Latest In Beauty Heart Beauty Essentials Box

Latest In Beauty Heart Beauty Essentials Box* - £17.99

Beauty boxes are a very cost effective way of trying out new products. The only trouble is there are so many different ones out there now & it can hard to choose which one to go for. As an adult with real responsibilities I have enough direct debits coming out of my bank account as it is. I no longer want to subscribe to a monthly mystery box of goodies when I could just save my money for the things I actually want instead. That's why Latest In Beauty appeal to me because they create one off themed boxes that you can buy without committing yourself to a contract. Their exclusive collection boxes are packed with products chosen by industry experts so you're bound to find some new things that you'll love. They even allow you to build your own box so that you can choose exactly what you want to try & when you want to try it. There are no hidden costs, no direct debits or minimum sign up period. For one of their collections Latest In Beauty have joined forces with the beauty team at Heart to offer you ten different full size & deluxe sample products from some fabulous brands. A lot of effort has obviously gone into the design of the box & it's full to the brim with exciting things to try. Here's what I received:



Urban Veda Purifying Hydrating Toner
Way back in the 90s my mum had a perfume called Cassini which my sister & I were both obsessed with. I remember the scent well & to me this toner smells exactly like Cassini. Anyone else remember it? I looked up the notes in Cassini & it turns out that some of the ingredients are the same so I thought that was really cool! Anyway this toner is formulated using Ayurvedic principles so it's full of natural ingredients including turmeric, marigold, patchouli, coriander, papaya, goji berry & aloe vera. It promises to balance your skin tone & brighten the complexion whilst locking in moisture. It feels really refreshing & immediately perks up dull looking skin. However a couple of days after I started using this I noticed that I was getting a bit of irritation & had developed an itchy pink rash. This was the only new skincare product that I had introduced so I stopped using it & the rash went away. It just goes to show that natural products aren't always best & all the lovely botanical ingredients that made it smell like my favourite retro perfume weren't great for my skin.

Roger & Gallet Lait Sorbet Bois D'Orange Body Lotion
I think that body lotions are quite boring to talk about but the formula of this one is simply divine! This body lotion feels absolutely incredible on the skin. After applying it my skin not only feels softer but there is a visible difference in it's condition too. The consistency of this product is quite thin & watery. This allows it to sink in very quickly whilst delivering long lasting hydration. The lotion simply melts into the skin giving it a silky texture with a healthy looking sheen. It is enriched with a complex of naturally derived oils, aloe vera & orange extract. Citrus scents are normally my fave but I'm not a huge fan of this as it has a strong masculine orange fragrance. The formula is fantastic though so I would love to try this out in one of the other scents that Roger & Gallet have available.

Bloom And Blossom Bath & Shower Gel
This bath & shower gel is 99% natural with a sulphate-free foaming base making it suitable for all skin types. It features vitamin E & cucumber extracts to gently cleanse the skin without stripping it of oils. The gel is fragrance free so it's great for all the family including small children. Although I do have sensitive, eczema-prone skin I still prefer scented shower gels so I've used it to bathe my daughter instead. Bloom And Blossom actually had expectant mothers in mind when creating this product as strong scents can bring on morning sickness. When I was pregnant I was very diligent about only eating food & using products that would be safe for my baby so I can understand why you would switch to a natural shower gel like this. I'm sure that many anxious first time mothers would really appreciate receiving this shower gel in a gift basket.

NUXE Crème Prodigieuse Moisturising Cream
I've tried quite a few different NUXE products but somehow I don't think I've ever used their Crème Prodigieuse before. I'm not sure how I missed it because this moisturiser is one of their hero products. Crème Prodigieuse is aimed towards those with stressed, normal to combination skin. The texture is a lot thicker than I was expecting but it sinks into the skin quickly. It feels rich & comforting without being heavy or greasy. My skin is left feeling softer, fresher & calmer when I use it. It has a semi-matte finish so it works well on my skin type & balances out an oily T-Zone. This product is intended for use as a day cream but it can also be used at night with an oil or hydrating serum. It's a lovely everyday moisturiser & a good choice if your skin is feeling particularly sensitive.




Rimmel Provocalips in Kiss Me You Fool
Liquid lipsticks are the current big thing in beauty. My personal favourites are the Jeffree Star ones but I'm always open to trying new lip products. I've tried & loved the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Velvets so I had high hopes for Provocalips. These liquid lipsticks have a high shine finish. They promise 16 hours of wear & are transfer-proof. Each lipstick has two different ends, one with the colour & one with a clear balm to lock the colour in place. Here I have Kiss Me You Fool which is a classic bright red shade. It's incredibly bold & certain to turn a few heads. The lipstick itself is easy to apply & the colour is highly pigmented. It feels a bit tacky until you apply the balm on top, then it's really comfortable to wear & will stay in place all day long. It starts to feel a bit dry & gross after a few hours but if you keep reapplying the balm then it feels fine. It doesn't come off when I kiss, drink or eat. In fact it just doesn't come off! Wipes & micellar water won't cut it, you need a really good cleansing oil to remove this lipstick. Personally I prefer liquid lipsticks with a matte finish but there's no denying the ultimate staying power of Provacalips.



Dirty Works 4-In-1 Face Wipes
In general I don't think that face wipes are an efficient way of removing your makeup. I don't like to prejudge products so I decided to give these ones a go anyway. Wipes can be a godsend when you're too drunk or too tired to take your makeup off properly so it's always good to keep some handy. Dirty Works face wipes feature lots of soothing ingredients & claim to gently cleanse the skin without irritating it. Unfortunately they didn't work very well for me & it took a lot of harsh scrubbing to remove all of my makeup with them. They barely touched my mascara & eyeliner. I washed my face properly with a cleansing oil afterwards & a lot of makeup came off in the muslin cloth so the wipes did bugger all really! There are good face wipes out there, sadly these ones are pretty pathetic.




LOLA Make Up By Perse Nail Varnish in Electric Purple
Purple is one of my favourite colours to wear on my nails at this time of year. I actually wore this at Halloween & it definitely made for a vampy manicure. I really like the colour & this polish has a wonderfully glossy finish. It was formulated with gel technology which is supposed to make it fluid, shiny & long lasting. The wear was disappointing though & it started to chip off the tips of my nails within 24 hours. I even used a base coat & top coat so for it to start coming off my nails that soon was a bit annoying. It didn't dry particularly quickly either so I can't say I think much of this polish formula.



Kitsch Prima Ballerina Hair Ties
How cute are these hair ties?! I've been wanting some in this style for ages & this sparkly set is very me. They are made from soft, durable elastic & are designed to be kind to your hair. Much like the Invisibobble, they are snag-free & don't leave any imprints in my hair. These hair ties look a lot prettier though & I like wearing them as glittery bracelets too. The soft pastel colours of the Prima Ballerina set will go with everything & the glitter really stays put.



Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask
I love hyaluronic acid serums & Hydraluron is the product that really got me into using them. To take their serum to the next level Indeed Labs decided to create sheet masks infused with Hydraluron which was a stroke of pure genius. Sheet masks are very popular in Asia & they have started to make their way over here. They look ridiculous but the benefits are great. Most of them are used to intensely rehydrate the skin so it makes a lot of sense for there to be a Hydraluron one. You simply unfold the fabric sheet & drape it onto your skin. After 15 minutes you take off the sheet & massage in any remaining product. It left my skin feeling really plump & soft with any fine lines smoothed out. They're a powerful boost for dehydrated skin & would be perfect for use before a special occasion. The Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks are made in Japan so technically they are authentic Asian beauty products. The only downside to the Hydraluron sheet masks is that they are very expensive in comparison to their Asian counterparts. However you can easily find them in your local Boots which does make them seem infinitely more appealing.



Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel
If you're a regular reader of my blog you'll know that I love acid exfoliators & I think that this is one of the best exfoliating products on the market today. The Microdelivery Peel combines vitamin C crystals with lactic and salicylic acid for unbelievably softer, smoother & brighter looking skin. The effects are immediate & mimic the results of professional microdermabrasion. It completely transforms the texture of your skin & after just one use you'll be stroking your face in disbelief all day long. One of these sample sachets actually prompted me to buy the full size version of this product a long time ago so feel free to check out my really old review of The Microdelivery Peel. I've learned quite a lot about skincare since writing that review but with my new knowledge I can still wholeheartedly say that this product is amazing. This little sachet reminded me just how fab it is & I encourage all of you to try it out!

Overall I was really pleased with the contents of this box. Although some things didn't work so well for me I still appreciated the opportunity to try them out. My favourite items were the Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask, the Kitsch hair ties & the Rimmel Provocalips. There's a great selection of products here & it is also excellent value for money. The box costs just £17.99 but the contents are worth over £70! If you want to save a little bit more money you can use the code HEARTBB15 for free P&P. Visit the Latest In Beauty website to find out more.

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The Lush Lip Lineup

Me? A lip balm hoarder? Guilty as charged. I can totally justify it though! Lip balms are easy to scatter everywhere so it's always good to keep a few around. Some of these stay in my handbag & some live on my dressing table. I like to be able to top up my lips with a balm no matter where I am at that point in time. I think my obsession started when I was at school & everyone had those horrific little tins of Vaseline. I cringed every time I saw people whip them out & practically told them off if they dared to offer me some. It just coats the lips leaving them even drier in the long run. If you use Vaseline on your lips stop it now or... I'm not sure we can be friends anymore ;) From that point on I made it a personal mission to find a better lip balm & convert my friends. Carmex is still an old favourite of mine because it saved me from the hell of Vaseline. I've gone through countless pots of the stuff but the tube packaging is lot more convenient. It has a lovely texture & that menthol tingle sure is addictive. My mint flavoured Balmi is quite similar but with the added bonus of SPF 15. The little keychain makes this a great one for handbags as you can just hook it onto your keys or a bag strap.

Much like the rest of your face or body, your lips need a little exfoliation before treating them to some moisture. I normally go over them with my toothbrush or a flannel but if they're still a bit flaky then there's no better treatment than one of Lush's lip scrubs. I adore the sugary sweetness of Bubblegum but my favourite has to be the Popcorn one. It tastes like salted caramel & will smooth over even the roughest of pouts. If you're a bit lazy then Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid* will naturally exfoliate & hydrate your lips all at the same time. The combination of creamy whipped lanolin & organic lemon oil is hard to beat. It makes your lips feel absolutely amazing & the fresh lemon scent is truly delicious. Another incredibly yummy product is the Super By Dr. Nicholas Perricone Lush Lips conditioning balm. I think the Super range has been discontinued as you can only find the products in TK Maxx or online now. This uses coconut oil which is renowned for it's hydrating properties. It has a nice buttery texture & over time it definitely makes your lips softer in general. I can't get enough of it's subtle coconut taste & scent. I only hope I can find another pot when mine runs out.

If you've never tried the NUXE Reve de Miel lip balm, what are you doing?! Go buy some pronto. This balm is a staple product for me. Whenever my lips get cracked & start bleeding due to the weather or illness then I can always rely on this stuff to sort them out. I normally reach for the stick during the day, it's a good one to take out with you & it is my go-to base for lipsticks. Unlike most lip balms it has a matte finish so it won't affect whatever you put on top. The pot stays on my nightstand as the texture is a little thicker. I always pop some of this on before bed to keep my lips moisturised overnight. Philosophy's Kiss Me Tonight is another brilliant overnight lip treatment. It makes my lips feel really soft & is very comfortable to wear. This stuff lasts for hours & I rarely have to reapply it. Whenever I use Kiss Me Tonight, it's always still on my lips when I wake up. It works just as well during the day for kissably soft lips 24/7. What's your favourite lip balm?

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Philosophy's The Microdelivery Peel

Skincare is something I'm always willing to spend a bit of time and money on. I also invest a lot of money in makeup because I really dislike the way my face looks without it. I have loads of freckles & dark circles under my eyes so if I don't wear makeup I just get loads of 'oh you look tired' comments even if I'm brimming with energy. In Winter its a lot easier to make your skin look good. You can just whack on a full coverage foundation and bob's your uncle. As we get closer to Summer I prefer to wear a lighter foundation or tinted moisturiser but these definitely don't make my skin look anywhere near as flawless. This year I've decided to tackle the problem head on by trying to make my skin look as good as possible without makeup. That's why I felt the need to purchase Philosophy's The Microdelivery Peel kit.

I was given a demonstration of this product on my hand when I visited Boots in Manchester to purchase Philosophy's The Present primer. I'd never heard of The Microdelivery Peel before but the sales assistant thought my skin would really benefit from it. My hand felt ridiculously soft afterwards but I really didn't think it was worth the hefty price tag. So she popped some sample sachets in my bag so I could actually try it on my face. You can feel the transformation of your skin after the very first time you use it so this sample definitely sold the product to me. I then ordered my kit from the Philosophy website as they often have offers on.





The set comes in two parts. First of all you have a tub of Vitamin C/Peptide crystals. This is a citrus scented balm filled with tiny exfoliating crystals. You take a teaspoon sized amount from the pot and gently massage this all over your face (apart from the eye area) for one minute. This will exfoliate your face helping to get rid of any dead skin cells as well as delivering Vitamin C to brighten & stimulate collagen in your skin. Then you take a few drops from the bottle of Lactic/Salicylic Acid Activating Gel and massage this over the Vitamin C crystals. This makes it start to foam slightly and it gives off a slightly warm feeling to show that the crystals have been activated. The acid helps to deep clean your pores & infuse the Vitamin C into the skin. After 3 minutes you just wash this all off and you're left with beautiful baby soft skin.

This product claims to smooth & resurface rough skin, minimise the look of fine lines and make your skin tone look bright & even. I don't have any fine lines but it definitely delivers on the other two promises. My skin is left feeling so soft & smooth that I just want to touch it all day long. Any dry patches have immediately vanished & my blackheads are completely gone. My T-zone is normally the most congested part of my face but it looks clear & smooth after using this kit. Even my fingertips feel scarily smooth after using them to massage my face! It can also help to get rid of sun damage but using this product will leave your skin more sensitive to the sun so its extra important to apply a SPF afterwards.

The kit is rather expensive at £59 but you get a large number of treatments for that price as you only need a small amount of product each time. Its definitely cheaper than getting this done as a salon treatment but the effects look just as good. If you live near a Boots with a Philosophy counter see if you can get a sample sachet because its a lot of money to spend without trying something first. Although this kit is really effective you can only use it once a week. If you were to use it more than once a week you'd end up with a very red sensitive face. Its probably not suitable for people with very sensitive skin but it works perfectly on my normal/combination skin type. If your skin looks a bit dull or congested then this product could really work wonders on your skin. I use my Clarisonic on the other 6 days of the week to keep my skin as clean as possible. If you can't afford a Clarisonic I think that this could be a great alternative. Its the perfect product to use during your weekend pampering ritual to make your skin look & feel amazing for the week ahead. I find myself really looking forward to using it every week as a special skincare treat. You can purchase Philosophy products from larger Boots stores, QVC or from their website.

February Favourites

Bioderma Crealine H2O Cleansing Solution
This makeup remover is something that I've been after for absolutely ages. My beloved Lancome Eau Micellaire Douceur finally ran out so I decided to give the Bioderma one a go. This cleanser tends to be highly regarded within the beauty community as it is the makeup remover of choice for many professional makeup artists. Sadly its almost impossible to find it in the UK so I had to purchase my bottle from ebay. Its such a simple cleanser to use as you just put some on a cotton pad & wipe your face. Theres no rinsing off involved. It is really gentle and feels as though you're just wiping your face with water. It cleanses brilliantly and removes even waterproof mascara with the utmost of ease. It leaves my face feeling really fresh and cool which is lovely after a long day. I prefer micellar formulas as they actually cleanse your face of makeup rather than spreading it around first. La Roche Posay also do one of these cleansers but the Bioderma one works out as the most amount product for your money even though you do have to order it online.

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector
Lisa Eldridge is solely responsible for my purchase of this product. I own a stupid amount of highlighters that I've bought in my never ending quest for perfect glowing skin. But this is one highlighting product that has always intrigued me. When Lisa uses this in her videos it imparts the loveliest sheen to her face that looks really natural yet obvious enough to be noticed. I was so excited to see this in the shade Pearl on BuyaPowa because it meant I could get it for £30 including delivery. Thats not actually a very big discount but BuyaPowa is such an enabler! Think I might have to ban myself from that site. Anyway I've tried using this mixed into my foundation and just blended on top of my cheekbones. Either way it makes my skin look pretty fab! I can't recommend this enough if you want glowing skin as it really is a brilliant highlighter.

Super by Dr. Nicholas Perricone Lush Lips
I also got this product from BuyaPowa which brought the price down to £10.50. I own a ton of lip balms but I'm always up for trying something new. As I really love coconut oil products this seemed like it would be a good thing to purchase. At first I wasn't sure if it was doing anything even though it made my lips feel really soft as soon as I applied it. Within a few days I found that at the times when I hadn't applied it my lips still felt a lot softer than they did previously. The balm doesn't feel heavy or greasy at all and I love the subtle taste & smell of coconut this has. Even though there are plenty of other lip balms out there, this is the one I just keep on reaching for.

By Terry Blush Terrybly
This is quite possibly the loveliest blusher that I own. I thought that nothing would ever topple my love for NARS Deep Throat but this really is the most perfect pink blusher ever. It adds a wonderful healthy glow to my cheeks that looks really natural. This shade is called Cheek To Cheek Rose and is quite pale and sheer. It will probably work best on people with very fair skin colours but By Terry do six other shades as well. Apparently this blusher has the ability to help slow down the ageing process by renewing the skin and features something called freshtone technology which detoxifies the skin as well as plumping it up by stimulating collagen. The powder itself feels silky smooth and blends beautifully into my cheeks. I love the packaging of it too as the silver compact feels very sturdy & high quality. I received this as a Christmas present but I just checked the price on Space.NK and it actually costs £53?! I don't think thats something I would ever pay for a blusher myself but it is something that I properly love and have been using every day this month. If you're feeling flush or have a birthday coming up then this is a beautiful product to get.

Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel
Philosophy is a brand that I've been really loving lately. I'm obsessed with their Purity cleanser, Cinnamon Buns shower gel, The Present primer & now I'm obsessed with this too. I always thought that these acidic peel type products were only really meant for older people with tons of wrinkles. However this one works absolute wonders on my skin. I didn't think it was possible for my skin to feel any smoother or look any better than it does after using my Clarisonic Mia with Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish but I was very wrong. This kit comes in two parts. First of all you take some of the Vitamin C crystals and massage them over your face for one minute. Then you massage some of the activating gel, which contains lactic & salicylic acid, on top of the crystals. This creates a warming & foaming effect to show that the crystals have been activated. After two minutes you wash this off and you're left with super soft, glowing skin. I think this is something I'm gonna review in more detail because it really is one of the best skincare products I've tried.

January Favourites

Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush
I got a couple of the Real Techniques sets at the beginning of January and have been using them every day since then. I'm gonna do a post about them in full but for now lets just say I cannot recommend them enough. My favourite out of all the brushes I got is the Deluxe Crease Brush. This is the most perfect brush for applying your under eye concealer. I've never gotten on with flat concealer brushes & found that the MAC & Sigma brushes that most people recommended for blending concealer didn't work well enough & shed loads of hairs. It makes blending so easy & because the brushes are synthetic they work so incredibly well with cream products such as concealers. I'd kinda fallen out of love with my Bobbi Brown concealer, preferring to just use the Corrector instead, but this brush has breathed new life into it. Not a single hair has been shed from this brush or any of the Real Techniques brushes for that matter. It also works really well for defining your crease, making 60s style eye makeup so simple to do.

Philosophy The Present
I already raved about this in my primer overview post but this has definitely been the best product that I've discovered recently. It just makes every about applying foundation completely effortless & leaves your skin looking smooth & flawless. My face looks noticeably better whenever I use this so I don't think I could be without this primer from now on.

Philosophy Cinnamon Buns Shower Gel
I thought that nothing would ever top Lush's Snow Fairy shower gel for a bit of in shower aromatherapy but I was very very wrong. It turns out that theres a reason so many shower gel companies are copying the bottle & design style of the Philosophy bottles - its because they're frigging amazing! I adore the smell of cinnamon rolls & this shower gel captures that perfectly. Its like you've walked into a Cinnabon whilst still in the shower. They really need to open a UK store outside of bloody Picadilly Circus because the ones in Starbucks & Tesco just aren't good enough! The front of the bottle even includes a recipe so you can make your own cinnamon rolls which I'm very tempted to try out.

Origins Super Spot Remover
Despite using my Clarisonic I still get a few hormonal spots along my jawline. I've heard lots of good things about this spot treatment & when I saw that it was available on BuyaPowa for just £8.50, I snapped it up. The bottle is so cute & tiny but a little goes a long way so even paying full price for it would be justified. The smell is a little weird, like a mix between witch hazel & rosemary. The cooling gel feels very tingly which I like because to me that means you can feel it working on your skin. It really does help to get rid of spots very quickly, pretty much overnight in my case.

Kerastase Masquintense Cheveux Fins
Another bargain from BuyaPowa. I got this for just £16 including postage. Not bad considering you'd normally pay about £25 for it. I'm currently waiting for my next hair appointment (after having to cancel it twice grr...) and felt like my hair could do with some pampering before and after my next round of bleach. I've only used this a couple of times so far but the pot is pretty small for the price so I'm probably only gonna get about six more washes out of it. I've been leaving this in my hair for a couple of hours before washing it out and it leaves my hair feeling a lot stronger and softer with minimal frizz. It doesn't weigh down my hair at all and the smell is really nice too. Its a good investment to make if, like me, you do torturous things to your hair.



Sainsbury's Popping Candy & Coconut Chocolate Spreads
I'm one of those people who often resorts to eating Nutella with a spoon when in desperate need of a chocolate fix. So imagine my delight when I saw these on the shelves of Sainsburys! Both are fabulous on toast or crumpets but I think I prefer the coconut one. It tastes pretty much like melted Bounty bars. I can imagine it working brilliantly as a ready-made cupcake frosting.



Community
I prefer to watch American TV shows on my laptop than whatever is on Sky. All my fave shows finished for Christmas so I had literally nothing left to watch. I'd often seen Community mentioned on Oh No They Didn't and was always intrigued by it so I decided to download the first season. The show is kinda hard to describe but the basic plot is about a study group at a community college. They're all a bit mental really & have a penchant for clever pop culture references. Its one of the funniest shows I've watched in a long time & each character has been perfectly cast. I am so in love with Joel McHale and you might recognise one of the other main characters as the rapper Childish Gambino. I downloaded the second and third seasons too which are even better. For me & my boyfriend its become one of those shows that you mention & quote in every day life. Sadly its been put on hiatus in the middle of season three which is why we need to save the show!



Unbearable Lightness
This book was written by the actress Portia De Rossi about her struggles with being gay & eating disorders. I loved her character in Arrested Development & enjoyed Sirens & Ally McBeal but I'd never really paid much attention to her otherwise. I'm not sure why but I often find myself reading books about self-destructive behaviour & mental health issues. Maybe because I identify with it in some strange way. The book is a really sad read as you can feel her desperation. Shes so open and honest about how she felt at the time which I found quite inspirational. Its a really compelling book & I did find it hard to put down. Portia De Rossi is a wonderful writer and I think shes very brave to put all of this out there. I'm now onto reading Damned by Chuck Palahniuk who is my favourite author. I've only read about a quarter of it but its pretty good so far so I'd recommend that too.

Five Of The Best Primers & Mini Giveaway

Primers are an often overlooked part of a daily face routine. Some people have never heard of a primer and some people who own them just forget to use them. However most people would probably agree that the state of your skin before you apply makeup is just as important as the foundation you use and the skill with which you apply it. Personally I have found that using a primer after your regular cleanse, tone and moisturise routine is the best way of ensuring that your skin looks flawless and your makeup lasts all day long. A primer is intended to provide a base for your foundation that will improve the lasting power of your makeup as well as smooth your skin and disguise pores & wrinkles. I've tried a few different primers now but I think that I've finally found the one that I'm happiest with. Heres a quick overview of them all.


Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer
This was the first primer I ever bought. I was in New York so felt the need to buy as many cool things in Sephora as possible. Smashbox do several primers but I got the light one because its oil-free and therefore wouldn't clog up my skin. I love how smooth this made my skin feel and foundation definitely went on a bit easier. Unfortunately that was almost all it did. After about four hours of wear my T-zone would start to look a bit oily again and my pores were still visible from the minute I applied my foundation. Smashbox is now available at Debenhams & online in the UK where I think it retails for about £25. I think thats quite a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't really make much of a difference to your face.


GOSH Foundation Primer Cream
This is the primer I've been using for the last year. I bought it after hearing so many good reviews of the gel one. GOSH do a few primers but I went for the cream because it reminded me of the texture of the Smashbox one. I also thought it seemed less clogging than the gel one. I like this one quite a lot because it did keep my makeup looking fresh for the whole day without any oiliness creeping through. It doesn't hide my pores though and doesn't make my skin feel amazing. I did repurchase this product as it is a pretty decent primer for the price, which is about £14.


MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base
I got this in last month's Glossybox and I'm not really a big fan of it. Its both a moisturiser & primer in one so the product is like a thick cream. I really dislike the way it feels on my face. It made my skin feel tacky and wet rather than silky and smooth like most primers. It makes my makeup look smooth and last most of the day but does nothing for my pores. Plus the citrus smell is horrible. A fullsize pot of this costs £15 so its in the same price range as the GOSH one but nowhere near as good.




Benefit The Porefessional
I saw this product in pretty much every '2011 Favourites' post out there so I was really excited to try this one out. When I went to buy this from Boots a couple of weeks ago they had this little gift set including a fullsize tube of The Porefessional for the same price as just the regular tube (£23.50). I'd wanted to try Girl Meets Pearl for ages so snapped it up even though the concealer is too dark for me. This product is really fantastic. Its not like any of the other primers I've tried because the balm is actually flesh coloured. The beige colour really helps to cover up any redness. It's definitely not enough to wear on its own but it does help to even out skintone making my complexion look flawless. I find that it covers my pores really well and makes my skin feel lovely. Really brilliant product.


Philosophy The Present
I absolutely love The Porefessional and didn't think I would ever find anything better until I was browsing the Philosophy counter in Manchester last week. Considering I'd only just bought the Benefit one a week before I wasn't looking for another primer but once I get obsessed with something I'll buy more until I find the perfect one. I remembered reading about The Present on Adrienne's blog and she seemed to think that it was better than The Porefessional. So after having a good natter with the sales assistant, who happened to be a MUA and used this primer on all the models at London Fashion Week, she applied it to my face. 'Wow, that's insane' was pretty much all I could say. I felt my face afterwards and it was just so smooth, I couldn't believe it. My pores were invisible and my bare skin actually looked pretty decent. The sales assistant has also pretty much convinced me that I need Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel in my life. I've been using this under my foundation for the past week and it looks like someone has airbrushed my face. My makeup lasts all day long without a single touch up and even with foundation on you can barely see any pores on my face. Another big advantage of this product over The Porefessional is the value. For £1.50 less you get more than double the amount of product. Pretty much the perfect primer. I can't wait to try even more Philosophy products.

Honorary mention goes to the Laura Mercier primer which I used to own many years ago but sadly never repurchased. That product was the perfect partner for the Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser but I never tried it with a regular foundation so can't really comment on it. I still think I prefer the Philosophy one as it makes my skin feel absolutely incredible. Are there any other primers that you like?

Now for the mini giveaway. As you can see in my Porefessionally Pretty set I got a mini pot of Benefit Erase Paste. The only colour included in these sets is Medium 02 which is way too dark for me. Rather than bin it I figured one of you might like to have it instead. I've not opened it so you'll get a brand new pot. Its the perfect size for if you want to just try it out or to put in your bag for quick touchups on the go. If you want to win it just write a comment saying so below and I'll pick one of you at random. I'll announce the winner this Friday. Easy peasy :)

Favourite Products Of 2011

I have probably spent more on makeup in the last 12 months than in any other year of my life. It sure is expensive work being a beauty blogger! Luckily it means that I've found some products that I really love and can see myself using for a long time to come. Here are some of my favourite things that I used last year. I liked a lot more stuff than what I've listed here but these are the products that really stood out to me.


Skincare
Clarisonic Mia / Liz Earle Eyebright / Dermalogica Active Moist
The best thing that I invested in last year was my Clarisonic Mia. There is no other skincare product or treatment out there that compares to what this will do for your skin. I love how it makes my skin look, almost like I've had a spa facial every time I wash my face. I love all the Liz Earle products that I've tried so far. I use Cleanse & Polish with my Clarisonic & follow up with their Skin Tonic too. Eyebright is a bit of a wonder product as it instantly cools & refreshes your eyes. Its brilliant if you've had too many late nights or need to look & feel more awake. Active Moist has been my favourite moisturiser for a while now. Its perfect on my normal/combination skin type. I haven't really liked any of the moisturisers I tried last year so I'll be sticking with this one for the foreseeable future.


Haircare
Tangle Teezer / Kerastase Ciment Thermique / Batiste XXL Volume Dry Shampoo / Frédéric Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Cream
For anyone still wondering if Tangle Teezers work, yes they do & mine has saved me from some pretty horrific knots. I still really like the Kerastase Ciment Thermique & I don't think that any other heat protection product compares to this one. The grapefruit scent lingers on your hair & its absolutely beautiful. I only recently managed to purchase the XXL Volume Batiste as its been really hard to track it down. Its literally always sold out. I'm so glad I got this as although it does make your hair feel like utter crap, it does give you lots of volume. Just whack some serum on afterwards and you're good to go. The Brilliant Glossing Cream is kinda like a cream version of Moroccanoil so it helps to weigh down your hair more. Some people won't like that but I do as it means less flyaways & a more polished looking hairdo.


Base
Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation / Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer / Bobbi Brown Corrector / MAC Pearl Cream Colour Base / Illamasqua Hollow Cream Pigment / MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural / Dior Amber Diamond
Last year I became obsessed with finding the perfect base products. I bought a ton of different products but these are my favourites and I use all of these every day. Illamasqua's Skin Base Foundation has been a revelation. I finally have a foundation that matches my exact skintone and has no SPF in which stops the 'ghost face' that Estee Lauder Double Wear used to inflict upon me. Like everyone else I love that Collection 2000 concealer. Its practically opaque & covers pretty much everything. I couldn't live without my Bobbi Brown Corrector as although the Collection 2000 concealer is really good, this product colour corrects my dark circles making me look really awake & like I've slept for 12 hours each night. MAC MSF Natural has been my fave powder for ages, I just wear this with some concealer if I have no time at all to get ready. When I use the Illamasqua foundation I just use this to powder under my eyes because otherwise my mascara ends up all over my face. Pearl Cream Colour Base & Amber Diamond are the perfect highlighting duo. I've bought more highlighters than I can count in 2011 and these are the best of the best. I like a lot of glow so using a cream under the powder makes my cheeks look super shiny & it lasts all day. Hollow Cream Pigment is something I only bought recently but it is the best contour product ever.


Eyes
Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara / L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Superliner / HD Brows Palette / MAC Shroom & Patina Eyeshadows / MAC NC15/NW20 Pencil
The mascara that I've most recently fallen in love with is the Lancome Doll Eyes one. When I first got it the formula was a lot more fluid and didn't really give me the volume I wanted. But as it dried up a bit it got thicker and it is everything I could want in a mascara. It makes my lashes super long, thick & black. I use the L'Oreal eyeliner on a daily basis as I think I look weird without it. This one is really black, long lasting and pretty cheap too which makes it the best eyeliner I've bought this year. I love the eyebrow powders in the HD Brows Palette, they're so pigmented and just brilliant. I only use the one in the bottom right corner as the others don't suit me but I use the others as eyeshadows so its a fab product. The eyeshadows I've reached for most are Shroom & Patina by MAC. I don't really wear eyeshadow much but these are subtle enough for everyday wear. I love this MAC eyeliner pencil as it makes my eyes look bigger & brighter without being a really obvious white line.


Blusher
Illamasqua Katie / Illamasqua Thrust / NARS Deep Throat / Topshop Head Over Heels
I like to wear a lot of blush as it adds some pretty colour to my deathly pallor which saves me from bronzing my whole face to an unnatural colour. My fave blusher at the moment is NARS Deep Throat, I think its the perfect colour for me with just the right amount of sparkle. I adore Illamasqua's powder blushers. Katie is a lovely pastel pink & Thrust is a bright magenta. It looks so scary in the pan but its a gorgeous colour if you apply it with a light hand & blend it properly. I want to try some of Illamasqua's cream blushers next as they seem really good too. The only cream blushers I own are from Topshop but they are great quality for the price. I like the shade Head Over Heels best as its a very pretty peachy colour thats perfect for Summer.


Lip Products
Philosophy Kiss Me Tonight / Beaute Wanted Weightless Lip Creme / MAC Hue Lipstick / MAC Enchantée Kissable Lip Colour
I bought a lot of lipsticks this year. In order to keep my lips lovely & smooth I use Philosophy's Kiss Me Tonight lip treatment. Its a balm that you put on before you go to bed and you wake up with beautifully soft lips. I also put some on before I do my makeup then blot it off when I'm ready to apply my lipstick. I bought the Beaute Weightless Lip Creme in Wanted after I heard that Kristen Stewart loves it. Its a lovely nude thats halfway between a lipstick and gloss. The MAC Kissable Lip Colours from their Peacocky collection use a similar formula. I love the colour Enchantée which is a cool toned bright pink. My fave everyday lipstick is MAC Hue. Its the most perfect pinky nude that looks brilliant on everyone.


Nail Polishes
Illamasqua Jo'Mina / Models Own Utopia / Models Own Pink Punch / Barry M Peach Melba
This was such a hard decision as I adore all the nail polishes I bought last year and believe me, I bought a lot! These ones stood out to me as unique colours that I always get complimented on. They all apply really well and don't chip too badly with some Seche Vite on top.

August Favourites

MAC 109 Brush
I have watched countless YouTube videos trying to figure out how to contour my face properly. I just have a naturally huge round face so I'm willing to do anything to make it look a bit slimmer. Most of the videos I watched said to use a MAC 109 brush. Hesitant to spend even more money on new MAC brushes I tried loads of different ones that I already had using the techniques I'd picked up but nothing worked. Every brush was far too large and left me with a weird orange beard. Not attractive. So I bought this & now contouring is the simplest thing ever. If like me you suck at contouring give this brush a go because it is the perfect size.

Stila One Step Correct
I've really missed Stila's presence in the UK market. I'm a big fan of their convertible colours & lipglosses. I wanted to try something new from their range so I got their One Step Correct. Its basically a primer that supposedly helps to even out your skintone & brighten your face. I wouldn't say it does everything it claims as my face still looks fairly pink after applying it but it really does help to brighten my skin leaving it dewy & prepped for foundation. Its perfect for days when you have no time at all to get ready. Just put some concealer & powder on top and I find my face looks pretty decent with minimal effort. Now if only Pout would re-open I would be one happy bunny. Their cheek stain's were immense!

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser
Although I do love Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish for taking off my makeup at night, I personally prefer to use a foamy gel based cleanser to wake me up in the morning. My L'Oreal one just ran out & Boots haven't bothered restocking it for weeks so I looked through my skincare stash and dug out this sample of Purity Made Simple. Its exactly what I was looking for. I actually prefer this to my previous one as it leaves my face feeling ridiculously soft. Its helped to get rid of some spots I had under the skin & keeps blackheads at bay. I definitely want to try some more of Philosophy's skincare products, which apparently are coming to Boots soon along with Stila, sweet!

Kerastase Ciment Thermique
Everytime I go to the hairdressers they use this on my hair & everytime my hair is left feeling really soft & strong despite my intense bleaching sessions. I put it down to this product. Its basically a heat protectant but it also reconstructs the hair. It helps to reconstruct hair from within as well as reinforcing the natural external protective layer. It is heat activated so once you start blow drying your hair the magic begins. After using this every week my hair looks & feels better than ever. It smells gorgeous too, like fresh grapefruits mmm.

Crest 3D Whitestrips
Every year or so I buy a new pack of whitestrips. They really are the best way to whiten your teeth without spending hundreds of pounds on professional treatments. My teeth are pretty wonky despite having worn braces because I lost my retainer so to make up for it I try to make them as white as possible. I buy mine from ebay so they work out pretty cheap. These new 3D ones are proper hardcore though, I have to do them once a week rather than once a day or my teeth become horribly sensitive. Anyone tried the 2 hour express ones? Those are next on my wishlist.



One Day & Game Of Thrones
Everyone and their dog has read/is reading One Day so I thought I'd give it a go. So far I'm really enjoying it as its a nice easy read before bedtime. I'm looking forward to seeing the film even though I hate Anne Hathaway & appaz her Yorkshire accent is worse than mine. I bought it in Sainsbury's along with Game Of Thrones as they have a 2 for £7 offer on at the mo. I'm proper obsessed with Game Of Thrones! I recently watched all the TV show and was instantly hooked. I love how they've kept in so many details from the book, its a really good adaptation. Its practically a fantasy version of a soap opera with all the twists & shock. I figured reading all the books would be quicker than waiting for the next season to be broadcast. Can't wait for Season 2 though, I need my Jon Snow fix!

Vogue's Fashion Night In Haul

The 1st of November was the date of Vogue's Fashion Night In where various online shops were offering discounts, competitions and special gifts to people logging on to their websites. The only one that grabbed my attention was the goodie bag being given away by HQ Hair to the first 300 customers to spend £20.


To get the goodie bag I ordered these two products from Bumble & Bumble; Prep and Quenching Complex. I already knew that Prep is a great product. It detangles your hair, is a great base product for blow drying and it helped my hair to grow quicker. I ran out a while ago and never had the funds to repurchase it until now. It is quite possibly my favourite hair product ever, I can't recommend it enough! I tried the Quenching Complex last night and my ends look like they're in really good condition, I can barely see my many split ends. It feels really light and my hair doesn't feel greasy at all. I think this could be a life saver when I get my hair bleached again (aiming for next week, fingers crossed!).



The 5 free items came in this pretty Paul & Joe tote bag. There was a sample bottle of Moroccanoil which is something I've wanted to try for ages, a sachet of Frederic Fekkai's Colour Care hair mask, a tube of Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask, a bottle of Philosophy's Purity facial cleanser and a mini Nars Multiple in South Beach.


I already own a fullsize Multiple in Copacabana which is a shimmery white colour, perfect for highlighting. This sample size is so cute & dinky and fits right in my makeup bag. South Beach is a beautiful golden bronze. I'm so pale so I was worried it might be a bit dark on my skin but it blends out really well to a light golden shimmer.


I've not tried the Philosophy cleanser yet but I'm excited to try it out as I love their products. I already bought this Philosophy Kiss Me Tonight lip treatment from their QVC store and it makes my lips amazingly soft. You're meant to put it on overnight and when you wake up the next day you're left with super soft lips. You can also use it as a regular lip balm. It will be so worth the money this Winter as my lips get so dry in the cold and it works well as a lipstick base too.



Ignore my goon face but check out my shiny hair!! This is purely down to the Moroccanoil! I used a tiny drop all over my hair when it was damp and after blow drying it my hair was so shiny and frizz free. When this bottle runs out I think I'm gonna have to invest in the full size version but because you need such a tiny amount this should last me quite a while.

Did anyone else get anything good from Fashion Night In?