Powders I Love

I am usually the absolute worst with powders. For a long time in my youth I enjoyed the Rimmel 'Clear Complexion' powder for setting foundation and the like - then suddenly things started to cake up or in worst case scenario - dreaded product 'rubbings.' I tried different methods of applying and different powders that my teenage pocket could afford. In the end I gave up, thinking that my dry skin and powder just couldn't get along anymore...

Lips | Autumn/Winter

Carrying on with the Autumn/Winter theme from yesterday, I thought I'd share my top five picks for Autumn/Winter lips...

One Heck Of A Blot

I'm not usually one for powders, my dry skin tends to despise them and the majority of the time they cling to the odd dry patch or just look plain cakey. However throughout the last weeks of that delectable heatwave that England was granted, I needed a small amount powder on my t-zone just to make sure my make up lasted a little bit longer...

Beauty Bag | October

I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again; Devon can be a hellish humid place in autumn on occasion. It's not altogether very warm but it's a claustrophobic, stuffy sort of feeling and usually comes waltzing in with fine rain too. I'm grateful for the cooler weather but sometimes the humidity is worse than the potential threat of sunburn...

In any case, foundation still needs to be on the lighter side whilst still providing a nice amount of coverage. For this I am (continually) turning towards the No7 Essentially Natural foundation. I really can't harp on about this enough, I love it.

For cheeks I'll be keeping it simple - a small dot of Soap and Glory's Cheekmate rubbed into the apples give a healthy glow without fuss. This also doubles up and a lip stain but if that just won't cut it then I'll be pulling out the Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in 'The Redder The Better' to amp up the colour.

Concealing will be satisfied with the Maybelline Fit Me concealer, a mildly recent acquisition but an excellent one at that; it doesn't dry or cake on me at all which is probably my biggest annoyance when it comes to concealer. A 'velvet' skin is apparently what's hot for autumn - so in attempts to not look cakey and gross I'll be using the Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot powder.

Last but not least brows will be getting some attention with the Maybelline Brow Drama - a perfect cool toned dark brown that matches my (natural) hair colour, provides a tint and keeps any rogue hairs in place too.

So what will be in your beauty bag this October?

Peace!

September Favourites

It's that time of the month again; a little roundup of products that have pleased me during the month of September. I hasten to add I haven't worn much makeup, in fact my priorities this month have been hair and skin since I'm not at work and I've really only been using two products if I really must put make up on.

First up then is the Maybelline Fit Me concealer (review here) - non drying, good medium coverage, this has been a god send for me as of late. I had a reaction to something (it's one of two things,) and I erupted in little under the skin spots. Not very painful, but  quite annoying. If I had to go out anywhere that wasn't Lidl, then I plopped some of this on to make my skin somewhat presentable. 

To give my pale skin a bit of life on bad (ill) days - I also added the Soap and Glory Cheekmate (review here) to my lips and cheeks. It just gives the right amount of rosy glow and only a tiny amount is needed. Definitely one to look out for next time you're in Boots!

The John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo* and Conditioner* (review here) have really been keeping my hair at it's best, providing a decent amount of volume whilst keeping hair light. I've also taken a shine to the Blow-Dry Root Booster Lotion* which sprayed on towel dried hair has given the crown of my hair serious lift! 

I've spoken of my love for Vichy products quite briefly, but one product that I always go back to is the Vichy Purete Thermal Hydra Soothing Toner. It's hydrating, soothing and doesn't tighten the skin. I recently broke out and picked up a new bottle of this and it's really helped calm the skin down completely. I should also mention that I've already had four bottles of this and one bottle of the Hydra Perfecting toner - which is really good too but aimed at oily/combination skin. So yes, it's a really great toner.

Another skincare godsend is the Super Facialist Calming Creamy Cleanser from the Rose Hydrate range. This is a thick cream that smells of roses (and not artificial smelling either,) and just does a marvelous job of cleansing the skin yet keeping it calm as possible. I should have known it was going to be great since I adore the moisture mask from the same range. 

Last but not least was a cheeky Origins purchase - the Super Spot Remover. I wasn't kidding when I said I had broken out like crazy - all around the chin area. It was bumpy, almost like a spotty stubble (sexy description, right?) and whilst I'm glad they weren't the huge under skin spots that tend to be very painful, they were sore for the first few days. This has helped reduced the redness significantly and the spots are now on their way out (pale skin, spot 'scars' tend to hang around a lot easier on me) and this also came with a Gift With Purchase, which is always an incentive to buy!

So that was my round up of favourites for this month, I'd love to know what yours are! 

Peace!

Cheekmate | Cheek + Lip Stain

I've said it before and I'll say it again; I can take or leave blushers. They aren't my favourite step in my routine due to the fact I already have quite flush-prone skin. If I can control the redness, on the blush goes; if not? Well I've taken to just thinking 'to hell with it!' and leaving it at that.

Cream blushers are heaven (particularly proper cream blushers that don't dry to a powder,) for my dry skin, and I rarely touch my powder blushers unless I'm having a really good skin day. I hadn't even considered gel stains until I spotted this Soap and Glory Cheekmate Cheek and Lip Stain on a recent trip to Boots.

The info then? It's a gel cheek and lip stain that is supposed to enhance the circulation in the capillaries of the skin. It contains raspberry seed, kiwi extract and vitamin c to moisturize and condition. So does it live up to what it says on the (delightful,) tube?

In a word; yes. The nozzle is fine and needle like so precision with this is easy. Only a little is needed to give a really subtle rosy glow. The kind that says 'I've just been out on a brisk walk.' It's also really easy to blend, just pop a little where you want your rosy glow and blend with fingers although the Real Techniques Stippling Brush also does a fine job too. 

As mentioned this is a gel stain, so the moisturizing properties are there - it doesn't cake at all, not that I expected it too. It doesn't settle into any rogue dry patches and stays put all day - which is no mean feat!

At £8 I personally think this is a steal considering it does an amazing job, doing both lips and cheeks. It also frees up time in your mornings, and space in your make up bag. Win win!

Have you tried the Soap and Glory Cheekmate?

Peace!

Favourites & Constants

I'm picky most of the time. With food, with interior choices and of course with beauty products. If I find something that works for me, especially for my body - I'll stick to it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

Some of my constants that I couldn't be without, the top three that are always to hand are the E45 Intense Recovery Lotion - perfect for dry skin and sufferers of eczema alike this product is a god send. Although there is that unique E45 scent, I couldn't care less as it soon goes away, I always come back to this if my skin flares up. The Toni & Guy Sea Salt Spray is my best friend. I rarely style my hair in any way and just spritz this on for a tousled beachy look. Applied on damp hair over night whilst it's in a plait? Genius. Of course no one can be without Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. It's just that product. The scent is bloody awful, but it lasts ages and I couldn't do without it. When it runs out I'll pick up the scent-free concoction but I swear by this for dryness, impromptu lip scrubs (use a cotton bud and go crazy,) and even on nail cuticles. Truly a life saver.

Second to these, a tub of Carmex for pre-bed time soothing, Burts Bees Hand Salve for particularly bad cuticles or dry areas on the hands, a good hand cream - I either use any L'Occitane hand cream because they are just beaut, Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector during winter but at the moment it's Neal's Yard Bee Lovely hand cream. It smells incredible. My favourite shower gel is Creightons Vanilla and Macadamia Cocoon (available at Morrisons,) - it smells so so amazingly yummy and really hydrates and under £2 - who the hell am I to argue with that? I've just ordered a case of them. Oh yes, I'm in love... and for post shower/bath feet treats it has to be Soap and Glory Heel Genius. What's there to say? It's a classic, smells divine and really works. 

The new up-and-comers are Bioderma's Sensibio - I love, I adore. I purchased a bigger bottle. It gets rid of all make up before a thorough cleansing and honestly my skin is grateful. Lastly, Burts Bees Facial Cleanser - it feels partially like an oil, partially like a balm and has really gentle exfoliation to it too - perfect for mornings when you want a burst of orangey-goodness to wake you up.

What products can you really not do with out?

Peace!

Face Masks | Double Threats

Super Facialist, Hydrate Moisture Mask by Una Brennan, Garnier 3 in 1 Wash/Scrub/Mask, Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed.

So for the past few months I have been indulging, without fail, every Sunday on a little pampering. I usually do all of my work, get it out of the way, make dinner or if someone is spoiling me, then eat dinner - then the Sunday afternoon/evening pampering begins!

I want to talk about face masks today, let's call this part one. When I was younger, I use to slap one on my face (any old clay one, I figured, because my sister used them, so I should too,) and that was that - maybe only once a month. I was way more interested in going out with friends to be fussing around with myself. 

Now I'm older (but still young,) I know what my skin is about, most of the time. I have dry/sensitive skin, with the occasional spot - usually around the center of my face - so nose, chin and mouth. Sexy. Nothing perks up my skin more though, than the Double Threat - Two masks, with ultimately one goal - get rid of the weeks impurities and then inject much needed moisture.

Soap and Glory's No Clogs Allowed face mask is such an amazing mask/scrub treatment, and smells gorgeous. It has little beads that burst open whilst you're applying and then it heats up... Oh I do love a heating mask every now and then! You can either treat this as an intensive scrub, and simply wash it away once done, or leave it on for five minutes to use as a mask - it even comes with a sponge to help you get it all off. Tres handy! At £11, it's very reasonable - considering I use it once every two weeks so it goes a long way for me. Not to mention that Boots usually carry a 3 for 2 offer on Soap and Glory - so there's no reason to not stock up!

On the week I don't use the Soap and Glory mask, I'm using Garnier's 3 in 1 Face wash/scrub/mask - It really leaves skin tingling clean and really does a good job of purifying the skin. I usually use this after I've applied my hair mask/conditioner, plop it all over the bothersome areas - prance back into the shower (I don't have a bath, sob!) and focus on other areas whilst hair and face are being whipped back into submission! Obviously once done, wash it off in the shower and then move onto the big guns. This is £5.99 from Boots.

Once I'm all out of the shower, I'll then apply the Super Facialist Hydrate Moisture Mask - you only need this on for five minutes as opposed to some moisture masks which you leave on over night - so I take the time to apply whatever concoctions I wish on my body, then simply wash off, pat dry and done! I can't stress how it really leaves your skin feeling soft, and once you've used a cleansing mask - it really lets the moisture to soak in further. This actually smells of rose too - some products I find are labelled as rose and really smell awful. This smells divine, doesn't irritate my skin and does what it says it promises! Score. This retails for £8.99 from Boots - so it's a really affordable but luxe feeling product.

What face masks do you use to make you feel at your best?

Peace!

Haul | Superdrug & Boots

So a little thing happened. I went into town to drop off my car at the garage and then thought "Oh, Superdrug has Original Source on offer, I'll pick some up..."

The face masks are Superdrugs own brand, currently on a 4 for 3 offer - who can say no? Original Source is only £1.13 at the moment, I picked up some more face wash and some cocoa butter lotion (I love this particular stuff and for under £2 I don't feel guilty when I slather it on,) and not to mention a cheeky Barry M nail varnish in Lychee.

This was my plan - only to pick up bottles of delicious Original Source. Then I got distracted by everything. The product I am most intrigued to try is of course the Wild Ombre kit from L'Oreal - I'll be putting this into action once my hair has been re-dyed. I have no idea what will happen to my ends in terms of colour, it very well may come out orange - but I am not worrying. It's only hair.

In boots I had only wanted some Hand Food and thought to go for the 3 for 2 offer. Of course I needed some more Heel Genius and picked up some Hand Maid sanitizing gel too. Then Toni and Guy are on offer - 3 products for £12... Oh god help me. Then you know, Revlon. BAM. In the basket.

What had been intended was a simple trip into town turned me into red-wrists. When you buy things, and then they weigh you down and give you red wrists. Red-Wrist Guilt I call it. ;)

What have you been splurging on this week?

Peace!

P.S, Thinking about doing some vlogging, yay or nay?

Gift Guide 2012 - Vol 4 - The Sister...

STOCKING FILLERS

If you have a older sister (I have two,) then you know what it's like to look up to someone who isn't your mother, but still a family member, who is undoubtedly cool. This is for them and their stocking filler type treats.

1. Mavala All That Glitters Pure Diamond - £6.44.

2. Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lip Colour - £12.75.

3. Matrix Total Results Sleek Gift Set - £8.49.

4. Soap and Glory Heel Genius - £5.50.

Peace!

New Things....

Just a few things I've bought recently. 

The Soap and Glory scrub is truly delightful, smells beautiful (the packaging is amusing, as always,) and really does the job it was set out to do.

I haven't tried the little trial size of the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil, but I will let you know how I get on. I've heard amazing things about it, so I've got high hopes. 

Also, Essie nail polish in Absolutely Shore. It's a delightful 'milky' green, I'd say and really suits my skin tone. Pale, hahaha.

Peace!