April Favourites

Josh Wood Colour Renewing Shampoo For Brunette Hair Prone To Frizz
When I dyed my hair back to brown, I needed to get some new products to help maintain the colour. Being brunette is much lower maintenance than platinum blonde but when you use a darker dye over bleached hair, the blonde bits will inevitably start peeking through over time. Using the wrong kind of shampoo & conditioner can make the colour fade even quicker. To keep these chocolate tones looking fresh I picked up some of the Josh Wood Colour products specifically for brunette hair. They contain advanced UV filters to prevent fade as well as saffron & turmeric to keep brunette hair looking glossy & vibrant. The shampoo & conditioner for brunette hair prone to frizz are a dreamy duo that have made my hair look healthier than ever before. They make my hair feel really clean & soft whilst keeping frizz in check. I love how gloriously shiny my hair looks & I'll definitely be picking up some new bottles this week as I've just ran out!

Soap & Glory Bubble In Paradise Refreshing Body Wash
Soap & Glory make some fabulous shower gels with utterly gorgeous scents. I normally go for their Sugar Crush Body Wash because I love the fresh citrusy notes but a couple of months ago I couldn't find it in any Boots store for some reason. In it's absence I decided to try their Bubble In Paradise Body Wash. This product is part of their Call Of Fruity scented range which is their exotic new fragrance with mango, papaya & coconut. It's such a lovely tropical scent that completely fills the bathroom. The formula is really creamy & feels moisturising on the skin. It lathers up well so you only need to use a tiny amount & having a shower with this beaut body wash is a great way to start your day.

Maybelline Dream Urban Cover Foundation
IT Cosmetics are so annoying. They've made one of the most gorgeous looking foundations of all time & yet they refuse to fully expand the shade range. 12 shades is nowhere near comprehensive enough & when drugstore brands like Revolution manage to bring out 50 shades of foundation, it just makes IT Cosmetics seem like they don't care. So when I heard rumours that Maybelline's latest foundation was a dupe for the Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream, I went out & bought it immediately. Maybelline are yet another drugstore brand who have a very inclusive range of foundation colours & 100 Warm Ivory is a perfect match for me. I use their Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation in the same colour so I knew it would be a safe choice. The foundation has quite a liquidy formula & it feels very lightweight on the skin but it still delivers in terms of coverage. I wouldn't say it's as full coverage as they claim but it certainly does a excellent job of concealing any redness & hiding the vast majority of my skin imperfections. I love the healthy natural looking radiance it gives to my skin & the smooth satin finish. The foundation provides SPF 50 & is enriched with antioxidants to protect against pollution. This is definitely my base product of choice for this Summer. The extra sun protection is always welcome & it lasts all day long on my skin. I don't think it's a perfect dupe for the IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream because it's not as moisturising & gives more coverage but it's still a brilliant foundation.

Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser
I used to be really obsessed with Origins skincare products but I kinda fell out of love with them as newer brands such as The Ordinary began to emerge. One product I always meant to try is their GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser & I recently got this little sample bottle from a beauty box. I'm a big fan of gel formulas because they work really well for oily/combination skin types. The lightweight formula provides just the right amount of hydration & sinks in really quickly so you can get on with applying your makeup. It has a gorgeous orange sherbet scent which makes it a joy to use. If your skin is looking a little tired then I'd definitely recommend trying this moisturiser. It's fortified with panax ginseng & coffee bean to instantly energise the skin giving you a healthy looking, vibrant glow. It really perks me up in the morning & has an immediate effect on the brightness of my complexion. I never looked this good without makeup until I tried this moisturiser. For super soft radiant skin, Origins GinZing is a wonderful product.

Nu Skin Nu Colour LightShine Lip Plumping Balm in Pink Tinge
I still haven't 100% decided if I want to get lip fillers or not. I've found a fantastic aesthetic practitioner to perform the procedure but I'm just worried it won't look right on my face. Until I fully make my mind up I've been trying out different lip plumping products to achieve a similar but less permanent effect. One of my favourite products I've discovered is this Lip Plumping Balm from Nu Skin. This lip balm feels silky & deeply moisturising on the lips. Rose hip oil is one of the main ingredients so it's rich in fatty acids. These fatty acids help the lip balm to improve the elasticity & moisture levels of the skin whilst giving your lips a full & even glow. There is a slight tingle when applying the lip balm because it contains menthol which improves blood circulation. It doesn't quite give you Kylie Jenner lips but it adds a more natural plumpness. This makes it a great base for lipsticks because it gives your lips a smoother appearance, so anything you put on top will be less likely to sink into fine lines. It also looks really pretty used by itself because it tints your lips with a soft baby pink hue.

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October Favourites

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%
My latest purchase from The Ordinary has fast become one of my all time favourites. Resveratrol & Ferulic Acid are two highly potent antioxidants with anti-aging properties. These particular ingredients help to boost the efficacy of Vitamin C & sun protection so they work really well with the rest of my skincare routine. They are suspended in propanediol which has quite an oily texture but it doesn't feel greasy on the skin. Since I started using this serum every morning my skin has looked so fresh & youthful. It gives me such a healthy looking glow & has helped to refine the texture of my skin. I have less congestion, my pores look much tighter & my fine lines are diminished. It sits really well underneath my makeup & gives my base a super smooth, radiant looking finish.

Glossier Birthday Balm Dotcom
When I heard that Glossier were coming to the UK, I actually wasn't that excited. To be honest I think a lot of their products are overhyped & overpriced but FOMO led to me ordering a few things just to see what all the fuss was about. One item I knew I had to try was their Balm Dotcom. It was a tough choice between all the different tints & flavours but in the end I went for the Birthday variety. I read that it had been made in collaboration with Christina Tosi who owns Momofuku Milk Bar. I love watching her on Masterchef USA & have always wanted to try one of her cakes. A trip to New York isn't on the cards anytime soon so I settled for this cake flavoured lip balm. The texture is nice & thick so it feels really moisturising on the lips. This one also has some shimmery particles in it which makes your lips look really pretty. I love the scent & taste of it and the holographic packaging is super cute too!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation in Light Porcelain*
I received this product in my latest VoxBox from Influenster. In the past I've struggled to find good drugstore foundations but recently both Maybelline & Rimmel have been knocking it out of the park. This is the new Breathable version of Rimmel's Lasting Finish Foundation. It provides long lasting medium coverage in a lightweight, hydrating formula. I was sent the shade Light Porcelain which is slightly too pink toned for my skin but used together with the more yellow toned concealer, I can make it work. I really love the huge applicator wand as it makes it so quick & easy to put on your foundation. The coverage is very nice & it evens out my skintone well. It gives my skin a smooth flawless finish without looking like a mask. It doesn't cling to dry patches & never looks cakey no matter how much you apply. I was really impressed with the wear time as one of the main reasons I tend to go for more expensive foundations is that they last longer on my skin. This stuff looked just as good at the end of the day as it did in the morning. I highly recommend checking it out if you can find a colour match.

Soap & Glory Spritz Me Quick Hydrating Moisture Mist
I'm quite happy to dedicate time to doing my facial skincare routine but the same cannot be said for my body. I hate moisturising after a shower & can never be bothered to wait around for a cream to absorb before getting dressed. That's why I love lightweight moisturising sprays like this one from Soap & Glory. Spritz Me Quick sprays your skin with a super fine mist of body lotion. It's easy to apply & quick to sink in so it's perfect if you're in a rush. You can spray it from every angle to reach all those areas you can't normally get to. It smells absolutely gorgeous as it has that classic Soap & Glory scent which lingers on your skin for hours. It's a beautiful blend of rose & bergamot and I can't get enough of it. This lovely product leaves my skin feeling really soft, smooth & hydrated all day long.



Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette
Charlotte Tilbury has some kind of strange power over me. I've spent hundreds of pounds on her makeup range & I told myself I wasn't going to buy this palette but I did it anyway. I just love her products so much! Anyway the eyeshadows in this palette are truly stunning. You get four different trios with a Prime, Enhance & Smoke shade to create four different eyeshadow looks. My favourites are the Desk Eye & Date Eye sections. I'd say that it's a great palette for beginners or for those who don't want to do complicated eye looks. You could easily just sweep one of these colours over your eyelids & you'd be good to go. However I do have a few issues with this palette. It's not quite as pigmented as her eyeshadow quads. The shimmers are incredibly pretty but some need a little help from MAC Fix+ to actually show up on the eye. I don't think it was worth the whopping £60 price tag, especially when the first shade in the palette has literally no pigment whatsoever, but for some reason I love it all the same!

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Christmas Presents

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup
Just like last year, the main thing that I wanted for Christmas was some more Charlotte Tilbury makeup. I just love everything about Charlotte as a person & I can't get enough of her products! As soon as I laid eyes on her latest rose gold & night crimson makeup bag I knew that I needed it in my life. It's such a beautiful bag with plenty of room inside to store all of my CT goodies & I adore the little lipstick zip charm! I'm obsessed with the Matte Revolution lipsticks so I got Very Victoria along with the Iconic Nude lip liner. The lipstick is a soft rosy brown nude inspired by Victoria Beckham. It's one of Kim Kardashian's favourites & I'm sure it'll become one of mine too. I also got the Feline Flick liquid eyeliner & a couple of eyeshadow brushes. Compared to the Real Techniques Bold Metals brushes, Charlotte's collection isn't much more expensive but applying your eyeshadow with these feels like your eye is being stroked by a tiny kitten. They're the softest brushes I've ever touched & I'm completely enamoured with them!




Lingerie
I always ask Andy to get me some new lingerie for Christmas & he did very well with both of these. I've wanted a harness bra for so long as I think they look really cool peeking out from under your clothes. This one was from an Etsy shop called ColieCo & it can be adjusted to fit anything from a 28 to a 38 back. He also got me this gorgeous red glittery set from Boux Avenue. Their lingerie tends to fit me really well & I love their overall aesthetic.




Audio Equipment
I've had a few failed attempts at making YouTube videos already but it's something that I do want to persevere with in the coming year. Personally I currently find watching videos more engaging than reading blogs & I think many other people feel the same way. I plan on doing some makeup tutorials & I wanted a mic to record a voiceover with. One of my favourite Let's Players said that he uses this Samson mic for his voiceovers so I got the same one. I can plug the USB cable straight into my Macbook Pro & record without any hassle. The sound quality is excellent & it came in a set with these headphones which will be perfect for video editing. I might try my hand at podcasting too!



Kindle Paperwhite
I bought myself a basic Kindle for Christmas a few years ago but I always regretted not getting the Paperwhite version. My mum kindly treated me to an upgrade & having a light built into the screen is infinitely better! I can read a book anywhere without having to disturb other people & the new display is super sharp. The battery seems to last longer too which was a pleasant surprise. I kinda miss having buttons on either side of the device as I find myself touching the screen & turning pages by accident but it's all worth it for that wonderful built-in light!



Marc Jacobs Daisy Gift Set
Having never owned a Marc Jacobs perfume before I was pleased as punch to be given a bottle of the Daisy eau de toilette. It's such a classic fresh floral fragrance & the bottle looks totally stunning on my dressing table. It's sophisticated & feminine without being too sweet. The perfume came with a Daisy Bubbly Shower Gel & a Daisy Luminous Body Lotion. Normally I don't care for the other products that come in perfume gift sets but these two are genuinely lovely & smell almost as good as the real thing.



Soap & Glory Products
My in-laws got me this cute box of goodies from Soap & Glory. I've previously bought & loved all four of the miniature products in this set so I was very happy to receive some new supplies. Who doesn't love Soap & Glory products?! Their shower gels are fantastic & Clean On Me is one of my favourites. The best product from this set is definitely Hand Food which I'll be keeping in my handbag for some much needed hydration on the go.




Birth Chart T-Shirt
I find astrology to be really interesting and love learning about things like horoscopes & tarot cards. I religiously check out my monthly forecast on Astrology Zone & I would really like to get a proper birth chart drawn up some day. In the meantime I can just wear this awesome birth chart t-shirt to show that I'm a proud Leo. As part of Selfridges' Christmas grotto, The Numinous collaborated with YRStore to create these custom astrological t-shirts. The shirts are unisex so if you're planning on ordering one I would recommend sizing down. Each design features symbols related to your star sign including an astro glyph, colour, planet, birth stone, the Chinese animal you were born under & your life path number in numerology. It's an entirely unique present & the finished design looks really cool!



Alice Bow Insoles
My mum has always been obsessed with the Royal Family & if Kate Middleton buys something, she has to buy it too. She told me about an article in the Daily Mail which said that the reason Kate can spend hours at all these royal engagements wearing high heels is because she puts these Alice Bow insoles in all of her shoes. So my mum went a bit crazy and bought two pairs for herself, me & my sister. The insoles are specially designed to cushion the ball of the foot & boast high-quality padding wrapped in premium Italian leather. They have different padding depending on whether you're wearing flats or high heels & I have to say that they definitely do make a difference. The pink & gold leathers look lovely inside my footwear whilst adding comfort & support to the cheapest of shoes.



Sailor Moon Merchandise
I'm a diehard Sailor Moon fan so I was really pleased to get this mug & coaster set as my present from Chloe. In fact I often consider getting a Sailor Moon tattoo! The artwork on these two items is so cute & I love drinking my nightly rooibos tea from this mug. I was in need of a coaster too as I normally end up leaving my tea on the floor to protect my desk & inevitably forget about drinking it!

I got so many lovely presents for Christmas this year & I'm incredibly grateful for every single one. The Charlotte Tilbury makeup bag was my absolute favourite though <3 This Christmas was a lot of fun as I made sure to buy Chloe games that we could all play together. We got a few board games & she asked for Mario Party 9 for the Wii as she loves watching videos of it on YouTube. We played it for hours on Christmas day & we got so into it that I nearly forgot to cook Christmas dinner! It all went to plan in the end though & tasted delicious. Pigs in blankets are literally my favourite thing about Christmas, I ate six of them haha! I must've been fairly good though as I still managed to lose 0.5lb at Slimming World this morning. I hope you all had a brilliant Christmas & got everything you wished for!

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Daily Makeup #3

In celebration of finally finding a drugstore foundation that not only matches my skin tone but actually looks good on me, I decided to do a makeup look using mainly drugstore products. I say mainly because I had to cheat with my powder but everything else I used can be found in Boots or Superdrug & is very affordable. The foundation I'm referring to is none other than the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation which really illuminates the skin whilst giving medium coverage. I use the shade 010 Light Porcelain which is very pale & pink toned. I applied it using an Illamasqua Highlighter Brush which can make any foundation look amazing. For concealer I went with an old favourite, the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. This product works brilliantly both under the eyes & on blemishes so it has earned a permanent place in my makeup bag. To set my base I used Illamasqua Translucent Loose Setting Powder. Obviously it's not a drugstore item but for the price you get a ton of product & it gives you a flawless matte finish. I can't really wear the Rimmel foundation without powder because the staying power isn't that great & it transfers like hell!

Sleek do the best drugstore cheek products in my opinion. I used their Face Contour Kit in Light to add some definition to my cheekbones & highlight the high points of my face. I don't really like the highlighter that much because it's practically invisible on the skin but the contour shade is fab. I also used their Rose Gold Blush which is a beautiful peachy pink with golden shimmer. It's basically the same colour as NARS Orgasm. The pigmentation isn't as good but that often works out well for me because I tend to be quite heavy handed with my blusher. Next I moved onto my eye makeup & I started by using the SEVENTEEN Trio Eyeshadow in Enraged. These colours are a lot warmer than they look in the pan so I don't like them as much as I thought I would. The gold works nicely as a pop colour in the middle of the eye but I'll definitely be avoiding the peachy shade in future. I applied a couple of coats of the L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara to my top & bottom lashes before lining them with the Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen. I use those two on a regular basis & I think they make a great combo. It feels weird now to use anything other than Anastasia DipBrow Pomade on my eyebrows but I filled them in with the Collection Eyebrow Kit. These powders are really good quality & can be mixed to create your own custom brow shade.

The bright red lips are the focal point of this look & I thought I would try one of the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks. This is the shade 03 Hot Pepper which is a vibrant orangey red. I've heard so many good things about these matte finish liquid lipsticks so I wanted to see if they lived up to the hype. I love the colour but the formula, not so much. Sure it lasts for hours without requiring reapplication but it was a bit of a faff to apply in the first place. I thought it would be opaque in one swipe but I had to keep layering it up which meant it took forever to dry down. It still feels slightly tacky hours later & transfers if you eat something or kiss someone. I think I just need to be patient & wait for Jeffree Star's Velour Liquid Lipsticks to be restocked. They're completely kissproof & come in some even prettier colours! I do appreciate how long lasting this Bourjois one is though & it's rare for such a bright lipstick to not end up all over my wonky teeth! Are you a fan of any of the products I used?

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British Summer Essentials

There's nothing quite as unpredictable as the Great British Summer. One day the sun will be shining brighter than ever before... then the next day we'll get non-stop wind & rain. If you're having a UK staycation this year then it's best to be prepared for every eventuality. I've teamed up with luxury accessories brand Folli Follie to give you a few ideas of which things to take with you, whatever the weather. Last month they sent me the most amazing selection of goodies & I'm over the moon with everything I received. Here are my British Summer Essentials...





First of all you'll need a bag to carry around all of your belongings. You'd be hard pressed to find a more beautiful one than the Heart4Heart Shoulder Bag*. I was so excited when this arrived in the post, this bag is just incredibly stunning! It is available in five different colours but I think the red looks best. It's so bright & Summery but will look stylish all year round. I love pairing monochrome outfits with colourful accessories like this. I adore the rose gold hardware, especially that clover shaped lock. Everything about the bag just screams quality. Not only does it look gorgeous but there is tons of room inside & plenty of compartments to keep everything organised. It feels sturdy yet lightweight so it's a brilliant choice for your travels.






I was also sent these awesome tortoiseshell effect wayfarer sunglasses. How cute is the little orange case they came with?! The attention to detail is phenomenal. I really like how the four leaf clover theme is carried through their designs. The glasses feel very comfortable to wear & the lenses offer 100% UV ray protection. The wayfarer style is a classic & again the quality is top notch. Something else I've loved wearing this Summer is my black straw fedora hat from River Island. It's helped to protect my bleached hair from the sun & provide some shade for my face. I think it finishes off an outfit rather nicely too!



BRONZE
Although the UK weather is capable of doling out some wicked sunburn, we often don't see enough sun to develop a real tan. Even if you want to catch some rays you still need to wear some form of protection. Shiseido make some truly lovely sun protection products. I really like their Protective Tanning Cream N SPF 10*. It offers light protection & imparts a beautiful glow to the skin. The formula is very lightweight so it absorbs quickly & the tanner gives you a healthy looking natural golden colour. In a similar vein the Nivea Sun Protect & Bronze Spray SPF 10 contains a natural plant extract which helps support the production of melanin. Using this spray lotion will help to protect your skin & boost your ability to get a tan. If you're too busy for sunbathing then you can't beat a bit of fake tan. Admittedly I'm not a self tanning connoisseur but I've been very impressed with Lauren's Way Glam Tan*. The thought of tanning my whole body is quite scary to me but I've been using it on my legs to give them a bit of colour. The spray makes it very easy to apply & the colour is deep yet natural looking - not orange!



PROTECT
If you're incredibly pale like me then you should probably stick to using products with a high SPF. Most people seem to forget that your lips can actually get sunburned so it's important to use a lip balm that can protect your lips. I love this strawberry lip balm from EOS*. This flavour doesn't have sun protection but their lemon drop lip balm boasts SPF 15 so make sure you get that one! The formula is deeply hydrating & feels lovely on the lips. My favourite facial sunscreen is Soap & Glory's Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50. I use chemical exfoliants all year round so I always wear SPF 50 but it's especially important to protect your face during the Summer. I like this one because it doesn't leave a white cast, it doesn't feel greasy & it doesn't break me out. Check out my full review here. I always use this Nivea Sun Protect & Refresh Spray on my body. It offers SPF 50 & the spray is invisible so it won't leave horrid marks all over your clothes. It's easy to apply & feels cooling on the skin. I highly recommend it!



REFRESH
I love spending time in the sun but sometimes the heat can make you feel gross & uncomfortable. To make things a little more bearable during the recent heatwave I relied on these few products. The most important thing to carry with you is a bottle of water. It'll keep you hydrated and stocking up on them at home will save you a few pennies when you're out & about. It's a good idea to carry a dry shampoo with you during the Summer months. Sweaty hair is never a good look. I always buy Batiste products because they're cheap & get the job done. I hadn't tried their Pretty & Delicate Floral Dry Shampoo* before but the scent is really sweet & feminine - a new fave! I love the packaging too. I couldn't live without a bottle of Caudalie Beauty Elixir in my handbag. It's the perfect facial refresher with an addictive herbal scent. I use it throughout the day to perk up my skin & clear my mind. After a few hours in the sun my body starts to feel overly hot & sticky. Arran Aromatics have come up with the best solution for this short of taking a cold shower. Their Aloe Vera Energising Gel* is a wonderful quick reinvigorator for the body. It instantly cools down the skin & works well on sunburn. I always carry a bottle of hand sanitiser with me. If you're eating on the go or having a picnic then you don't want mucky hands. I really like the ones from The Body Shop. They come in loads of different scents but I'm currently using the Pink Grapefruit Hand Cleanse Gel. It smells so nice! A little pocket fan like this one can feel terrific when you're getting hot & bothered. Spray the Beauty Elixir or rub on some of the body gel first then use the fan on those areas. Say hello to instantly cooler skin.



Of course if everything goes wrong & the rest of the Summer is a washout then you'll need a good umbrella. I really like cute bubble ones like this as they seem to keep the rain out much better than your average brolly. Even if it doesn't rain then an umbrella can double up as a parasol so you can chill out in the shade no matter where you are.

What are your British Summer essentials?

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July Favourites

Lush D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap
I went to Lush a few weeks ago to buy thank you presents for Chloe's preschool teachers & felt like treating myself at the same time. One of the things I picked up is their new D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap. This is such a fantastic shaving product! First of all it has the most incredible strawberry scent, I could quite happily sniff the pot all day long. It has a light mousse texture as it features whipped egg whites. It doesn't really lather up like normal soap, it melts into the skin instead. This is due to the cocoa butter which adds a lot of moisture to the skin & allows you to get a very close shave with even the cheapest of razors. The soap also contains organic rosehip oil & coconut oil which help to reduce irritation & redness. It doubles up as a regular body wash if you fancy smelling like a delicious fresh strawberry. It's such a delight to use & leaves my whole body feeling silky soft for days.

Arran Aromatics Feel Good Formulas Aloe Vera Energising Body Gel*
This cooling body gel from Arran Aromatics has barely left my side this Summer. After a few hours outside in the hot sun I'm always ready for a cool drink in the shade. To refresh my skin after piling on the sun protection all day I've been rubbing this gel all over my arms, back & legs. It immediately cools my body down & absorbs well without leaving me feeling sticky. The gel contains aloe vera extract to soothe & nourish and witch hazel to cool & tone the skin. It has a lovely fresh floral scent too. This gel is the perfect solution for when you're feeling a bit hot & bothered. It works even better if you keep it in the fridge!

Soap & Glory Orangeasm Body Wash
After I had a bad reaction to Soap & Glory's Breakfast Scrub I've been quite wary of buying their body products. I'm such a sucker for citrus scented shower gels though so I couldn't resist trying this one out. Orangeasm has such a strong masculine scent which is quite different to the sweeter citrus scents I'm used to. It features fresh green mandarin, Sicilian lemon & sweet orange peel oils. It's very refreshing first thing in the morning & does a good job of hydrating my skin. What I like most about this product is that it seems to have a welcome side effect of getting rid of my keratosis pilaris (bumpy upper arms). I think it must be from all the natural citrus oils & acids it contains. This body wash makes my skin feel so smooth & as long as it keeps my arms bump free then I'll keep on repurchasing it.

Avene Cleanance K
Y'all know I love me some hardcore chemical exfoliants so when I heard that Avene's Cleanance K contains glycolic, lactic and salicylic acid I had to give it a go. It's basically a spot treatment as it helps to minimise blemishes & pores. This is a hydrating creamy gel formula which makes it suitable for daily use without drying out the skin. You can use it to target individual spots or you can apply it all over your face. I've been using this in place of a serum in my evening skincare routine & I'm really impressed with the results. As the acid percentages are quite high you do have to expect quite a lot of skin purging when you start using this product. My chin & forehead have been purging like crazy for the past couple of weeks! I always get closed comedones on my forehead & this has really helped to smooth out all those horrible bumps under the skin. If you have blemish-prone skin that can tolerate high acid percentages then I would definitely recommend buying this spot treatment.

Hydraluron Moisture Jelly
Hydraluron used to be a must-have product for me. The original formula is the perfect serum to combat dehydration. After repurchasing it several times I came to realise that I prefer using a moisturiser that already contains hyaluronic acid. This allows me to skip out a step in my skincare routine & save money at the same time. The idea of a Hydraluron moisturiser had me very excited & I bought it as soon as it launched. This cooling gel has fast become one of my favourite ever moisturisers. It works best as part of a daytime routine & is especially nice to use in hot weather. Like the original Hydraluron, the Moisture Jelly is instantly hydrating & feels amazing on the skin. It's a moisturiser that is truly suitable for all skin types. The product absorbs quickly without any stickiness. It's a great base for makeup & doesn't pill under primers, sunscreen or foundation. I find that because it's not your traditional creamy moisturiser, my makeup lasts longer without any primer underneath anyway. Also the packaging is totally awesome! You simply press down on the top disc & a small blob of the product appears. It's so hygienic & delivers exactly the right amount for my face. Can this become the standard packaging for all products housed in pots please?

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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!

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Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50+

Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50+ - £15

A little bit of sun has finally arrived in our fair country and that means it's time to crack out the sun protection products. As a devotee of acids & retinoids, I use SPF products all year round. I'm ridiculously pale so SPF 50 is the one for me. For the past couple of years I've relied on the Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50. It's a fantastic moisturiser & high SPF in one product. One of the main reasons I loved using the Alpha-H moisturiser is because it lacks many of the pitfalls that you would normally associate with sun protection creams. There was no stickiness, greasiness, bad smell, white cast or breakouts. I recently ran out of it but rather than ordering a new bottle straight away I looked through my skincare collection & realised that I had a hell of a lot of non-SPF day moisturisers laying around. In an attempt to use some of them up, this year I decided to try using a separate SPF 50 product again. Finding a good facial SPF product is a lot harder than you would think. I've tried loads & none of them agreed with my skin type. At long last I have found a good SPF 50 lotion that makes my face happy & doesn't cost the earth. Plus it was on special offer when I bought it so it only cost me a tenner! If you're guilty of leaving sun protection out of your skincare routine then this fabulous new product from Soap & Glory merits a place in your next Boots haul. Say hello to the Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50+.

This incredibly lightweight fluid is the ideal product to smooth over your regular moisturiser this Summer. It's a broad-spectrum sunscreen offering protection against both UVA & UVB rays. The packaging is cute yet practical & reminds me of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua bottle. You have to shake up the product in a similar manner too. The consistency of the liquid is very runny & thin. I find that it absorbs into my skin really quickly so I can get on with applying my makeup right away. It has a light yellow tint which doesn't add any extra coverage but it does stop the product from giving your skin a white cast. It feels very comfortable on the skin, not greasy or sticky at all. Most SPF products turn me into an oil slick after a couple of hours & feel really heavy on my face. Using Sunshield Superfluid is like a breath of fresh air, it's completely weightless! This sunscreen features micro oil-absorbing powders which help to mattify the skin. I wouldn't say it gives as matte a finish as the Alpha-H moisturiser does, it's more of a satin sheen. It's exactly the kind of finish you'd want during the Summer - glowy & fresh. My forehead does get a little shiny by the end of the day but it's nothing a quick powdering won't sort out.

The lotion has a very sweet fruity scent which I really like. It probably won't be to everyone's taste but I think it's lovely, much better than the horrible smell sunscreens usually have anyway. My skin hasn't had any issues with the fragrance either. I've had a lot of trouble with sunscreens making me breakout in the past. I double cleanse twice a day so it's not that I wasn't taking them off properly, my skin simply didn't like them. Thankfully I've had no such problem with the Sunshield Superfluid. I've been using it for about a month now & my skin is still behaving itself. I'm incredibly happy with this product. It just ticks every single box. Sunshield Superfluid really is the perfect SPF 50 product if you're looking for something inexpensive & readily available that also feels wonderful on the skin.

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Daily Makeup #1

Today I'm starting up a new feature as I've never really done face of the day type posts before. It always bugs me when people talk about the makeup products they're using and then they don't follow it up with a picture of how it actually looks on their face. So here's a look with a focus on thick black liner & cherry red lips. I started off with my Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in #2 which gives great coverage but also adds a wonderful glow to the skin. I concealed any blemishes & my undereye area with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair before setting under my eyes with the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. I'm always one for a bit of shimmer so I dusted a bit of my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light all over my face & highlighted my cheekbones with theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer. For blush I went for Illamasqua Naked Rose, it gives such a pretty flush to the cheeks. I then filled in my eyebrows using Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash & held my brows in place using MAC Clear Brow Set.

The lovely ladies at Baobella Boutique recently sent me a few new products to try out. Baobella Boutique is a free to join, members only online beauty store. They offer some amazing discounts on well known brands such as Clarins, Chanel, Decleor, L'Oreal, Maybelline & Lee Stafford to name just a few. There's a huge range of high end brands, drugstore brands and some that you might not have come across before. Each item is only available for a limited time period so you have to be quick to make sure you don't miss out on a great deal. If you like buying discounted beauty products (who doesn't?!) then it's well worth signing up for. I received an Yves Rocher duo worth over £40 yet you could buy it on Baobella Boutique for just £10.99! Yves Rocher is the number one makeup brand in France. All of their products are natural so if you're into that kind of thing then they're a great brand to check out. Not only that but their products are very high quality too.

I was extremely impressed by the Volume Vertige mascara. I love the curvy wand applicator. It really sculpts the lashes, giving lots of separation & definition without any clumps. One coat is enough for super long & thick lashes but I always like to add another to pump up the volume. It holds a curl so well & makes my lashes generally look amazing. After applying my mascara I lined my eyes with lots of Soap & Glory Supercat & MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20 on the waterline. I finished off my look with a slick of Yves Rocher Grand Rouge lipstick in the shade Radiant Red. This lipstick feels really comfortable & moisturising on the lips. It features camellia oil, organic sesame oil & vitamin E to keep your lips in tip top condition. The highly pigmented formula simply glides on & it has a nice glossy finish. The staying powder is incredible, it lasts for hours even after eating & drinking. When it does begin to fade, it leaves a pretty red stain rather than a horrible ring around your lips. I love the packaging & it smells really nice too. Yves Rocher get a big thumbs up from me.

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