ingredients along with Bee Good's signature beeswax & honey which are well known for their healing properties. It really is good enough to eat!

Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating Serum
Superdrug have some amazing own brand skincare products that should not be ignored. You might think that something costing only £2.69 would be a load of rubbish but their Simply Pure Hydrating Serum is one of the best things I have ever put on my face! This silky serum features a wonderful blend of hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, ceramides & Soothex®. Together these ingredients help to nourish, soften, exfoliate & calm the skin. It's very gentle but can make a huge difference to the texture of your skin. Most people suffer from dehydrated skin without realising it so it's important to include something like this in your skincare routine. As long as you know what ingredients to look out for, good skincare products needn't cost you the earth & this serum is a great place to start.

Claudia Louch Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish*
I still maintain that chemical exfoliants are better than physical ones but if your skin is intolerant of acids then you can't go wrong with this lovely facial polish from Claudia Louch. This is a gentle sugar-based scrub with a whole host of plant extracts to nourish your skin naturally. The inclusion of apricot oil allows the scrub to smooth & cleanse the skin without drying it out. It sloughs off any dead skin to create a flawless base for makeup. You can use it directly on dry skin or mixed in with your regular cleanser. I prefer to mix it with my gel cleanser as it gets cleansing & exfoliating out of the way in one fell swoop. It has a gorgeous minty scent & really makes your skin feel tingly fresh. After washing it off my skin is left feeling velvety smooth & my complexion looks much brighter. It's a great way to improve your overall skin texture without the use of acids. The Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish is yet another truly brilliant product from the Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation
Ever since trying her Light Wonder foundation I've been waiting for Charlotte Tilbury to come out with a fuller coverage option. Magic Foundation has been five years in the making & believe me, it was well worth waiting for. First off Magic Foundation comes in many more shades than Light Wonder with lighter lights, darker darks & plenty of others in between. I bought Shade 1 which is a neutral beige for very fair skin with cool undertones. The coverage is very buildable & no matter how much of it I slap on, it never looks cakey. The texture is quite thick but it feels weightless on the skin & perfects my complexion all day long. It immediately gives the appearance of smoother skin & contains several skincare ingredients to improve the condition of your skin in the long run. I much prefer this foundation to Light Wonder so kudos to CT for finally bringing us a high coverage base product. Magic Foundation is a fab addition to Charlotte Tilbury's ever expanding line up. It's not quite 'magic' but it certainly comes very close.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator in So Hollywood
Highlighters are totally my thing. I'm obsessed with the way they make my skin look & I cannot apply my makeup without sweeping a bit of shimmer across the high points of my face. I just don't feel right without it! Anastasia Beverly Hills is one of my favourite makeup brands so when they recently launched their powder Illuminators, I was all over it. Starlight is the shade recommended for pale skin but for some reason I really dislike white highlighters. I decided to get So Hollywood as the colour looked pretty similar to my bae, theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer. Despite what others have said I think that this shade is perfectly suitable for fair skin. It looks incredible & gives me the most beautiful golden glow without being too yellow toned. I love this product so much! The Illuminators are supposed to be limited edition in the UK so make sure you don't miss out!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

July Favourites

Sleek Precious Metals Highlighting Palette*
Highlighting is my favourite step in the makeup application process. It instantly brings life to dull, tired skin & generally makes your face look more beautiful. I don't think anything will ever come close to theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer but I have been loving the Precious Metals Highlighting Palette from Sleek. I received this in my Cohorted Beauty Box & I think it's a fantastic piece of kit. It contains three cream highlighting shades & golden shimmery powder bronzer. Creams tend to look a bit more natural than powders so they're a better choice if you're after that 'lit from within' look. The creams blend in beautifully & add a gorgeous sheen to the skin. I'm a little bit obsessed with the Renaissance Gold shade, it's just so pretty!

Nivea Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm
This might seem like an odd product for a woman to like but hear me out. One of my favourite YouTubers to watch is NikkieTutorials & she mentioned that she uses this aftershave balm as a primer. It has a high glycerin content which is something that is often used as the main ingredient in many primers. Glycerin is a humectant meaning that it draws moisture from the air onto your skin. It is also makes whatever you apply on top of it stay in place all day long. My makeup tends to slide off my face in the Summer so I needed something that could make it stick around longer. A lot of the primers I already own are pore filling or smoothing ones & don't make a huge difference to the longevity of my makeup. I tried this stuff out & I think it's utterly fantastic as a primer! The product itself is a very thin & watery liquid but it dries down quite quickly. It feels cooling & refreshing on the skin. It does have a strong manly scent but this soon goes away after application so you don't have to worry about smelling like a guy. Since I started using this as a primer I've noticed that my foundation goes on a lot smoother & looks really seamless on the skin. My base actually stays put in the heat & looks flawless for hours on end. It gets extra points for being incredibly cheap too!

Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++
At long last I have finally found my holy grail sunscreen! I'm a bit of a Japanophile so it was only a matter of time before I started using Asian beauty products. Although we do have Bioré in the UK, we only get a select few of their products. Over here they're probably best known for those godawful nose pore strips that you should avoid like the plague. This sunscreen is part of a line made specifically for their Japanese market. Asian sunscreens are generally acknowledged to be superior to the ones we get over here. They're lower in price & better in quality. They tend to have higher SPF & PA ratings without the greasiness or white cast. After reading many glowing reviews on /r/AsianBeauty I decided to order the Aqua Rich Watery Gel from eBay. I've linked the seller I used as I had no problems at all with my order. Delivery from Japan took two weeks but it was totally worth the wait! This sunscreen is simply amazing. It uses a combination of chemical & physical UV filters to provide unrivalled daily UVA & UVB protection. The milky liquid feels so light & comfortable to wear. This product is ideal to use under your makeup as it gives a silky feel to the skin & doesn't pill at all. It absorbs super fast & dries to an invisible finish without any shine or white cast. Alcohol is one of the main ingredients but the addition of royal jelly & hyaluronic acid prevent it from drying out the skin. It's not heavy, greasy or sticky plus it has a lovely fresh lemony scent. It's perfection in a bottle!

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Celebrity Skin
I've been wanting to try the Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks for so long! A little while ago Cocktail Cosmetics starting stocking them in the UK so I'm glad that I waited patiently instead of ordering them from America. These liquid lipsticks are extremely pigmented & matte but they don't dry out your lips. They're so long lasting & you can even eat or kiss with them on without wrecking your lippie. The colour range is definitely a little more out there than most lipsticks but they're such good quality that they make it easy to pull off such bold shades. I kinda want to buy them all, even the black & blue ones! The shade that I was most looking forward to trying is Celebrity Skin & I really love this colour even though it looks very different to what I was expecting. On most people this looks like a nude lipstick but because I'm so pale it leans very brown & dark. It literally looks different on everyone! The lipstick formula is everything I could've hoped for & I definitely need to add a few more of these to my collection.

Claudia Louch Concealer Trio*
Sometimes concealer alone just isn't enough to cover all of my imperfections. If you struggle with hyperpigmentation or dark circles underneath your eyes then colour correcting those areas beforehand can make all the difference. This concealer palette is a fab little product that allows you to mix & match the shades to create your own custom colour. By layering the different shades you can hide a multitude of sins. I really struggle with dark circles & no amount of eye cream or beauty sleep will ever work quite as well as correcting & concealing. The medium shade is slightly orange toned & works well to correct any discolouration. Then I like to apply the lightest shade over the top to match the rest of my foundation. They also cover any active spots or post-blemish scarring really well. The creamy consistency of these concealers makes them easy to blend & layer without looking cakey. This product is very similar to the Bobbi Brown Corrector & Concealer but this palette works out to be much better value for money.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Claudia Louch Concealer Trio

Claudia Louch Concealer Trio* - £35

Long before I started wearing foundation I discovered the wonders of correcting & concealing. My mum used to have a massive influence on my makeup choices & I liked to poke about in her stash whilst she was getting ready. She always wore the Bobbi Brown Corrector & Concealer and I practically begged her to buy me some in my own shade. When you're young you really don't need a full face of foundation to look good & the transformative power of those products blew my teenage mind. These days I wear a lot more makeup than I used to but the whole correcting & concealing thing is something I still rely upon to make my base look flawless. In lieu of my trusty Bobbi Brown products I recently started using this little concealing palette from Claudia Louch & it gets a big thumbs up from me!

The Claudia Louch Concealer Trio features three different shades that you can custom mix to perfectly match your skin tone. The creamy consistency of these concealers enables them to blend seamlessly into the skin for undetectable wear. They provide full coverage with a matte finish making them ideal for covering all manner of skin problems. The formula is very lightweight yet feels hydrating on the skin due to the inclusion of castor oil & vitamin E. It's a great product to take out with you for touch-ups throughout the day as the concealers are best applied & blended using your fingers. Out of the three colours I find that I only really need two of them. The lightest shade is an excellent match for my pale skin so it works to cover any redness, scarring, blemishes & the dark circles underneath my eyes. The medium concealer is slightly more orange toned so I use this as the corrector shade. I apply this solely underneath my eyes to cancel out the blue tones of my dark circles & to brighten up the area. The two concealers layer up really well without looking cakey. However they definitely need setting with powder immediately after application or they will crease heavily. It's just something that comes with the territory of creamy concealers like this. The Claudia Louch Mineral Loose Powder fits the bill perfectly. If your skin is any darker than mine but still a Caucasian skin tone, you'll probably be able to get more use out of this palette with the lightest shade acting as a highlighting concealer rather than an exact skin match. Currently the trio only comes in one set of colours but I would hope that this is something Claudia Louch expands upon in future to suit those with darker skin as well.

The cosmetics available from Claudia Louch's Natural Skin Clinic are all supposed to work in harmony with the treatments & skincare products that she provides. Therefore this concealer is 94% natural, hypoallergenic, allergy-tested, non-comedogenic and free from fragrances & harsh chemicals. This increases it's compatibility with those who suffer from skin ailments such as acne or eczema. The creaminess allows the concealers to blend over any dry patches of skin that often come with those kinds of skin problems but it is still suitable for all skin types. At £35 it might seem like a pricey option, when in actual fact you get a whopping 10g of product and it works out a lot cheaper than buying a Bobbi Brown Corrector & Concealer set. It does it's job extremely well without irritating or clogging the skin so I have nothing but praise for this handy concealer trio.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

April Favourites

Andrew Barton SOS Help Me! Treatment Mask
My hair is constantly in need of some moisture so I often use hair masks instead of regular conditioner. I spotted this Andrew Barton one in Asda the other week & thought I would give it a go. It only cost about £3 but it's one of the best hair masks I've ever used! The main ingredients are argan oil & shea butter which really help to moisturise & nourish the hair. It gives my hair exceptional softness & shine. Even Andy noticed how much better my hair looked after using it so it's gotta be good! The best part though is the delicious vanilla caramel scent. It smells just like birthday cake & the scent lingers in your hair all day long. I also bought the leave in conditioner spray for Chloe & she loves it too! I'm definitely gonna buy some more of this range next time we go food shopping.

Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial
Overnight Facial is such an incredible face oil. It supposedly mimics the effects of one of Sarah Chapman's signature Skinesis facials. Simply massage one pump of the oil into your face in place of your regular night cream & be prepared to wake up with younger, smoother, more radiant looking skin. It will literally transform your skin overnight. It has a lovely herbal scent & helps me to relax before bed too. What I really like about Sarah Chapman's products is that they combine scientifically proven active ingredients with natural botanical extracts. You get the best of both worlds in one product & the results are visible from the very first use. The only major downside is the price as £46 will only get you a teeny tiny 15ml of product. It's totally worth saving up for though!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation
I'm a bit late to the party on this one because everyone started raving about this foundation over three years ago! The trouble was, as with pretty much every drugstore foundation, that Rimmel didn't actually make a shade light enough for my skin. However last year they finally added 010 Light Porcelain into the mix & as a result I've finally found a drugstore foundation that I love! Wake Me Up Foundation offers medium coverage & contains illuminating particles that really perk up the skin. It has a fresh looking dewy finish that really does make you look more awake. The foundation feels hydrating on the skin & is comfortable to wear. A lovely addition to this product is vitamin C which can help to brighten your skin & ward off wrinkles. Light Porcelain is very fair in colour & has a cool pink undertone which makes a nice change to all the super yellow foundations that you normally find in Boots. The staying power isn't as quite good as my high end foundations but for £8.99 it does the job very well!

Claudia Louch Mineral Loose Powder*
I'm a huge fan of Claudia Louch's botanical skincare range so I was really pleased to find that her makeup products are just as brilliant. The Mineral Loose Powder is a skin perfecting setting powder that gives your foundation the most beautiful satin finish. It kinda reminds me of things like the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural or the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. It helps to set your base & airbrushes the skin at the same time. The powder is very finely milled & blends really well. It evens out my complexion & makes my pores look invisible. I love how it instantly brightens up my face & gives me that 'lit from within' look. The addition of jojoba oil also helps to keep blemishes at bay so this would be an excellent powder for anyone with intolerant skin.

Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner
When I first started wearing eyeliner I loved using gels. My MAC & Bobbi Brown ones kept drying up really quickly though so I kinda gave up on them and made the switch to liquid liner. However a few months ago I bought the Precision Gel Liner from Illamasqua & my love for gels has been rekindled. People tend to associate Illamasqua with really crazy colours but they do the basics extremely well. The formula of this gel liner is wonderfully smooth, rich & creamy. It's so pigmented & opaque plus it stays put all day long. It really glides along your lash line & feels like a dream to use. This is easily one of the best gel liners you will ever come across.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Claudia Louch Mineral Loose Powder

Claudia Louch Mineral Loose Powder* - £47.50

Powder is something that I cannot live without. My skin isn't particularly oily but I just don't feel right if I haven't used something to set my foundation. In the past powders were associated with a chalky looking finish. The last thing you want is for a powder to actually look powdery on your skin. I really like mineral powders because I feel like they give the most seamless finish & make my skin look naturally perfected. At the minute I'm really loving this Mineral Loose Powder from Claudia Louch. I'm often wary of brands who try to do both skincare & makeup as one is inevitably not up to the standard of the other. Claudia Louch's skincare products are utterly fantastic so I was rather keen to find out how her makeup range measured up. Presently the main focus of the makeup line is base products. You won't find fancy eyeshadow palettes or bright lipsticks in her shop but then that wouldn't be entirely appropriate to the brand. The clients of the Natural Skin Clinic visit there to fix their skin so it makes sense that any cosmetics sold are intended to further enhance the complexion without aggravating any pre-existing skin conditions.

As with all the Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic products, this powder is 94% natural, hypoallergenic, allergy-tested, non-comedogenic and free from fragrances & harsh chemicals. It is suitable for use on all skin types & many skin conditions. The Mineral Loose Powder is incredibly finely milled & glides effortlessly onto the skin. It helps to absorb excess oil & reduce shine. It won't cake or clog your pores either. The powder comes in a black plastic pot with a sifter. Loose powders can be a bit messy to use but this packaging is well designed & it's easy to tap out just the right amount of product. One thing that sets this powder apart from many others is the inclusion of jojoba oil. I adore the Claudia Louch Protective Jojoba Day Moisturiser so this ingredient stood out to me when I had a look through the list. It acts as an anti-inflammatory & helps to dissolve excess sebum so this powder is ideal for anyone prone to clogs or breakouts. Jojoba oil naturally warms to your body temperature which allows the powder to blend really well so it won't accentuate any dry patches. The result is a velvety satin finish which just looks wonderful on the skin.

I was sent the shade MC2 Warm Yellow which I have to admit did worry me a little. It's rare that base products in anything other than deathly pale shades suit me but this colour looks really natural on my skin. Although the powder is beige in colour, it has very little pigment so it looks almost translucent once applied. It's more of a setting powder than a powder foundation but still looks fab when used on it's own. It doesn't offer masses of coverage but it manages to even out the complexion, reducing redness & giving the skin a smooth, poreless appearance. Combine it with something like NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer for the ultimate 'no makeup' makeup base. I generally like my skin to look as flawless as possible though so my favourite way to use this product is as a setting powder. It helps to keep my foundation in place & finishes off my makeup beautifully. It brings some instant radiance to my face & gives my skin a lovely silky texture. In the above photo I used NARS Sheer Glow Foundation before applying the Mineral Loose Power with a Zoeva Powder Brush. My face never normally looks this glowing without a hefty dusting of highlighter but this powder really gives you that 'lit from within' look that so many of us desire.

At nearly £50 this powder is definitely a luxury item. However anyone with extremely reactive skin will know that finding makeup that won't clog your pores or cause irritation can be rather difficult. I would highly recommend trying out some of Claudia Louch's products as they have been specially formulated for use on even the most sensitive skin. If this Mineral Loose Powder is anything to go by, then Claudia Louch is one brand where I can safely say that the makeup is just as good as the skincare.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Claudia Louch Botanical Cleansing Lotion & Face Cream With Deep Line Complex

Claudia Louch Botanical Cleansing Lotion* - £37.40
Claudia Louch Botanical Face Cream With Deep Line Complex* - £61.50

Claudia Louch's luxury botanical skincare range has completely won me over this year. With their gentle yet effective approach, her products have become staples in my skincare routine. They offer a calming respite from all the BHAs/AHAs/retinol that I can't resist throwing on my face. In the Winter I like to switch up the products I'm using for slightly heavier & more nourishing formulas. The cold weather always dries out my skin so it's important to make adjustments. I've stuck by using a cleansing oil followed by a gel for washing my face as that seems to work best for my skin type. I was previously using the Claudia Louch Chamomile Facial Wash which is a straight up gel cleanser with lots of lovely anti-inflammatory ingredients. More recently I've been using this Botanical Cleansing Lotion which is suitable for all skin types. The texture still feels like that of a gel but the formula is a lot creamier and therefore more moisturising on the skin.

This lightly foaming creamy cleanser is derived from coconut & sugar beets. It also features a wonderful combination of chamomile, aloe, cucumber & green tea which help to soothe and deliver antioxidants to the skin. They give it a gorgeous natural scent too. A little bit of the Botanical Cleansing Lotion goes a very long way, I only need to use a tiny amount each time. It leaves my skin feeling really soft & perfectly clean. It has helped to reduce the redness in my face & put paid to any dry patches. It balances out my skin & generally makes it a lot happier. I have to admit I'm not totally crazy about it like I am with the Chamomile Facial Wash but that's just my personal preference. They're both excellent gentle cleansers & this one is great for the current climate. However when this huge tube runs out (which will take a long time with a whopping 240ml of product!) I'll definitely be repurchasing the chamomile one. Somehow it just leaves my skin feeling calmer & better refreshed.

I'm still using the Claudia Louch Protective Jojoba Day Moisturiser every morning. I was also using it at night in conjunction with a facial oil until last month when I added in the Botanical Face Cream With Deep Line Complex to my routine. Unlike the other two Claudia Louch moisturisers I've tried, I keep this product solely for use as a night cream. It has the most beautiful velvety texture & the rich formula is deeply hydrating on it's own. This moisturiser is ideal for skin that requires more oils without making it feel greasy. It absorbs into the skin & gets to work very quickly. The key active ingredient here is grape seed oil which has fantastic anti-ageing properties and helps to tighten, tone, hydrate & soothe the skin. Other natural active ingredients include aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, avocado oil, green tea, 4% African shea butter & vitamin E. I absolutely love the feel of this night cream & I don't feel the need to use any extra serums or oils alongside it. This product just makes my skin feel super smooth & really helps to plump it up. I can definitely notice a difference in the appearance of my fine lines when I use this. I think it would be ideal for anyone with normal, dry, sensitive or mature skin. My one niggle with this product is the smell. When I'm massaging it onto my skin I get the faint aroma of fish oil which is kinda odd because I'm pretty sure it's not on the ingredient list! Luckily it goes away as soon as I've finished applying the night cream but it just doesn't smell quite as nice as the other moisturisers from Claudia Louch. Apart from that I can't get enough of this indulgent night cream.

These two botanical skincare products have really helped to protect my skin from the harsh weather outside lately. They might be very expensive but they simply work wonders & are cornerstones in my Winter skincare routine. Claudia Louch has got me hooked on her high quality products & my skin has got a lot to thank her for!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

October Favourites

Sleek Face Contour Kit
As someone who normally has no interest whatsoever in the Kardashian clan, for some reason I've been coveting Kylie Jenner's mad makeup skillz lately. I've even started overdrawing my lips again with MAC Subculture lip pencil. Of course no Kardashian style makeup look would be complete without some extreme contouring and this Contour Kit from Sleek is something I always come back to. I have it in Light which is still a fairly dark & warm toned shade but with a lot of blending it works really well for me. I've been going to town with this and a MAC 109 brush along my cheekbones & under my jaw. I tend to leave my forehead alone as mine is narrow enough as it is. It helps to slim down my chubby cheeks & hide my many chins whilst adding a touch of warmth to my complexion. The highlighter pan will never take the place of my beloved Mary-Lou Manizer but that contour powder is excellent stuff.

TRESemmé Renewal Hair & Scalp Tonic
Dandruff generally isn't a problem for me but whenever I get my hair bleached my scalp always gets a bit sensitive & flaky. A coconut hair mask normally sorts it out just fine but the idea of this scalp tonic was rather intriguing. Plus it was only £2.50 in Boots! This product is a light clear liquid that you squeeze onto your roots using the nozzle applicator before combing it through the lengths of your hair. It immediately feels very cooling on the scalp as it contains tea tree extract. It also features sunflower seed oil, biotin, vitamin C & vitamin E which together help to prevent breakage and promote healthy hair growth. The tonic feels completely weightless on your hair so you won't even notice it's presence but it'll be working to repair & nourish your scalp on a cellular level. A healthy scalp means healthier hair so I really like the concept of this range. Since trying out the tonic I've invested in the Renewal shampoo & conditioner which I also love. The tonic is definitely the star of the show though. It's a lovely soothing treat before blowdrying that will leave your hair & scalp feeling really refreshed & rebalanced. A bit of extra hair growth is always welcome too!

Claudia Louch Protective Jojoba Day Moisturiser*
The Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic products are some of the loveliest I've ever tried. This Jojoba Day Moisturiser is certainly no exception. This product is intended for those with combination to oily skin types. It feels weightless on the skin yet it features an abundance of deeply hydrating & nourishing oils. The key active ingredient here is jojoba oil which acts as an anti-inflammatory & actually helps to dissolve excess sebum. It has definitely helped to reduce the amount of blocked pores & breakouts I get and as a result my complexion looks very clear & even toned. It really pampers your skin, protecting it whilst leaving it feeling silky smooth. It sinks in quickly & makes a wonderful base for makeup. The rich & velvety texture makes this my perfect Autumn moisturiser.

Russell Organics Vitamin C Serum*
I'm really loving luxury natural skincare brands at the minute. I've tried a whole host of products that claim to lighten post-blemish scarring but none have worked quite so quickly or effectively as this Vitamin C Serum from Russell Organics. Vitamin C is an important ingredient to look for when choosing an anti-ageing product as it helps to plump up the skin, reducing fine lines & wrinkles. It's one of the few things that can fade and actually stop the formation of freckles & age spots. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C have been shown to increase the efficacy of sunscreens too. This light serum feels very silky & moisturising on the skin. It makes my whole face look really bright & radiant. If you want younger or healthier looking skin then you really should try adding a vitamin C serum into your skincare routine. The orangey scent is pretty gross but if you can get over that it'll work absolute wonders on your skin.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation
I've been extra cautious with sunscreen this year and as a result my skin is currently looking paler than ever. Quite a few of my regular base products just haven't been looking quite right on me especially when compared to my neck & chest. A few weeks ago I went back to using what is quite possibly the palest foundation ever apart from pure white - Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 02. The price of this product has gone up quite a lot over the years. It was only £25 when I bought it & now it costs a whopping £32! Not good news if you need to mix a couple of shades. That gorgeous skin-like finish is well worth it though. It photographs beautifully with or without flash so it's great choice for special occasions like weddings. The coverage is great without completely masking your skin. Some people have struggled to get it work for them so if you want to try this foundation I would highly recommend buying a couple of other Illamasqua bits for application perfection. Firstly their Hydra Veil or Matte Veil primers are a must-have. Skin Base can cling to drier areas so good prep is essential. The next thing to bear in mind is that you only need a tiny amount of product so squeeze a little dot onto the back of your hand rather than blobbing it straight onto your face. The Illamasqua Highlighter brush is truly fantastic & is the perfect tool to apply it with. If you go to an Illamasqua counter they do pretty much everything with that brush. It really buffs in the product giving it a seamless finish & it feels incredibly soft. With those products in my arsenal Skin Base has become one of my favourite foundations ever as it just looks totally amazing on my skin.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Claudia Louch Protective Jojoba Day Moisturiser

Claudia Louch Protective Jojoba Day Moisturiser* - £52.50

Having fallen completely head over heels for the Claudia Louch Hydrating Mango Face Cream it was a very sad day when that sleek black bottle ran out of product. Despite my fussy combination skin type, my face got on incredibly well with it due to it's deeply hydrating properties & velvety matte finish. Whilst the Hydrating Mango Face Cream is meant for normal to dry skin types, the Protective Jojoba Day Moisturiser is ideal for those with combination or oily skin. I had high hopes for this moisturiser so I jumped at the chance to try it out. As this one is actually intended for my skin type I figured that I would love this product even more. Changing up your moisturiser is always a bit of a gamble but I have tremendous faith in this brand. All of the Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic products are natural and plant and/or mineral-based, hypoallergenic, allergy-tested, non-comedogenic & free from harsh chemicals. Each blend of natural botanical ingredients is designed to work in perfect harmony with your skin & this moisturiser is certainly working wonders on mine.

The key active ingredient in the Protective Jojoba Day Moisturiser is, of course, jojoba oil. This acts as an anti-inflammatory & helps to dissolve excess sebum which is the cause of blocked pores & breakouts. Pretty impressive for a moisturiser! This high-performance 94% natural product boasts an excess of 18% oils (jojoba, avocado & grape seed), 2% shea butter, vegetable glycerine and vitamins A & E. It's a deeply nourishing blend that feels weightless on the skin. The texture feels quite similar to the Hydrating Mango Face Cream but with a bit more slip to it & not as thick in consistency. I use about two or three pumps each time which is plenty for my face. A little goes a long way with this stuff so you definitely get your money's worth. It makes a lovely silky base for makeup as my skin gets less shiny throughout the day. I don't have to wait around for it to sink in either. Although it is labelled as a day moisturiser, I've been using it day & night as the formula feels light yet hydrating enough for both occasions. I normally just apply it over a facial oil at night to really lock in moisture & add some radiance to my complexion. As a result my skin is looking very clear, more even toned and it feels beautifully soft. This moisturiser is wonderfully comforting to the skin & is a brilliant skincare addition for this transitional season.

Claudia Louch's botanical skincare range sets the bar really high & once you try one of her products, you won't want to use anything else. The price might not be within everyone's budget but you can rest assured that this luxurious moisturiser has been produced by utilising Claudia's masterful knowledge of skincare. The Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic skincare range is available to buy online exclusively at www.claudialouch.com with free UK delivery.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

June Favourites

Essie Spin The Bottle*
This Summer is all about nude shades for me. My current favourite nail polish is Essie's Spin The Bottle. It's a milky creamy peach colour that blends in well with my skintone. I actually really like the mannequin hands look haha. Unlike many nude polishes this goes fully opaque in two coats. I can't stand sheer polishes so this is much more my style. It's such a flattering colour & would look perfect adorning your digits whilst relaxing on the beach. Check out my swatches here.

Illamasqua Eye Brow Cake in Motto
I'm becoming slightly obsessed with trying new brow products much like the way that I compulsively purchased nearly every highlighter going a couple of years ago. If I want to use a powder on my eyebrows I normally go for MAC Omega eyeshadow as it's a very natural looking soft taupe shade. I've had my eye on Illamasqua's Eye Brow Cakes for quite a while though as I really love those dramatic Illamasqua style brows. As I have ashy blonde hair & dark eyebrows I went for the shade Motto. It looks very grey in the pan but it actually works brilliantly on anyone with cool-toned hair. There's no red tones or warmth in it at all. The power is buttery soft & very easy to apply. It is highly pigmented & stays put all day long. You can use it wet or dry depending on how you want your brows to look. Mix it with a drop of Illamasqua Sealing Gel for extra drama. I think the texture is what makes it superior to my good old MAC Omega. Somehow it's easier to get really thick & full brows that still look natural. There's something special about these Eye Brow Cakes, I can't recommend them enough!

Claudia Louch Chamomile Face Wash*
To give my skin a break from all the acid treatments I like to balance out my skincare routine with some gentler products. This is a soothing gel cleanser from Claudia Louch's botanical skincare range. The combination of chamomile, red clover, elderflower extracts & white willow bark extract really calms everything down & naturally relieves any inflammation in the skin. People tend to think of gel cleansers as something that will strip the skin but as all the Claudia Louch products are 94% natural & free from harsh chemicals that isn't an issue here. It cleanses without leaving my face feeling dry or taut, simply nourished & refreshed. This would be a really brilliant cleanser for anyone with sensitive skin. Full review here.

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner
When I recently repurchased my fave Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash I noticed that Gorgeous Shop had a special offer on where you could get both the cleanser & this toner for just £25. I've always wanted to try one of Elemis' toners so it was too good a deal to pass up. The Soothing Apricot Toner maintains the skin's pH level without alcohol or harsh chemicals so it doesn't strip the skin of it's natural oils. It is very gentle so it would be suitable for those with sensitive, delicate or hormonal skin. As the name suggests this toner has a delicious apricot scent & feels very calming on the skin. It helps to reduce redness & soothe any irritation. You can apply it with some cotton wool or by spraying it directly on your face. It makes my skin feel a bit sticky but that soon goes away after I apply my moisturiser. I sometimes take this out with me to cool down as the temperature rises. A quick spritz of this toner keeps my skin looking fresh & radiant, lovely!

SkinChemists Rapid Facial*
This face mask is simply incredible and so it should be considering it's insane price tag. If you have blemishes, blackheads, blocked pores, congestion or dull skin then this stuff will work wonders for you. This mask uses glycolic acid to chemically exfoliate the skin & it also contains some grainy particles for a bit of manual exfoliation too. It feels very tingly on the skin but it doesn't make my face look red or irritated at all. It completely clears out the skin & resurfaces it leaving your face feeling super smooth. My skin is left looking glowy & bright too. The results are almost as good as going for a proper spa facial. If only it came with a fluffy white gown & some brownies! Make sure you check out the SkinChemists special offers page as they often lower the price of their products to just £19.99. Read my full review here.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Claudia Louch Chamomile Facial Wash

Claudia Louch Chamomile Facial Wash* - £37.40

One of the keys to a good skincare routine is knowing when to use your products. You have to listen to your skin & learn what will be most beneficial for it each day. A lot of it is intuitive but once you get the balance down of what to use and when, it becomes easier to keep your skin looking good at all times. I use a lot of chemical exfoliants & retinoids which if used excessively can be slightly harsh on the skin. The Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash is still my number one cleanser but as it contains lactic acid I sometimes feel like my skin needs a break from all the AHAs. When I'm not using the Elemis cleanser I tend to go for something mild that won't irritate my skin. A recent addition to my skincare lineup is this Chamomile Facial Wash from holistic skin specialist Claudia Louch. I adore her Mango Face Cream so I was rather keen to try out something else from her botanical skincare range.

The Chamomile Facial Wash is an incredibly gentle gel based cleanser. A lot of people tend to favour oils & balms these days but I'm still massively into gel cleansers. They always make my skin feel really refreshed so I especially like using them in the morning. With more natural formulas like this one, gel cleansers don't necessarily strip the skin. This facial wash is 94% natural and nicely balanced so it mildly cleanses, nourishes & hydrates the skin. Chamomile is well known for it's natural anti-inflammatory properties that make it ideal for calming the skin. The cleanser also contains natural active ingredients of red clover, elderflower extracts & white willow bark extract to gently clean and comfort your skin without harsh chemicals. This lovely combination of soothing natural ingredients really helps to calm everything down. It's a great choice for when your skin is feeling a bit worn out or over sensitised. Plus it's suitable for all skin types.

Most gel cleansers are applied to wet skin but this one can be massaged into dry skin much like a balm cleanser. It froths up slightly as you apply it but seeing as it doesn't contain any nasty ingredients such as SLS it doesn't become foamy. The texture is quite thick for a gel so it feels really luxurious as you massage it in. The scent is gorgeous, with notes of chamomile & elderflower. I normally use this product in the morning or as my second cleanse at night after removing my makeup with the Una Brennan Vitamin C Cleansing Oil. After washing it off I love how bright & fresh it makes my skin feel. The light formula cleanses without leaving my face feeling dry or taut. All of those wonderful ingredients help to soothe any irritation, soften my skin & reduce redness. It's a beautiful cleanser & I really love using it. As with the Claudia Louch Hydrating Mango Face Cream, it is pretty expensive. You do get a huge 240ml tube though & you only need a tiny blob of the gel each time so this product is gonna last for absolutely ages. I kinda wish it had that same sleek black packaging as the moisturiser instead of a plastic tube but otherwise I really can't fault this superb skin soothing cleanser.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

April Favourites

Balance Me Radiance Face Oil*
This is such a lovely facial oil and it certainly does help to make your skin look more healthy & radiant. I like to use this at night in combination with a moisturiser to really lock moisture into my skin. It's perfect for anyone struggling with dullness or dehydration. By morning it always leaves me with softer, brighter, clearer looking skin. Any redness in my skin has been greatly reduced & it's suitable for those with even the most sensitive skin. The rollerball format distributes the perfect amount of oil & feels so relaxing. It's great for blemishes too! You simply must try this oil regardless of your skin type. Full review here.

Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50+
Now that the weather is getting better it's super important to protect your skin, especially if you're a fan of chemical exfoliants like me. In the past I've shied away from using sunscreens because they always made me breakout, felt heavy, smelled terrible & made my skin look greasy. But this wonderful facial SPF lotion from Soap & Glory has changed all that. Sunshield Superfluid feels as light as air on the skin, has a delightful fruity scent and hasn't given me a single blemish. It gives your skin a healthy glow with a satin finish but it never looks greasy. This is one SPF product I can definitely get on board with. Full review here.

Claudia Louch Hydrating Mango Face Cream*
Claudia Louch is a natural skin specialist & this is one of the products from her recently launched skincare range. This buttery soft moisturiser is 94% natural and features a blend of five hydrating oils to replenish the skin & reduce dehydration. It is best suited to those with normal or dry skin types. It feels amazing on the skin & I adore the velvety matte finish which is rare for such a hydrating moisturiser. I always like to go for a moisturiser that contains hyaluronic acid as it means I can skip using Hydraluron. It plumps up any fine lines & increases your skin's moisture levels. I think this product is best used as a night cream as it blends beautifully with a treatment oil & really helps to nourish your skin. Full review here.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser
Woah, this stuff is incredible! I was never really a fan of tinted moisturisers before as they would always melt off my face & I tend to need a lot more coverage than they can offer. But this one is different. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is probably more like a very light foundation as it does seem to cover most of my freckles & blemishes. I have the shade Terre Neuve which was added to the line last year & is for pale skin with pink undertones. It's so light & is a much better colour match for me than Mont Blanc in NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. It completely evens out my skin tone & looks seamless - like my skin is naturally flawless. I love the glow it gives to my skin & the staying power is pretty good too. Plus it contains SPF 30 so you don't have to worry about using a separate sunscreen. This is easily my new favourite Spring base product. I can't believe it's taken me so long to try it out!

China Glaze Nail Polish in Aquadelic
I have a bit of a problem when it comes to turquoise nail polishes. Whenever I try a new nail polish brand, it's the shade I'm always drawn too. I bought this a few months ago because I've always wanted to try out some China Glaze polishes. Aquadelic is from their Spring 2012 Electropop collection. I absolutely love this colour. It's quite similar to that famous Tiffany blue colour, although China Glaze's For Audrey is considered to be an exact match for that shade. This is slightly brighter & the colour really pops. I really like the China Glaze formula. All China Glaze polishes are free from DBP, toluene & formaldehyde. Aquadelic is long wearing & it took about a week for me to get a chip. It was perfectly opaque in two coats. Application was nice & smooth and it dries to a glossy finish. I can see myself buying many more China Glaze polishes in future!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

Claudia Louch Hydrating Mango Face Cream

Claudia Louch Hydrating Mango Face Cream* - £61.50

When an internationally-renowned natural skin specialist launches their own skincare range, you know it's gonna be worth taking a look at. Claudia Louch runs her Natural Skin Clinic on Harley Street in London where she has successfully treated thousands of patients with their skin problems. Her approach to skincare is to use natural botanical ingredients to harness the body's own healing potential. At her clinic every product used is made bespoke to order for each patient. Tailoring the products to the needs of every individual is such a wonderful idea as it ensures the products used are delivering the maximum results. Of course not everyone can get down to Harley Street to seek out her services. Claudia Louch recently brought out eight different skincare products so that everyone can discover the benefits of medicinal plant-based products for themselves. All of the Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic products are natural and plant and/or mineral-based, hypoallergenic, allergy-tested, non-comedogenic & free from harsh chemicals. They are suitable for all skin types & can help with many skin conditions.

For the past month I've been testing out one of her moisturisers - the Hydrating Mango Face Cream. There are three different moisturisers in the range. This one is best suited to those with normal to dry skin types. There's also one for oily to combination skin & one for more mature skin. I actually have combination skin so I wasn't sure if the Hydrating Mango Face Cream would be too rich for me but this moisturiser really took me by surprise. When I've tried creams for drier skin in the past they would instantly make me look greasy. Despite being a thick & luxurious cream, it gives my skin the most beautiful matte & velvety finish. I normally use three pumps for my face & neck and it gives me the perfect amount of moisture. The cream has an incredible buttery soft texture. Once applied it feels slightly tacky to begin with but it soon sinks in. It has a light & pleasant natural scent. One of the key ingredients is mango butter which helps to hydrate & protect the skin and effectively treats dryness, itchiness, skin damage, lines & wrinkles. The face cream is 94% natural and features a blend of five hydrating oils (olive, almond, avocado, sunflower & grape seed) plus shea butter, vitamin E and aloe vera gel. With all those oils I did wonder if it would break me out. It certainly lives up to it's claims of being non-comedogenic for me as it's only worked to soothe & calm my skin, no nasty blemishes in sight. It also contains hyaluronic acid which helps to plump up the skin and maintain water levels in the top layers of skin, reducing signs of dehydration.

I never thought that using a rich cream like this would be able to balance out my skin & give it such a lovely matte finish. It makes my skin look really healthy on it's own by softening, plumping it up & minimising my pores. One downfall is that it doesn't contain any SPF. I imagine adding sun protection would go against the natural ethos of Claudia's clinic but it still is important. When I add my own SPF 50 on top, my face loses that velvet look but everything sits nicely under my makeup so I guess it's not really a big deal. While I do like using this moisturiser during the day, it really shines as a night cream. I've been using this on top of the Balance Me Radiance Face Oil almost every night & the two products make such a heavenly combo. The oil helps to hydrate, decongest & add radiance then the cream helps to lock in moisture, calming the skin & leaving it feeling deeply nourished by morning. I can't get enough of them together! Finally I simply must mention that gorgeous packaging. I don't think I've ever owned such a luxurious looking bottle before. It's a shame that you can't see how much moisturiser is left in the bottle but the pump makes sure you don't waste a single drop. It certainly is an expensive face cream but I'm sure it'll last a long time & you're also getting some of Claudia's years of experience in skin health packaged within this sleek black bottle. The Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic skincare range is now available to buy online exclusively at www.claudialouch.com with free UK delivery.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'