February Favourites

House Of Lashes Dark Eyelash Adhesive
I've always used Duo Lash Adhesive to apply my falsies & in general I was pretty happy with it. However I didn't really like the squeezy tube or how long it would take to become tacky & I would often jump the gun trying to apply false lashes before the glue was ready. There's nothing more annoying than spending ages perfecting your eye makeup just to mess it up with lash adhesive. I adore the eyelash styles from House Of Lashes (Iconic lashes are my fave!) & had heard so many good things about their lash glue. I got the dark version because it's easier to blend in with my eyeliner & I absolutely love it! It gets tacky right away & keeps my lashes in place all day. The glue is latex-free & completely waterproof but that can make it difficult to remove. It comes with a brush-on applicator which is less messy & very precise. The only thing I'm not so keen on is the scent. It's got a slight floral fragrance which is certainly better than the fishy odour of Duo but still a bit weird. It soon goes away after the glue dries though. Overall I really like this lash glue & it makes applying false lashes a breeze.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Between The Sheets
My obsession with Charlotte Tilbury's makeup range knows no bounds & whenever she brings out something new, I have to buy it immediately. I'm a huge fan of the Matte Revolution lipsticks & couldn't resist snapping up her new rose petal pink shade called Between The Sheets. The last thing I needed to buy was yet another pink lipstick but I fell in love with her first date makeup look & the model's lips looked so pretty in this tutorial. I really love the Matte Revolution formula as the lipsticks are creamy & don't dry out your lips. They don't look flat either as they contain 3D glowing pigments which give the appearance of wider & fuller lips that almost look lit-from-within. The square tip is also fantastic for precision application. The longevity isn't great for a matte lipstick but the romantic pink colour of Between The Sheets is too dreamy to miss out on.

Maria Nila Luminous Colour Shampoo
My hair is currently a gorgeous shade of grey all thanks to my new hairdressers. To keep it that way between hair appointments I use various silver shampoos but I felt that the rest of my haircare routine was slightly lacking. I was using some Alterna & Tresemme products to wash my hair but they weren't that great for maintaining the colour or the condition. Instagram is full of people with fabulous locks & I noticed some of my favourite pink haired ladies posting about these Maria Nila products. So I went to Sally's & bought a few items from the Luminous Colour range. These products are specially designed for coloured hair as they boost softness & shine whilst rebuilding the hair structure. They feature pomegranate extract and a colour guard complex which protect hair & reduce the loss of colour associated with washing, heat styling, UV rays & free radicals. They are also sulphate & paraben-free. Not only do they smell incredible but my hair has never looked better! I still have a few broken pieces from excess bleaching but this stuff smooths them down beautifully so my hair looks much fuller & healthier. My hair feels super soft & light after washing but it's completely frizz-free. The condition of my hair has improved so much since I started using this range & I've had hardly any breakage as a result. Maria Nila's Luminous Colour Shampoo & Conditioner are hands down the best products I have ever washed my hair with. You need to try them!

Superfacialist Probiotic Skin Recovery Day Cream
In my opinion Superfacialist By Una Brennan is one of the very best drugstore skincare brands. Their products combine potent natural extracts with high performance active ingredients which is something I tend to look for when buying new skincare items. You get the best of both worlds that way & in my experience, the best results. A few months ago they brought out a product range harnessing the healing power of probiotics. This range claims to gently yet effectively hydrate, balance & rejuvenate sensitised, stress damaged or overly treated skin. A couple of the products I tried were complete duds but the Skin Recovery Day Cream has fast become my go-to moisturiser. It has such a lovely texture that feels light yet nourishing & immediately calms down any irritation or redness. It deeply hydrates the skin & features a small amount of lactic acid for a softer, smoother complexion. I think it's a brilliant moisturiser & a great base for longer lasting makeup.

Viridian 100% Organic Raw Coconut Oil*
After 10 years of having stretched ear lobes I finally said goodbye to my tunnels last month. I still loved them & was very sad to get rid of them. I would've gladly worn them forever. Unfortunately for some reason my ears had gotten really irritated & no amount of salt soaks or oil massages would calm them down so long as I continued to wear earrings. I hadn't stretched them recently or done anything differently so I don't really know what happened there. I finally admitted defeat & took them out which left me with some rather fetching holes in my ears. Stretched lobes look kinda gross if you're not wearing earrings in them so I needed to shrink them down as fast as possible whilst soothing the inflamed skin. In order to do just that I decided to try massaging them with this coconut oil from Viridian Nutrition. Any coconut oil would do but this adorable little pot is the perfect size to keep on my bedside table as you only need a small amount of oil for your ear lobes. I started massaging them about three times a day which reduced the redness, removed the dead skin & most importantly healed up my holes. It's been about three weeks since I took the earrings out & they already look pretty much back to normal. I don't think I would stretch my ears up again even though I do really miss my sparkly white tunnels!

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Superfacialist By Una Brennan Probiotic Skincare

Drugstore skincare brands have come on leaps & bounds over the years. As lovely as it is to use luxury skincare products, you really don't need to spend a fortune to get good skin. One affordable brand that I always recommend is Superfacialist By Una Brennan. Whilst picking up a fresh bottle of my fave cleansing oil I noticed that there were some new Superfacialist products on the shelves, namely the Probiotic skincare range. Whenever I spot something new in Boots I always Google the hell out of it in store to see if there are any reviews or swatches but I could hardly find any information about these new products. So I took it upon myself to try all three items & find out if they were as brilliant as the rest of the Superfacialist products.

Probiotics are kind of a big deal in skincare right now. Aurelia are highly regarded for their probiotic skincare range & I've personally found that taking probiotic supplements has helped to calm down my skin. Aurelia's products are pretty pricey though so it's good to know that there's a high street alternative. We are often told that one of the main causes of acne is bacteria on the skin but apparently there is a difference between bad & good bacteria, just like in the gut. Each product in the Probiotic range contains a unique blend of healthy bacteria, anti-ageing actives & skin soothing naturals which claim to protect, balance & rejuvenate for a renewed, healthier complexion. The collection comprises of a micellar water, day cream & night cream. This range is ideal for all skin types but it is especially suited to those with sensitised, stressed or damaged skin.



The first item I picked up was the Superfacialist Probiotic Micellar Cleansing Water (£6.99). I've been using Bioderma for years now & am rarely tempted to try other micellar waters. In fact I really wish I hadn't bothered. This is one of the worst makeup removers I have ever tried. In theory it sounds like a really nice cleansing water with the soothing probiotic complex, refreshing echinacea & cucumber extracts as well as hyaluronic acid for an extra hit of hydration. However in reality this liquid struggles to remove a light layer of foundation let alone eye makeup. It feels soapy & froths up slightly as you sweep it over the skin. It made my eyes sting & my face feel raw. I dread to think what this could do to someone with hypersensitive skin. Please don't waste your money on this, it's awful.



Despite my terrible experience with the micellar water I decided to persevere with the other two products in the Probiotic range - the Superfacialist Probiotic Skin Recovery Day Cream (£14.99) & the Superfacialist Probiotic Overnight Skin Recovery Cream (£15.99). These moisturisers claim to intensely hydrate & soothe the skin whilst promoting cell renewal. The main difference between the two is that the day cream contains arnica & aloe vera whereas the night cream has bisabolol. Both feature shea butter, glycerin & sunflower seed oil for hydration as well as probiotics, allantoin, peptides & lactic acid. Together these ingredients boost collagen production, reduce inflammation & reinforce the skin barrier, protecting it from external aggressors.

I've been using both of these moisturisers for a couple of months now & they've definitely had a positive effect on my skin. I absolutely love the Skin Recovery Day Cream. It has such a lovely gel creme texture & makes my skin feel super soft. It calms down any redness & irritation whilst preventing the formation of blemishes. The high glycerin content means that this moisturiser also works well as a primer & my makeup stays on all day long without the need for further products. The only problem is that I can't really tell the difference between the day cream & the night cream. To be honest I kinda feel like I wasted my money buying both. At night I normally like to use a richer cream to really amp up the moisture levels in my skin but the Overnight Skin Recovery Cream doesn't feel any more hydrating than the day cream. I have to mix it with a facial oil otherwise it doesn't really nourish my skin as much as I would like it to. I could just as easily mix an oil into the day cream & use that twice a day instead.

Although the Skin Recovery Day Cream has become my go-to moisturiser, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed with these new additions to the Superfacialist range. The micellar water is a load of rubbish & the night cream seems to be pretty much the same as the day cream, just packaged in a different coloured tube. They might have ever so slightly different ingredients but the texture of the creams & the effect they have on the skin are too similar to justify purchasing both. I am still very fond of the day cream so this experience hasn't put me off the brand or the idea of probiotic skincare in general. Just know that there are plenty of other gems to be found in the Superfacialist lineup!

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August Favourites

Laura Mercier Mineral Pressed Powder in Soft Porcelain
If there's one thing that Laura Mercier does extremely well, it's powders. I've been using her Loose Mineral Powder & Secret Brightening Powder for years as they're so finely milled & make your skin look flawless. After running out of my last pot of Mineral Powder I decided to try the pressed compact version as it's a bit more portable & less messy to use. It doesn't feature the pearl powder found in the loose version so the finish is a little more matte which might be better for those with oily skin. I really like powder foundations like this when I'm running short on time as they're so quick & easy to apply. This powder offers medium buildable coverage that still looks fresh & natural. It buffs into the skin so beautifully that it doesn't actually look like a powder. It can be used as a standalone foundation or as a setting powder for a truly airbrushed finish. However you decide to use it, the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder is such a fantastic base product & has become a staple in my makeup bag.

Pump It Up Cucumber Fresh Dry Body Wash
We've all heard of dry shampoo but now you can get a dry body wash for those times when you just can't manage to get to a shower. Instead of a spray or gel formula this stuff is an antibacterial foam that cleans & eliminates odour without the need for water. It dries really quickly & immediately makes your skin feel fresher. The foam is paraben & alcohol free so it won't dry out your skin. They do several different fragrances but I went for the cucumber one & I really like it. The scent is very subtle & doesn't last long but it doesn't need to as it's not trying to mask any smells. The foam kills the bacteria that causes body odour which is rather clever. Much like dry shampoo, dry body wash will never replace an actual shower but it's really handy to take to the gym, a festival or anywhere else you need to freshen up on the go.

Vitage Age Defence Power Skin Repair*
I've tried out quite a few different products from Vitage lately as I took part in their 30 Day Skincare Challenge. I loved using all of their products so much that I rejigged my entire skincare routine to revolve around them. I couldn't include all of the items here but my favourite product was the Age Defence Power Skin Repair which is a high performance antioxidant moisturiser. This really helps to soothe & calm my skin whilst making it feel super soft, hydrated & firm. It also helps to repair & refine the texture of my skin as it contains retinyl palmitate. I really love using this moisturiser both day & night. It feels very luxurious & works well as a base for makeup so this product is always such a pleasure to apply.

Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Dark Circles Eye Cream
My sleeping pattern has gone completely out of whack recently. Now that Chloe's back at school I have to get up even earlier & whenever I'm feeling tired it really shows on my face. My dark circles always look particularly bad. I'm a huge fan of the Superfacialist By Una Brennan range so I picked up this eye cream which is rich in vitamin C. It's one of the best things for tired skin as it helps to brighten the complexion & fade discolouration. I normally go for eye gels but the consistency of this cream is really light so it absorbs quickly & doesn't interfere with my makeup. It hydrates & smooths the area, plumping up any fine lines so that your eyes look fresher. Over time I would say that this does help to reduce the appearance of dark circles. It hasn't gotten rid of them completely but there is a noticeable enough difference for me to say that this is worth trying out. It's very affordable & would be a good eye product to start using at a younger age.

theBalm Overshadow Mineral Eyeshadow in No Money, No Honey
I never thought that anything could compare to theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer as it is the most perfect highlighter ever. However there's something even prettier & more pigmented than Mary-Lou and it also comes from theBalm. Now technically this is an eyeshadow but loose pigment products can be used anywhere. Their Overshadow Mineral Eyeshadow in the shade No Money, No Honey has that same gorgeous golden champagne shimmer as Mary-Lou Manizer but the effect is even more extreme. It is highly metallic & looks almost wet on the skin. This is definitely one to save for a night out rather than adding some glow to your everyday makeup. This little pot of magic looks absolutely stunning & I love using it as an eyeshadow too.

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Superfacialist By Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil

Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil - £10.99

I've waxed lyrical about how much I love the Superfacialist Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil quite a few times now. My one problem with the product is that it runs out incredibly quickly. I've been using it twice a day since April and have gone through one bottle per month. What was supposed to be a cheap but actually good alternative to some of the more expensive cleansers I've tried was costing me £15 a month and I was considering going back the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm just because it lasts a lot longer. Then I went into Boots a few weeks ago and spotted a new Vitamin C collection in the Superfacialist range called Brighten. The first thing that caught my eye was this Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. It was £4 cheaper than the rose oil for 170ml more product. That's such a crazy bargain, I immediately dismissed it as surely it had to be made from crappy ingredients to cost so little. I opened it up, cringed at the huge hole in the top and had a whiff of the orangey scent. Based on the strength of the other Superfacialist products, I decided I still wanted to try it out so I went back a few days later and bought a bottle.

The first time I tried it I figured maybe if I pour it out carefully then it'll be okay. Alas a huge gush of oil appeared in my hand and I ended up smothering my face in the stuff. The packaging design of this product is just incredibly disappointing. Whoever decided to not include either a pump or bit of plastic with a smaller hole is an idiot. Thank god I'd only just finished my bottle of the rose oil and could decant it into that. Seriously do not buy this product unless you have some kind of pump bottle to use with it instead. Packaging aside, this oil is a surprisingly good cleanser and my combination blemish-prone skin has had no adverse reactions to it!

This product is intended to be used as the first step in a double cleansing routine. It takes off makeup with the greatest of ease, doesn't make my eyes go foggy and really clears out my skin. Oil cleansers are ace if you get blocked pores, especially if you're prone to blackheads. The Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil contains olive, grapeseed, rosemary, cucumber and - everyone's current favourite - rosehip oil as well as Vitamin E & C. The texture of this is very light and fluid, probably more so than the rose oil. The colour is lighter too. I wouldn't say this is particularly brightening as the name suggests but my face is left with greater clarity & less redness. The orange scent is quite pleasant and as I know many people dislike rose scented products (why?!) this is a good alternative. The main difference between this oil and the rose oil other than the price is how it leaves my skin feeling. The rose oil is part of the 'Hydrate' collection and it definitely does hydrate my skin more than this one. The Vitamin C oil makes my skin feel really clean - almost squeaky. It doesn't strip my skin or make it feel tight at all, just less hydrated than the rose one. After completing the rest of my skincare routine I can't really tell any difference so I guess it doesn't matter in the end. Both do a brilliant job of cleansing my skin so I'm happy to use either one. I think I do slightly prefer the Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil but for the price you really can't complain about this product. Just don't forget to buy a pump!

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April Favourites

Real Techniques Kabuki Brush
I own pretty much all the Real Techniques brushes now but the Kabuki Brush was missing from my collection. I prefer this to the huge Powder Brush as it is a much better size & shape for powdering the skin. The bristles feel really silky & it works well with both mineral foundation & setting powders. It's a joy to use as it's just so soft and simply glides over my face without disturbing my foundation or blusher. The design of this brush is pretty cool as you can also flip it out so it almost resembles a fan brush. I love using my Louise Young Super Fan Brush for contouring so this is like a more travel friendly version of that one & much cheaper too!

Superfacialist By Una Brennan Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil
This is hands down one of the best cleansers I've ever used. I really like all the Superfacialist cleansers I bought but this one stands out as it hydrates, cleans off makeup & clears out blocked pores. I love the rose scent & it isn't overpowering at all. I look forward to cleaning my face with this day and night. It feels so good massaging this into my face before washing it off with a muslin cloth. I think it's really helped clear up my recent breakout. The only problem with this product is that I seem to be going through the bottle rather quickly! I'll definitely have to stock up while it's still on offer in Boots. Read more about some of the brilliant Superfacialist cleansers here.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
I bought this product quite a few months ago when there was just tons of hype around it. I still get acne at 24 years old so I'm willing to try anything that is heralded as a brilliant spot treatment. It didn't really do anything for me so I just shoved it to the back of my skincare drawer and forgot about it. I recently had an awful reaction to a REN exfoliating product which resulted in a million spots all over my face. I figured I would give it another go as my skin was in such a sorry state & I'm so glad I did. The rest of my skincare routine helped to clear up my face but this product in particular has unclogged a lot of the red spots on my cheeks. My skin feels a lot smoother & I've had less new spots since I started using it again. I think there is some confusion as to how to use this treatment but what I do is apply it only on the congested areas of my face before moisturising at night. This method seems to be working rather well as Effaclar Duo is definitely not moisturising enough for my skin on it's own. I know a lot of people have differing opinions about this product. Some people say it's ruined their skin, others say it's saved it and for some it does nothing at all. So it's definitely one you need to try out for yourself.

Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil
I have well and truly been loving face oils this month! I've spoken about this oil a few times now but I haven't been using it for a few months. It feels so lovely to massage this into your face at night, very soothing & calming. The blend of rosewood, geranium & lotus oils in it smells divine too. This is a great choice for anyone with combination/oily yet dehydrated skin as it balances the natural oils in your skin as well as unclogging pores. I've found it also helps with scarring & redness. Think I need to try the Trilogy Rosehip oil next as treatment oils are definitely my fave thing at the moment.

Maybelline Ceramic Blue Forever Strong Professional Nail Polish
This gorgeous pastel blue has been gracing my fingers a lot lately. It's such a nice colour and has a really subtle yet pretty baby blue shimmer running through it. It has also lasted surprisingly well on my nails! I've never tried any Maybelline polishes before but colour me impressed. If the Forever Strong polishes live up to their name then it's helping to strengthen my nails too so it's win win with this product.

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Superfacialist By Una Brennan

Superfacialist Tea Flower Purifying Cleansing Wash - £7.99
Superfacialist Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil - £14.99 / Superfacialist Rose Calming Creamy Cleanser - £7.99

On a daily basis I normally opt for three different cleansers - Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm twice a day followed by REN Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel in the morning and REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser at night. This trio is absolutely perfect for my combination skin type but all together they come to a total cost of £70! I'm determined to stick to a budget this month so when they all ran out at the same time a couple of weeks ago I decided not to repurchase any of them. I bought some cleansers from the Superfacialist By Una Brennan range instead for a total of £30. I might've been playing with fire by changing out three of my skincare staples but my more frugal replacements have actually been serving me rather well.

There are three ranges available: Rose for hydration, Tea Flower for deep cleansing and Neroli for firming. First of all I went for the double cleanse system in the Rose collection. I tend to think of facial oils as an alternative for moisturiser like the Clarins Lotus Oil but the Miracle Makeover Facial Oil is a pre-cleanse product. I've used a couple of cleansing oils in the past such as Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse and a Shu Uemura cleansing oil but both of those are quite pricey so I've never repurchased them. I do really like this one though. The rose scent is gorgeous & it feels lovely on the skin. Some oils can leave a greasy film when you wash them off but this one doesn't at all. It does a decent job of clearing off makeup, even mascara & eyeliner. Oils are brilliant at unblocking pores, especially blackheads. If you struggle with blackheads then you need to try a cleansing oil ASAP! The Rose Calming Creamy Cleanser is a great follow up cleanser to the facial oil. It's very soothing & effective at reducing redness in my skin. The rose products leave my skin feeling so soft & supple. They are so gentle & suitable for even the most sensitive skin. These products would be great for anyone with dry, dehydrated or combination skin as they cleanse, hydrate and balance skin very effectively.

I also bought the Tea Flower cleanser for those days when I'm feeling a bit oily or spotty. It contains Salicylic Acid, a BHA that really clears out congested pores & combats blemishes. It is a gel based cleanser that foams up a tiny bit so it's a nice one to use with my Clarisonic. It does leave my skin feeling very clean, albeit a little bit tight. The rest of my skincare routine soon sorts this out though. The Tea Flower range is ideal for anyone with blemish-prone skin so I think I'll be trying some more of those products soon.

Superfacialist By Una Brennan is currently exclusive to Boots. At the moment you can save 1/3 off all the Superfacialist products so now would be the ideal time to try out these fab cleansers. I'm really impressed with everything I've tried so far. I have never come across skincare products as good as these at such a low price. Think I need to buy the Tea Flower Pore Purifying Clay Mask next!

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